Memorable Holland(a)|荷兰之美，『郁』罢不能

Memorable Holland

by Daniel Howard

Known as the land of windmills, tulips, and clogs, Holland is so much more.

　　Holland is a part of the country that is today called the Netherlands. Sometimes the word Holland is substituted for the whole country, but in fact it is just one region of the Netherlands. The region is rich in history, from being a county in the Holy Roman Empire, to the Dutch Empire and the East India Trading Company, and even in modern world politics.

　　The geography of Holland has played a major role in its history. Located on the coast of the North Sea, Holland has been a seafaring power for centuries. The Dutch Empire was spread throughout the world, and there were times in its history that Dutch fleets dominated the trade of spices and other exotic goods from far-away countries, making Holland one of the most powerful regions on Earth.

　　The sea hasn't always been good to Holland, however. Much of the country is flat wetlands below sea level, which has made flooding a big problem. The country is famous for its levees to keep the ocean back and make land available. These measures haven't always been enough, though, especially in times of heavy rains. The Dutch turned to windmills. By using the power of the air, windmills could pump water out of the low areas and free up more land for agriculture and homes. The famous windmills were also a driving force in Holland's industry. It gave them the ability to mill grain and even develop a manufacturing infrastructure. A group of 600 windmills was built 250 years ago and became the first industrial site in the world called Zaanse Schans. The site was used to produce a variety of products including paper, oil, and mustard. Today, it is an open air museum available to the many tourists who visit the area.

荷兰是众所周知的风车、郁金香和木屐之国，而它还有更多值得欣赏之处。

 

　　荷兰（Holland）是现今所称的荷兰王国（the Netherlands）的一部份。有时候荷兰这个词会用来代替整个国家，但实际上它只是荷兰王国的其中一个地区。该地区从神圣罗马帝国的一个县，到荷兰帝国及东印度贸易公司，甚至是现代世界政治史上，都拥有相当丰富的历史。

　　荷兰的地理位置在其历史上扮演了很重要的角色。荷兰位于北海之滨，几个世纪以来一直都是航海强权。荷兰帝国的版图遍布世界各地，而且在其历史上有好几次荷兰舰队主宰了来自遥远国度的香料和其他外来货物的贸易，这使荷兰成为地球上最强大的地区之一。

　　然而，大海对荷兰来说并不完全是好事。该国大部份地区都是低于海平面且地势平坦的湿地，这使得洪水泛滥成了一个大问题。该国著名的便是以堤防来阻绝海水，如此土地就可以使用。不过，这些措施并非总是足够，特别是在豪雨时节更是如此。于是荷兰人转而使用风车。藉由空气的力量，风车可以从低洼地区把水抽出，腾出更多的土地供农业和家庭使用。这些名闻遐迩的风车也是推动荷兰产业的一大助力。风车可以磨碎谷物，甚至能够发展出制造业的基础设施。被称作赞瑟斯汉斯的这个地方，在两百五十年前制造了六百座风车，成为世界上第一个工业区。这个地区被用来制造各式各样的产品，包括纸、油和芥末。时至今日，它是一个造访该地区的许多游客可以参观的露天博物馆。