City officials opened a new water-bus line last month in Venice with one special feature: no day-tripper tourists allowed.
The new line - reserved for holders of the Carta Venezia pass - was introduced to lessen the impact of the estimated 20 million people who visit Venice each year on the city's residents.
"It's an extra service for residents who are forced to bear the brunt of mass tourism," Mayor Massimo Cacciari said. About 60,000 people live in the city's historic center. "It's evident that tourism is growing," the mayor added during an interview on the line's maiden voyage. "If people want to come to Venice they can come, but we have to allow residents to live better."
PHOTO: AP
Marcello Panettoni, director general of the Venice transport authority, said the new line was a response to citizens' complaints that tourists cramming onto water buses had been leaving residents stuck on dry land. "They are our habitual clients, we have to cater to them above all," he said, referring to the residents. "For people who live and work in Venice, better transportation had become essential."
As tourism has boomed, the city has considered various proposals to stem the tide of visitors to Venice, from limiting access to the historic center to imposing a tourism tax. But such measures are difficult to impose as well as unpopular with tourism industry workers.
The Venice region's tourist trade generates a reported annual US$17.3 billion (NT$560 billion) a year.
The new No. 3 water-bus line follows the Grand Canal along its length from Piazzale Roma, next to the city parking lot, to Piazza San Marco.
(NEW YORK TIMES)
上個月，威尼斯市府官員開闢了一條新的水上巴士航線，但有一個特別規定：一日遊遊客禁止搭乘。
這條新路線是留給持有「Carta Venezia」通行證的人使用，目的是要減輕每年估計約兩千萬名造訪威尼斯的遊客對當地居民帶來的影響。
「這是給居民的額外服務，他們被迫忍受大量遊客所帶來的衝擊，」市長瑪希摩:卡奇亞里說。目前大約有六萬人住在威尼斯舊城中心。市長在新航線的首航活動中接受訪問表示：「很明顯的，觀光業正蓬勃發展，如果人們想來威尼斯玩，當然可以來，但我們必須提供居民更好的居住環境。」
威尼斯交通當局首長馬謝洛:帕尼托尼說，這條新增的水上巴士航線是用來回饋市民，他們抱怨觀光客擠滿了水上巴士，讓他們上不了船。他說（他指的是當地居民）：「他們是我們的常客，我們尤其得迎合他們。對於那些在威尼斯工作和居住的人來說，更好的交通運輸已是不可或缺。」
由於觀光業迅速發展，市政府已經考慮各種提案要減少遊客進入威尼斯，包括限制通往舊城中心的路線及課徵旅遊稅；但這類措施不但執行困難，也不受觀光從業人員的歡迎。
據報，威尼斯地區的觀光業年收入為一百七十三億美元（約新台幣五千六百億元）。
這條新的三號水上巴士航線沿著威尼斯運河行駛，從位於市區停車場旁邊的羅馬廣場行駛到聖馬可廣場。
（紐約時報／翻譯：楊鴻泰）
A: The 2024 BWF World Tour Finals just kicked off in Hangzhou, China yesterday. B: Only the world’s top 8 players and Olympic gold medalists are qualified for the annual games. A: Taiwan’s badminton duo, Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin, won the Olympic gold. Did they qualify? B: Of course. This will be the “Lin-Yang duo’s” last dance. A: Taiwan’s badminton king Chou Tien-cheng, men’s doubles, Yang Po-hsuan and Lee Jhe-huei, and mixed doubles, Yang and Hu Ling-fang, will also compete this time. It’s sure to be awesome. A: 2024世界羽聯「BWF年終總決賽」，昨天已在杭州開打了。 B: 只有世界前8名選手，或奧運金牌才有資格參賽。 A: 台灣的李洋、王齊麟榮獲奧運男雙金牌，也可以參男雙賽囉？ B: 當然啦，而這次將是「麟洋配」的最後一舞！ A: 而台灣球王周天成，男雙楊博軒、李哲輝，混雙楊博軒、胡綾芳也將參賽，讚啦。 （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
The phenomenon of being “tea drunk” is a unique experience often associated with this popular beverage, especially when consuming brews that are particularly high-quality or strong. Unlike being drunk on alcohol, the effects of tea drunkenness stem from various compounds found in tea leaves. __1__ These substances can have a synergistic effect on the brain, resulting in a state of euphoria, relaxation, or heightened sensory awareness. __2__ One of the most obvious is the caffeine present in tea. It acts as a stimulant that increases alertness and cognitive function. Unlike coffee, however, tea also contains L-theanine, an amino acid
A: Taiwan has won three golds at the BWF World Tour Finals in the past. B: Cool, who were the gold medalists? A: Badminton queen Tai Tzu-ying won gold in 2020 and 2023, and men’s double, Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin, won the title in 2020 as well. B: It’s too bad that both Tai and Lee announced their retirement from badminton. A: Hopefully, Wang and his new partner — the 21-year-old, 189cm-tall Chiu Hsiang-chieh — can also perform well in the future. A: 台灣在「BWF年終總決賽」，曾3度奪金耶。 B: 真酷耶，是誰啊？ A: 戴資穎在2020、2023年度的女單，李洋、王齊麟在2020年的男雙都曾奪金！ B: 不過小戴、李洋已宣布，要從羽壇退休。 A: 希望王齊麟和新搭檔—21歲189公分的邱相榤—未來也能打出好成績。 （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
Continued from yesterday（延續自昨日） https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang __3__ These generally include a sense of calm, mental clarity and a mild feeling of euphoria. Some people may also experience a light-headedness, giddiness, or a heightened appreciation for the flavors and aromas of the tea they are drinking. __4__ All these are signs that one should reduce their tea intake. It is essential to understand the balance between the beneficial and adverse effects of tea. Becoming tea drunk shows the potency of the natural compounds in tea and their impact on human physiology. Moreover, it highlights the complicated relationship between what we consume and how it
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