不能说的秘密！亚述尔群岛的神秘桃源

There are few corners of the world that remain blissfully oblivious to tourism.

世间幸有几处世外桃源，尚未受到旅游产业的惊扰。

The Azores can be counted as nine of them as this is the number of islands that make up the Portuguese archipelago, Europe’s westernmost point in the Atlantic Ocean.

亚述尔群岛可算这些世外桃源中的九个，因为这是一组群岛，共有9个，位于葡萄牙境内，在欧洲最西端的大西洋洋面上。

My first glimpse from the air of craggy volcanic cones and brilliant blue lakes in ancient craters didn’t disappoint.

当我第一眼从空中瞥见这些群岛，看见突兀的火山丘和火山坑中湛蓝的湖水，果然不会令人失望。

These captivating castaways, all with their own individual charms, are a nirvana for nature lovers. The lushness of the countryside with green pastures and tidy stone walls seemed at times as familiar as the Yorkshire Dales.

这些摄人心魄的世外之景，以其独特的魅力，成为了自然爱好者的伊甸园。乡村地区绿树成荫，满眼葱郁，整齐的小石墙让人联想到约克郡谷地的英伦风光。

Waterfalls tumbled down sheer cliffs, fantastic ferns fanned gently in the breeze, and puffs of vapour hissed an escape from deep underground.

瀑布从陡峭的山崖上倾斜而下，巨大的蒲叶在微风中摇摆，不时从地壳深处呲的噗出一股水蒸气，煞是有趣。

It was like stumbling on to the film location of Jurassic Park without the dinosaurs.

我们好像误入了一个拍摄电影的取景点，一个没有恐龙的侏罗纪公园。

At our stylish, Art Deco Terra Nostra Garden Hotel, there was a thermal pool in the grounds.

我们下榻在高端的Art Deco Terra Nostra花园酒店，一楼有温泉泳池。

The water looked murky, but on hearing that the mineral mix is an elixir of youth, I plunged straight into the balmy bath and didn’t want to get out again until I looked half my age.

温泉中的泉水看起来很浑浊。不过听说池中的矿物混合物具有返老还童的功效，我便立刻跳入池中，洗了个油膏澡，赖在池中不愿出来，除非我看起来年龄只有现在的一半。

The hotel’s restaurant is one of many in the area that serves up ‘Cozido das Furnas’.

旅馆中的餐厅供应当地特色“火锅宴”，在本地许多餐厅你都能找到这样的菜。

After one active morning canoeing in the crater of Furnas Lake, we stepped ashore to watch men unearthing these meaty casseroles that had been slow-cooked underground by the heat of the volcano.

在佛纳思火山湖的火山口泛舟伐船，开心地度过了一早上之后，我们上岸并看见当地人正在掘出埋在土里的砂锅，砂锅里煮着各种肉食，都是利用地下火山岩溶的温度慢火细焖而成。

Seafood-lovers will relish specialities such as octopus in red wine, and fish you’ve never heard of.

爱好吃海鲜的人会非常喜欢这里的特色海鲜菜，包括红酒章鱼，还有各种你闻所未闻的鱼类。

My favourite lookout – the panorama over the Green and Blue Lakes from the Vista do Rei (or King’s View) – has been voted one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Portugal.

我最喜欢的景色是从Vista do Rei纵观碧蓝湖的全景，这一景观被誉为葡萄牙七大自然奇观之一。

Now I’ve let you in on this well-kept secret, I doubt these serene hideaways will ever be forgotten – least of all by me.

现在我已经将这个常年来无人知晓的秘密告诉了你，我怀疑是否人们真能将这个静谧的世外桃源遗忘掉——至少我是不会的。