[Pride and Prejudice] The leisurely life of Miss Bentley

Until she got in the carriage and headed towards Venice, Caroline was still reminiscing about her "encounter" in Marseilles.

If Paris is a delicate and elegant noble young woman, Marseille in Provence is chaotic and disorderly, just like a bohemian, disheveled French girl, passionate and full of passionate temptation.Here, explore the intricate and crowded alleys, steep stairs, winding roads, small courtyards, cozy cafes, and white sails by the port, the warm sea breeze and bright sunshine of the Mediterranean Sea, every detail They are all charming and worth pondering.

There is a saying here that if you don’t eat "Marseille fish soup" when you arrive in Marseille, you have never been to Marseille, just like the Chinese people say that if you don’t eat the Great Wall, you have never been to the imperial capital.Bouillabaisse is a traditional dish of fishermen in the Marseille region.In fact, there are all kinds of fish soups spread all over France, but the difference between Marseille fish soup is to cook with six different fresh sea fish caught from the Mediterranean that morning. The commonly used ones are monkfish, sea bream, Conger eel, sheepfish, scorpionfish, herring, whiting, but no shellfish of any kind.Of course, what kind of fish to put in it depends on the chef's opinion.

Although the bouillon bouillabaisse eaten near the port is the most authentic, because bouillabaisse bouillabaisse is originally made by the fisherman after going out to sea and cooking all kinds of fish with spices, but Mr. Darcy and Carlo The two of Lin are drinking fish soup together with fishermen and homeless people who don't know where to go at a food stall near the port of Marseille where fish and dragons are mixed.

And... Caroline, who had tasted the delicious food of the Celestial Dynasty and was deeply influenced by Yu Qiuyu, did not have high expectations for the bouillon bouillabaisse that this old Yu said was "in vain".It's just that since I'm here, it seems that it's a pity not to taste it.According to tradition, authentic Bouillabaisse is first sautéed with onion, tomato, garlic, fennel in the best olive oil, adding thyme, parsley and bay leaf, seasoned with dried orange peel, and finally added with saffron for color .After making a pot of thick soup in this way, put it in order according to the different heat required for each kind, and boil the raw materials every time you put it in.In Lao Yu's words, it is fishy and salty, but it doesn't feel delicious, and after a long time of cooking, it is old and old. "I have to sigh, hold a piece of potato and grab half a piece of bread to eat, and I have used up the bouillabaisse."

The bouillabaisse cooked in the restaurant where Mr. Darcy and Caroline sat was far more refined than the unadorned raw bouillabaisse in Marseilles.The fish soup was served in two servings.The waiter first brought sliced ​​French bread and homemade garlic mayonnaise, as well as a small bowl of fish soup for each person.

The yellow-brown soup has the smell of fresh fish and seasonings, and it smells quite attractive. Compared with the fish soup skillfully seasoned with scallions, ginger and cooking wine, it tastes more fishy. Consciously frowned.On the contrary, the restaurant's homemade garlic mayonnaise is spread on hard bread, and it can be swallowed with fish soup.

After barely eating a piece of bread, Caroline looked at Mr. Darcy who was sitting opposite, and found that he also had an expression of being unable to swallow.It seems that not only her stomach, which still retains the Chinese taste, cannot adapt to the "delicacy" of Bouillabaisse, but Mr. Darcy's tongue cannot adapt to the delicacy of Provence.Although it is true that France is far less famous for its food and wine, bouillabaisse is not one of them.In her opinion, it's not as delicious as fish in sour soup.

Mr. Darcy also noticed that Caroline put down the food in her hand, smiled at each other, and decided to abandon it, choosing to take a walk in Marseille.Fortunately, Marseille's strong Mediterranean style and extreme lazy romance have lived up to them, and they have finally forgotten the flavor brought by top-level cuisine.They are really two people who don't know how to appreciate.

Compared with Marseille, Provence and even France, Venice has another style.The only element here is water, which is blue, tranquil, and the sky is the same color. The winding water alleys and flowing clear waves are like a romantic dream floating on the blue waves, and the poetic and picturesque feelings will linger for a long time.The combination of meandering rivers, rippling boats and bridges of various shapes forms the unique style of Venice.As the poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning said: "There is no other city like it or the same. There is no second Venice in the world."

After spending a beautiful night looking up at the starry sky at the hotel, Mr. Darcy and Caroline inevitably took a gondola to travel around Venice.This light, slender and uniquely shaped boat is a famous product of Venice, with both ends raised high like crescent moons.In addition to boats, there is no other means of transportation in Venice.

If British men are serious and conservative, French men are elegant and polite, Italian men are open and enthusiastic.

On the right hand side of walking out of the hotel is a small bridge that is common in Venice. On the side of the bridge, there are many boatmen driving gondolas waiting for the arrival of guests.As soon as Mr. Darcy and Caroline appeared, they attracted the attention of the boatmen who were taking a nap.Facing the beauties, even the beauties with masters could not stop the Italian men from appreciating their eyes, and some boatmen even whistled frivolously.

Mr. Darcy picked a gondola that seemed to be the safest, ignored the overly attentive support of the boatman, got into the boat first, and then helped Caroline into the gondola.

Gondolas are swaying in the long and narrow water alleys. Stone bridges with different shapes pass overhead, passing through familiar waterways one after another. the minor.

"Sir, miss, you are not natives of Venice, are you?"

"Yes, it's our first time in Venice." Caroline replied briskly, the beautiful scenery along the way made her unable to catch her eyes.

"You have come to the right place..." The boatman smiled, "Sir, you are so lucky to have such a beautiful young lady by your side."

Looking at Caroline tenderly, Mr. Darcy turned his head and said to the young boatman who was joking, "Indeed, we are here for honeymoon."

Caroline turned her head when she heard the words, and looked at Mr. Darcy with a smile, but said nothing.Mr. Darcy was a little uncomfortable at Caroline's meaningful smile, and coughed.

The boatman raised his eyebrows, muttered a few words, and said with a smile: "Venice is the most romantic and unique, sir and madam, you will definitely make this trip worthwhile."

The corner of her mouth curled up, and Caroline smiled and said, "It will."

There are hundreds of bridges in Venice, big and small, and the Rialto Bridge described by Shakespeare is the oldest and most beautiful one.With a white appearance, the bridge is a covered corridor. Viewed from the side, the center of the bridge is a very high arched porch with six small dots on each side. It can be used for shopping and viewing. Undulating canal.

In addition, the most classic is the Bridge of Sighs.One end is connected to the court of the Governor's Palace, and the other is the cell on the other side of the Governor's Palace.It is said that in the past, after the prisoner was convicted in court, he would walk out of the Governor's Palace, pass the Bridge of Sighs and be sent to the cell.Just across a bridge, it can be described as the difference between heaven and hell.When these dying prisoners pass the beautiful marble bridge of the Bridge of Sighs, they can see the beautiful scenery of the water city outside through the carved windows, and remember the sweet life of their tryst with their lovers under the same bridge. Live and sigh deeply, hence the name of the Bridge of Sighs.It is said that if a pair of lovers can kiss affectionately under the bridge at sunset, they will be together forever.

Venice at sunset, with the sea breeze blowing, this peaceful and happy beauty seems to make people feel that time has frozen.Figures strolling leisurely by the water bank, various intricately carved mansions and palaces slowly pass by.Hearing the boatman reminded loudly, "This is the Bridge of Sighs", Caroline was surrounded by Mr. Darcy's warm breath.Regardless of whether this legend is true or not, at least the countless lovers kissing under the Bridge of Sighs are in love at this moment.

The boatman was afraid that he had seen countless sweet scenes of lovers embracing and kissing each other in a day, so he was calm and calm, and only sang a little tune softly to the calm and flowing blue lake.

Such a journey, slowly and leisurely, when the Gondola returned to the bridgehead where it started, the afterglow of the setting sun was almost gone.The boatman stopped the gondola on the shore, and recommended the open-air dance in St. Mark's Square to Mr. Darcy and Caroline.

"Sir and Madam, there will be an open-air dance in St. Mark's Square tonight. If you are interested, you may wish to go there and have fun." The young and handsome boatman leaned on his oars, smiling and winking at Caroline.

"An open-air dance?" With Mr. Darcy's hand, Caroline came up from the gondola, stood firmly on the ground, and asked back with a little surprise.

"That's right, the masked open-air dance, this is a Venetian tradition..." The boatman seemed to open up the conversation, and began to introduce it.

sounds good.Wearing a mask, you don't know me, I don't know you, it's really interesting.The important thing is that this kind of dance is very casual, mysterious and novel, and it is much more interesting than the social dances in Paris or London.

Nodding to the boatman, Caroline and Mr. Darcy walked away.

"Shall we go to Piazza San Marco tonight, Fitzwilliam?"

"Ok?"

"Masquerade, that sounds really good."

"..."

"You just emphasized the honeymoon!" Caroline laughed, her eyelashes curled.

"..."