但是，我们的许多外国 朋友却偏要去看一看早晨的菜市场。
Nevertheless, many foreign friends of mine would rather pay a morning visit to the food markets there.
这是完全可以理解的。
That is understandable.
我们刚到 上海的时候不是也想到菜市上去看一看吗？
Didn't we ourselves choose to gO and see a food market there on our first visit to the city?
那还是几年前的一个早晨，在太阳刚刚升起来的时候，踏着嘉微 的晨光四，到一个离开旅馆不远的菜市场去。
It was on an early morning of several years ago, when the sun was just coming up, that I went at the first light to see a food market near the hotel where I was staying.
到了邻近菜市场的地方，市场的气氛就逐渐浓了起来。
The nearer I went, the more prevalent the atmosphere of the food market.
许多老大娘的菜篮子里装满了蔬菜海 味鸡鸭鱼肉。
The shopping baskets carried by many elderly women were filled with vegetables, seafood, chickens, ducks, fish and meat.
有的篮子里活鱼在摇摆着尾巴，肥鸡在咯咯地叫着。
Some fish were wagging their tails and some hens clucking.
老 大娘带着一脸笑意，满怀愉快，走回家去。
The elderly women, with a happy smile spread across their faces, were on their way home.
一走进菜市场，仿佛走进了另一个世界。
Once inside the market, felt like landing in a new world.
菜摊子、肉摊子、鱼虾摊子、水果摊子，还有其他的许许多 多的摊子，分门别类，秋序井然，又各有特点，互相辉映。
All goods were kept neat tidy and arranged in perfect order be they at a vegetable stall, meat stall, seafood stall, fruit stall, etc.
这里有各种不同的颜色：紫色的茄子、白色的萝卜、红 色的西红柿、绿色的小白菜，纷然杂陈，交光互影。
Take for example the vegetable stall with its display of colors: purple eggplants, white radishes, red tomatoes, greenish cabbages.
这里又有各种不 同的线条：大冬瓜又圆又粗，豆莢又细又长，白菜的叶子又扁又宽。
It also displayed various shapes: round clumsy wax gourds, long narrow bean pods, flat wide cabbage leaves.
就这样，不同的颜色、不同的线条，紧密地摆在一起，于纷杂中见统 一。
Hence, different colors and lines merged into an organic whole showing diversity in unity.
我的眼一花，我觉得，眼前不是什么菜摊子，而是一幅出自名家 手笔的彩色绚丽、线条鲜明的油画或水彩画。
I looked here and there until my eyes became blurred, taking the vegetable stall for oil painting or a watercolor with distinct colors and lines done by a famous painter.
不只菜摊子是这样，其他的摊子也莫不如此。
The same was true of other stalls.
卖鱼的摊子上，活 鱼在水里游泳，十几斤重的大鲤鱼躺在案板上。
At fish stalls, live fish were swimming in the water and big carps weighing more than five kilos each were lying on chopping boards.
卖鸡鸭的摊子上，鸡 鸭在笼子里互相召唤。
At poultry stalls, caged chickens and ducks were making a lot of noise to greet each other.
卖肉的摊子上，整片的猪肉、牛肉和羊肉挂在 那里。
At meat stalls, chunky pieces of pork, beef and mutton were hung up.
还为穆斯林设了卖牛、羊肉的专柜。
There were also special counters selling beef and mutton to Moslems.
在其他的摊子上，鸡蛋和 鸭蛋堆得像小山，一个个闪着耀眼的白光。
At some stalls, chicken and duck eggs of a glistening white were piled high up like small hills while rows of bacon and salted duck, seemingly dripping with fat, were hung out on racks.
水果摊子更是琳琅满目。
The fruit stalls were even more attractive.
肥大的水蜜 桃、大个儿西瓜、又黄又圆的香瓜、白嫩的鲜藕，摆在一起，竞妍斗 艳O。
Arrayed side side were juicy honey peaches, plump watermelons, yellow round muskmelons, fresh tender lotus roots, vying with each other to be the beautiful.
我眼前仿佛看到藏蕤的果子园、十里荷香的池塘、翠叶离离的 瓜地。
It seemed as if I saw unfolding before me luxuriant orchards, fragrant lotus ponds, leafy green melon patches.
难道这不是一幅美妙无比的图画吗？
Wasn't it a it a painting of matchless beauty?