英语博客(A cup of English):045 A trip to Leavenworth.

　　Beginners.
About half an hour away from where we live is the town of Leavenworth. It is a fairly small place, near very tall mountains and lots of forests. Nearby is a river called 'The Icicle' which is popular with tourists, kayakers, and campers. It is the perfect spot for a day trip. We chatted on the way, so the journey seemed short. When we got there, it was cold and dull, but the color of the shops and people walking about gave a cheerful appearance. We went into a restaurant that had exposed brick walls, large mirrors, and greenery everywhere. It was cozy¹ and busy. Just right. We had a delicious meal of crepes filled with vegetables and a creamy sauce. The food disappeared quickly. And then it was time for dessert. My mother had creme brulee, and I had yet another crepe, but this time stuffed with banana, chocolate, and cream. I haven't eaten like that for a long time! What a treat, and what a lovely time I had with my mother. After lunch, we spent about an hour wandering around this touristic town. One of our favorite shops was a high quality gift shop that sold, amongst other things, German Cukoo clocks. They were very expensive, intricate, and they made a lovely, soft tick-tick noise. We didn't buy anything, but we had fun just window shopping.
Grammar notes.
Verbs: to chat (reg.), to wander (reg.), to browse² (reg.).
Useful expressions: the perfect spot, just right, what a treat, amongst other things, a cheerful appearance.
Advanced.
If you have ever been to Leavenworth, you would say that it is a fascinating creation. Let me explain what I mean when I say 'creation'. It was first established as a town around 1892. The Great Northern Railway had its headquarters there, and there was a large sawmill which was used for the logging industry. However, when the headquarters were moved to Wenatchee, the town suffered economically. People lost their jobs and left. The big turn around came in the 1960's when an initiative to reinvent the town was agreed upon. It was to be transformed into a mock Bavarian town. The experiment worked; the buildings had facades³ put on them, and the tourists started to visit. It was a success. Now it receives hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. There are seasonal⁴ celebrations, like October-fest and the Christmas lighting⁵ ceremony, which bring in floods of tourists. There is even a Nutcracker museum which houses five thousand nutcrackers. What an amazing adventure it must have been to turn a run down town into a tourist attraction. The surrounding countryside gives it an authentic⁶ Bavarian feel, and even though the buildings are obviously not original, the town has the pull of a center of entertainment.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: established, headquarters, economically, industry, initiative, to reinvent, tourists, seasonal, countryside.
* It was to be transformed into a mock Bavarian town. Exs: Nobody knew it yet, but she was to be/ going to be crowned Queen in two years.  Before he reached adolescence⁷, he was to have all of his teeth extracted.

1 cozy   

adj.亲如手足的，密切的，暖和舒服的

参考例句：

• I like blankets because they are cozy.我喜欢毛毯，因为他们是舒适的。
• We spent a cozy evening chatting by the fire.我们在炉火旁聊天度过了一个舒适的晚上。

2 browse   

vi.随意翻阅，浏览；(牛、羊等)吃草

参考例句：

• I had a browse through the books on her shelf.我浏览了一下她书架上的书。
• It is a good idea to browse through it first.最好先通篇浏览一遍。

3 facades   

n.（房屋的）正面( facade的名词复数 )；假象，外观

参考例句：

• Terraces of asphalt are placed by the building's south and west facades. 沥青露台位于建筑的南面和西面。 来自互联网
• Preserving historic buildings or keeping only their facades (or fronts) grew common. 保存历史建筑或是保持它们普通的正面增长。 来自互联网

4 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。

5 lighting   

n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光

参考例句：

• The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
• The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。

6 authentic   

a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的

参考例句：

• This is an authentic news report. We can depend on it. 这是篇可靠的新闻报道, 我们相信它。
• Autumn is also the authentic season of renewal. 秋天才是真正的除旧布新的季节。

7 adolescence   

n.青春期，青少年

参考例句：

• Adolescence is the process of going from childhood to maturity.青春期是从少年到成年的过渡期。
• The film is about the trials and tribulations of adolescence.这部电影讲述了青春期的麻烦和苦恼。