Jutting out into the waters of Casco Bay,

突出於卡斯科灣的水域

Portland is one of those special cities whose history

波特蘭是一個特別的城市

and people have long been shaped by the sea.

其歷史和人文長期深受海洋影響

It's a city whose character has also been forged by fire.

這座城市的性格 也受火影響頗深

Native American raiders burnt the first English settlement to the ground in 1676,

1676 年，美國原住民襲擊並燒毀了 第一個英國殖民地

and returned with the French fourteen years later to torch it once again.

14 年後他們又與法國人一同回來 再度將其燒毀

In 1775, British warships set the city ablaze,

1775 年，英國戰艦使整座城市陷入火海

and in 1866, a Fourth of July firecracker set off an inferno,

1866 年，美國獨立紀念日的慶祝煙火 又使整座城市淪為煉獄

which left thousands homeless.

數千人無家可歸

But this is a city that refused to lie down,

但這座城市沒有倒下

and today Portland is one of the most dynamic,

今日，波特蘭是美國最有活力

and livable small metros in the USA.

且適合人居的小型都市之一

Part of the city's great charm is its working waterfront.

這座城市的迷人魅力 也在於其運作中的濱海區

Amble down Commercial Street

不妨沿著商店街漫步

and spend a few hours drifting around the many wharves and piers.

花幾個小時信步走走 看看諸多碼頭和突堤

Relax with a craft beer and lobster roll as fishermen unload their daily catch,

或在漁民們卸下每日漁獲時 悠閒享用手工啤酒和龍蝦捲

wooden ships set sail to nearby islands,

欣賞木船啟航至鄰近諸島

and cargo ships glide out to far-off ports.

貨船揚帆航向遠洋港口

Follow the salty breezes through the streets and lanes of the historic port district,

跟著微鹹的海風 穿梭在古老港口區的大街小巷

where the currents of past and future eddy

過去和未來的漩渦

amid the old fish-packing plants and locomotive factories of yesteryear.

在昔日的魚類包裝場 和火車頭工廠間碰撞交會

It was here that Portland's faithful raised their finest churches,

在波特蘭，虔誠的教徒盡心盡力 興建最精美的教堂

and where the city's ship builders and merchants built their stately homes.

城市的造船商和商人 則打造了許多豪華宅邸

Spend an hour or two touring the ornate rooms of Victoria Mansion,

您不妨花一兩個小時參觀華美的 維多利亞公館

the summer home of 19th century hotelier, Ruggles Sylvester Morse.

它曾作為 19 世紀住宿業者 羅格希爾維斯特莫爾斯的夏季宅邸

In 1940 this Italianate brownstone

1940 年，這座義式赤褐色砂石建築

was almost demolished to make way for a gas station.

為了讓道給一座加油站差點被摧毀

Thankfully common sense prevailed and the historic home

幸好，有關當局做了明智的決定 這座歷史宅邸

and most of its original interiors were saved.

和大部分原有的內部裝飾得以保存

Time also stands still at the historic home of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow,

時間也停駐在 亨利·沃茲沃思·朗費羅的故居

one of America's most beloved poets.

他是美國最受歡迎的詩人之一

See the hobbyhorse young Henry rode into imaginary worlds,

看看領著年少的亨利 進入幻想世界的木馬

and the desk where the poet honed his lines,

和詩人琢磨其詩詞的書桌

many inspired by the woodlands and wharves of Portland.

他的許多靈感皆來自波特蘭的林地 和碼頭

Head west along Congress Street to the Arts District,

沿國會大街向西走就來到藝術區

an area teeming with creative enterprises.

這是一個充滿創意產業的地區

At the centre of it all is the Portland Museum of Art.

其中心便座落著 波特蘭藝術博物館

Starting life in 1908 at McLellan House,

博物館於 1908 年在麥克萊倫府成立

over the decades the collection swelled and new buildings were added.

幾十年來，收藏品不斷增加 並擴建了新的建築

Just like Longfellow,

和朗費羅一樣

many of the artists whose works feature here were inspired by the Portland's coastline,

許多以波特蘭為主題創作的藝術家 皆受當地海岸之美啟發

including one of the giants of American art,

包括美國藝術巨擘之一

Winslow Homer.

溫斯洛霍默

In Portland, the ever-present cry of gulls is a reminder that the sea is never far away.

在波特蘭，海鷗時時迴盪的鳴叫 更讓日常充滿了海洋的氣息

Head east along Congress Street to Eastern Promenade,

沿著國會大街向東行 即可來到東部濱海公園

visionary parklands that have provided Portlanders with a place

自 1836 年起，美景如畫的公園綠地便讓波特蘭居民 有了

to stretch their legs and take in the Atlantic breezes since 1836.

能夠輕鬆散步 並感受大西洋微風的好去處

Over the centuries, Portland has been of great strategic importance,

數百年來 波特蘭一直具有重要的戰略意義

and the coastline once bristled with cannon.

海岸線也曾大砲林立

Cross the mouth of the Fore River to South Portland

穿過福爾河口到達南波特蘭

and peer through the gun ports of Historic Fort Preble,

便能從歷史堡壘 普雷布爾堡的槍眼窺探

which saw service from the Civil War, right up until the 1950s.

這座堡壘從美國內戰時期 一直使用至 1950 年代

Just below the fort is the Spring Point Ledge Light,

堡壘正下方就是春岬礁燈塔

one of the smaller and more unusual of Maine's 57 active lighthouses.

這是緬因州 57 座還在使用的燈塔中 較小型且獨特的一座

While just a few miles south on Cape Elizabeth,

在伊莉莎白角南部幾英里的地方

stands one of New England's most beautiful, Portland Head Light.

屹立著新英格蘭最美麗的燈塔之一 波特蘭燈塔

Commissioned by George Washington in 1791,

1791 年由喬治．華盛頓下令興建

the lighthouse has been home to many characters,

曾有許多管理員在這座燈塔駐守

including one lighthouse keeper's parrot who would screech as bad weather approached,

其中一名管理員的鸚鵡 還會在天氣轉壞時大叫

“Start the horn, start the horn, fog rolling in”.

「吹響號角，吹響號角，濃霧來了」

The lighthouse is part of Fort Williams Park,

這座燈塔是威廉斯堡公園的一部份

where you'll find even more historic defenses,

公園裡還有更多歷史防禦工事遺跡

as well as the eerie ruins of the old Goddard Mansion.

以及古老的戈達德大宅 陰森森的斷壁殘垣

Once you start exploring this coastline, it's very easy to just keep on going.

一旦踏上這道海岸線 就很容易一路悠閒走下去

Around every headland there's a new beach, bay, state park or town,

每個海岬周圍都有新的海灘 海灣、州立公園或城鎮

places that beckon paddlers, anglers, seadogs and dreamers,

吸引著划船愛好者、釣客、海狗 和夢想家

and those happy to simply soak up the colours and scents of New England.

和那些單純喜歡沉浸於新英格蘭色彩 與氛圍的人們

Seven miles south of Portland is Scarborough,

斯卡伯勒位在波特蘭以南七英里處

where families have been returning to sleepy havens like Higgins Beach for generations.

那裡的家庭已經返璞歸真 數個世代以來寧靜度日，像希金斯海灘一樣

From here, let the bend of Saco Bay sweep you further south

從這裡，讓薩考海灣 帶領您到更南端

to the neat-as-a-pin-town of Saco.

整齊乾淨的薩考小鎮

At the local museum,

來到當地的博物館

learn about the little mill town that became a textile giant that helped dress the nation

可以了解這個磨坊小城是如何成為紡織重鎮 為美國人民供應

in style.

時尚衣物

Right at Saco's front door is Ferry Beach State Park,

薩考鎮的大門坐落著 渡輪海灘州立公園

100 acres of trails, tupelo trees and time-stopping vistas.

其中有著 100 英畝的步道 圖彭樹林和如詩如畫的美景

And if you're dreaming of a little salt-weathered,

如果你嚮往帶點海風氣息

old-school, New England perfection,

懷舊的完美新英格蘭風格

drop anchor at Cape Porpoise.

不妨在海豚角駐足

Once you've come this far,

一旦來到這裡

it's hard to resist the impossibly pretty docks

就很難抵擋這美不勝收的碼頭

and historic ship-builder's homes of Kennebunkport.

而歷史悠久的造船小鎮肯納邦克波特

A long-time favourite with US Presidents,

一直是多位美國總統鍾愛的地方

this resort town serves up some of the best eating,

這個渡假小鎮提供最美味的佳餚

classiest shopping, and most beautiful coastlines in Maine.

最經典的購物場所 和緬因最漂亮的海岸線

On your way back to Portland, be sure to grab a ticket,

在回波特蘭的路上，別忘了買張門票

and take a ride at the Seashore Trolley Museum,

參觀一下海濱電車博物館

the largest collection of streetcars in the world.

這裡有世上最豐富的有軌電車收藏

A visit here is more than just a ride, it's a tribute to craftsmanship,

來此不僅是一趟電車之旅 更是對工藝的讚揚

engineering-know-how, and a time when people stopped to talk to strangers.

對工程技術的認識 也是和陌生人交談的時刻

Portland, Maine, is very much a tribute to those ideals too,

緬因的波特蘭就是 這些理想的體現

for this is a place where life is as it should be.

因為在這裡，生活便是如此踏實

It's a place where history, nature, creativity and community are in tune,

歷史、自然與創意在此薈萃 與當地社群和諧交融

creating more than just a city, but a song by the sea.

不僅打造出一座城市 更譜出優美的海濱之歌