Experiencing Scotland

Scotland is a unique and austere¹ place, laden² with history, where you can find aristocratic palaces and castles, as well as the traditional parades in national costumes. It has some of the most beautiful cities in Europe, a living testimony³ of a proud and splendid past.

In order to see and discover the true soul of Scotland today, what forged the character of this splendid region, we have to go towards the northern regions, to the Grampian Mountains. Beautiful and unspoiled, it was difficult to farm. The Scots subdued⁴ the environment with simple spades and strong arms.

The history of this ancient struggle, and its people's ancient love affair with the hard land, is enclosed within the walls of the Angus Folk Museum. You are able to get a feel of the typical rural atmosphere of times past from the everyday artifacts displayed here.

From coastal⁵ Aberdeen in towards the interior of the Grampian Mountains there runs the Castle Trail, a road that touches on many fortresses⁶, which are witnesses of continual revolts against the dominion⁷ of neighboring England in Scottish history.

Perhaps the most uplifting moment for Scottish autonomy is the one experienced inside this ancient abbey of Arbroath, where, in 1320; the Declaration of Independence was celebrated⁸, at the instigation of King Robert the Bruce. He carried out the plan for autonomy drawn⁹ up by the great popular hero William Wallace, to whom cinema has dedicated¹⁰ the wonderful film Braveheart, the winner of five Oscars. ( to be continued)

　　 中文：

　　苏格兰是一个独特的地方，历史的厚重感随处可见。豪门望族的府第与城堡历历在目，以及穿着传统服装的仪仗队。这些全欧洲最美丽的城市，诉说着苏格兰昔日的荣耀与光芒。

　　想体验和发现真正今日的苏格兰，追寻这里民族精神的源泉，就得去北部的格兰扁山区。格兰扁山区景色怡人，决无污染，曾一度不适合耕作，苏格兰人硬是凭着简单的锄头、铁锹和他们的双手征服了生存环境。

　　苏格兰先民的艰苦劳作史以及他们自古对这片贫瘠土地的眷恋，在安格斯民俗博物馆里一览无余。从这里展出的平常物品中，你能够感受到那种典型的往日乡间气氛。
　
　　有一条古堡之路从沿海的阿伯丁一直蜿蜒到格兰扁山区深处。沿途很多昔日的要塞，都是苏格兰在历史上不断反抗英格兰统治的见证。

　　苏格兰争取自治的过程中最大快人心的时刻莫过于1320年，在古老的阿布罗斯修道院，在罗伯特·布鲁斯国王的鼓动下庆贺《独立宣言》的签订。布鲁斯采纳了传奇英雄威廉·华莱士所献的计策，完成了自治大业，这个故事后来被改编成精彩的电影《勇敢的心》，并获五项奥斯卡大奖。（待续）

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