VOA标准英语2008年-Tourists Embrace an Unexpected Destination: Ira

By Suzanne Presto¹
Irbil
16 June 2008

A group of American tourists just wrapped up a two-week trip to Iraqi Kurdistan. Local tourism officials say they are the first American tour group, and only the second tour group ever, to travel through northern Iraq's Kurdish region. Suzanne Presto joined the tourists in the region's capital, Irbil, on the last evening of the trip and has this report.
　

US tourists board bus

Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan are not the first places that comes to mind as vacation destinations.

Although much of Iraq is mired² in war and violence, the largely autonomous³ Kurdish region in the north has enjoyed relative safety and prosperity. In 1991, allied⁴ forces that battled Iraq when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait instituted a safety zone in the north, providing some security for the Kurds, who were brutally⁵ oppressed by Saddam.

But the U.S. State Department, as well as other nations' foreign ministries⁶, still advise citizens to avoid traveling to the region.

So U.S.-resident Marge Busch's friends were surprised when she told them that she and her husband Len were headed to Iraqi Kurdistan on vacation.

"Everyone of them - 'Oh, why would you go there?" said Marge Busch.

The Buschs and 17 other well-traveled Americans became the first U.S. tour group to ever travel through Kurdistan.
　

Tourists leave Kurdistan's Tourism Ministry7 wearing farewell gifts of traditional Kurdish hats

Among the trailblazing tourists was retired⁸ U.S. Army officer Bill Beauchamp. Two years ago, the 87-year-old published a book on world history that included chapters on Mesopotamia and the Silk Road.

So Beauchamp was thrilled when he learned that a California-based touring company, Distant Horizons, was organizing a trip to Iraqi Kurdistan for the first two weeks of June.

"Distant Horizons came out with a little squib in one of their newsletters that they tell what is going to happen in the future," said Bill Beauchamp "and as soon as I got it, I ran to the telephone and called them up and I said 'Give me a seat,' you know?"

Gouhar Shemdin is the advisor⁹ of heritage to Kurdistan's tourism minister. She met with the 19 tourists in the regional capital, Irbil, and told them that their visit is a historic event.

"It has been really an honor and a pleasure to have the first touristic group here, who is here not for anything else but tourism," said Gouhar Shemdin. "We have had many, many, many people coming for trade or politics. But you were the first ones, pioneers, and we very much appreciate that and we hope to have many other groups like you here."
　

Tourists Pose On the Porch of a Kurdish Home

A local travel operator says a significantly smaller tour group, comprised of several Brits, toured through Kurdistan last year. But they did not garner¹⁰ the same attention as the large group of mostly retired Americans.

During their two-week adventure, the 19 tourists visited the Citadel¹¹, a walled-in city that rises above central Irbil's shops and homes, where people have continuously lived for at least the past six-thousand years. The tour group traveled long stretches by bus through the Kurdish countryside, picnicking in the mountains, exploring caves and listening to lectures about Alexander the Great's historic battles.

Minnesota-resident Busch says she particularly enjoyed visiting a shepherds' encampment.

"They had like 800 sheep and I forget how many people, but we drove into it and they of course welcomed us totally fully," she said. "And they were so friendly. I would not want to live that life, but it was very, very wonderful to see that, you know, that that still goes on in this world."

Beauchamp was excited to visit Amedi, an ancient walled-in city that sits upon a mountain a few hours' drive from Irbil. While Beauchamp says he enjoyed the trip, his time in Amedi did not exactly live up to his expectations.

"Not terrific, but I was interested in this so-called marble gate there," he said. "That was attractive. There was no other trace of the Silk Road."

The sweeping¹² natural landscape of jagged mountains, deep ravines, and rolling hills made an impression on Busch. The woman who says she has traveled most of the globe said she was fascinated by the juxtaposition¹³ of old and new in Kurdistan.

"I love seeing everything from the shepherds in the field to the highly developed buildings and things that are going on here," said Busch. "It is such a combination of two worlds."

That said, Kurdistan feels a world away from the violence that flares¹⁴ only 80 kilometers outside Irbil in Mosul, and 300 kilometers away in Baghdad.

Members of this tour group said they felt very safe in Kurdistan - a sentiment that will likely surprise friends back in the United States.

Beauchamp can relate to that. When asked what is the first thing he will tell people when he gets back to Hawaii, he responded.

"I am going to tell them where I was," said Beauchamp. "I did not tell them where I was going because I did not want it to leak back to my wife. I told her I was going to western Turkey."

The California-based company that organized the trip, Distant Horizons, says it is currently planning at least two other trips to Kurdistan.

1 presto   

adv.急速地；n.急板乐段；adj.急板的

参考例句：

• With something so important,you can't just wave a wand and presto!在这么重大的问题上，你想挥动一下指挥棒，转眼就变过来,办不到！
• I just turned the piece of wire in the lock and hey presto,the door opened.我把金属丝伸到锁孔里一拧，嘿，那门就开了。

2 mired   

abbr.microreciprocal degree 迈尔德（色温单位）v.深陷( mire的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The country was mired in recession. 这个国家陷入了经济衰退的困境。
• The most brilliant leadership can be mired in detail. 最有才干的领导也会陷于拘泥琐事的困境中。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 autonomous   

adj.自治的；独立的

参考例句：

• They proudly declared themselves part of a new autonomous province.他们自豪地宣布成为新自治省的一部分。
• This is a matter that comes within the jurisdiction of the autonomous region.这件事是属于自治区权限以内的事务。

4 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。

5 brutally   

adv.残忍地，野蛮地，冷酷无情地

参考例句：

• The uprising was brutally put down.起义被残酷地镇压下去了。
• A pro-democracy uprising was brutally suppressed.一场争取民主的起义被残酷镇压了。

6 ministries   

（政府的）部( ministry的名词复数 )； 神职； 牧师职位； 神职任期

参考例句：

• Local authorities must refer everything to the central ministries. 地方管理机构应请示中央主管部门。
• The number of Ministries has been pared down by a third. 部委的数量已经减少了1/3。

7 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

8 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

9 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

10 garner   

v.收藏；取得

参考例句：

• He has garnered extensive support for his proposals.他的提议得到了广泛的支持。
• Squirrels garner nuts for the winter.松鼠为过冬储存松果。

11 citadel   

n.城堡；堡垒；避难所

参考例句：

• The citadel was solid.城堡是坚固的。
• This citadel is built on high ground for protecting the city.这座城堡建于高处是为保护城市。

12 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

13 juxtaposition   

n.毗邻，并置，并列

参考例句：

• The juxtaposition of these two remarks was startling.这两句话连在一起使人听了震惊。
• It is the result of the juxtaposition of contrasting colors.这是并列对比色的结果。

14 flares   

n.喇叭裤v.（使）闪耀( flare的第三人称单数 )；（使）（船舷）外倾；（使）鼻孔张大；（使）（衣裙、酒杯等）呈喇叭形展开

参考例句：

• The side of a ship flares from the keel to the deck. 船舷从龙骨向甲板外倾。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He's got a fiery temper and flares up at the slightest provocation. 他是火爆性子，一点就着。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》