Chapter 119 Is this the rich man’s back garden?
There are four VHF walkie-talkies on Xiao Peng's boat, two of which are on channel 9 and channel 16, and the other two are FM walkie-talkies.
Channel 16 is the rescue channel, while Channel 9 is generally used as a communication channel for various Coast Guard safety information, such as marine navigation notices and weather warnings. It is also used for communication work in water search and rescue, emergency response, and other situations.
"Red-headed ship number, please speak." Xiao Peng picked up the walkie-talkie and said.
A voice came over the intercom: "This is the Italian Navy's 'Eurowind'. Please turn around and accept questioning."
Xiao Peng frowned. "Are you mistaken? We were the ones who notified you to come here. Why are we being investigated?"
"Don't get me wrong, this is just a routine investigation. Our Italian military needs to make a final judgment on the contact between the refugee boat and the 'Red-Tailed Parrot'. As a party involved, your testimony is very important. I won't waste too much of your time." The voice on the intercom said.
Xiao Peng was very reluctant but helpless after hearing this: "Where should I take the boat?"
“Lampedusa.”
Xiao Peng hung up the radio and glanced at Pascal with a gloomy look: "Look, what you fear is what comes true! Fortunately, we didn't get involved in this rescue, and this is the result. If we did get involved, we would definitely be in a lot of trouble!"
Pascal nodded after hearing this: "What should we do?"
Xiao Peng shrugged: "What else can we do? We have to go! Do you think we can still go to Sicily or Palermo if we don't listen to the Italian Navy? Let's go, set sail! Let's deal with this matter as soon as possible and go to Sicily as soon as possible!"
After hearing this, Pascal went out of the cabin to raise the sail. Suddenly, he ran back, opened the refrigerator and came out with a big bag.
"Why did you take out the octopus?" Xiao Peng asked.
"Hey Nightingale!" Pascal said, "Is it easy for it to follow us for so long? It must have worked so hard to catch up with us last night!"
Xiao Peng thought for a moment and said, "You're right. Let's eat first and then go to Lampedusa!"
But after hearing what Xiao Peng said, Pascal looked disgusted: "Are you stupid? Where are we going? Lampedusa! A paradise on the Mediterranean! The food there is a fusion of North African and Greek characteristics, which is unique! When I was a child, I came to Lampedusa Island with my mother. It was an absolute holiday paradise! It is called the 'backyard of the rich' by Europeans. Think about it, how can a place that makes rich people feel enjoyable not be beautiful? Vacationing in Lampedusa Island, soaking in hot springs in Pantelleria Island... This is called enjoyment!" Pascal said here with a longing look on his face: "Okay! Let's starve for a while, and then we will have a good meal in Lampedusa Island! I promise not to let you down!"
After hearing what Pascal said, Xiao Peng was also very curious. What kind of place was it that Pascal praised?
When they set sail again, more than two hours later they saw Lampedusa Island.
Pascal became a little excited and introduced it to Xiao Peng: "See? That's Rabbit Beach! It used to be a paradise for rabbits, so it was simply called Rabbit Island. Later, the rabbits were hunted out by humans and wild animals, and the rabbit holes became a place for turtles to lay their eggs. The entire stretch of pure white sand there is known as the most beautiful beach in the world. I'll take you there and you'll see why it lives up to its reputation!"
"Also, Lampedusa Island specializes in a type of short mussel, only half the size of regular mussels, but incredibly delicious! And blue lobsters! You know, they say there's only one blue lobster for every one million lobsters. Most of the blue lobsters harvested in France are eaten by the French themselves, with very few exported. But here you can eat blue lobsters! And in huge quantities! Oh, and we can't forget the emerald oysters here."
"Emerald Oysters?" Xiao Peng was stunned. "What is that? I've never heard of it."
Pascal explained, "The most distinctive feature of Emerald Oysters is their green flesh. But don't worry, it's not a bad sign. This oyster lives in areas with low densities of wild blue diatoms, feeding primarily on them. As a result, the blue pigment settles into the flesh, changing the color of the oyster itself, resulting in this green appearance. This oyster is extremely rare and only grows in areas with blue diatoms. Lampedusa happens to have this growing environment. Most importantly, it's a copper oyster, not a rock oyster, which makes it even more delicious. Believe me, it's even more delicious than the best Belon oysters we had in Marseille!"
The French divide oysters into two types: rock oysters, with their long, wavy shells, and copper oysters, which resemble round scallops. The oysters we learned in school about prying open for the lady in the story "My Uncle Jules" are of this type.
The 'copper oyster' in the mouth of the French refers to the 'European flat oyster'.
This type of oyster has a very distinctive appearance. It is a European flat oyster, so it is really flat! The oyster meat inside is spread out flat.
Xiao Peng became interested when he heard Pascal say that this kind of oysters is more delicious than "Belon oysters".
Belon oysters are a European seafood brand! They're actually European flat oysters. However, under EU designation of origin certification, only those grown in the Belon River estuary on the southern side of the Brittany Peninsula in France can be called Belon oysters. Those grown elsewhere are simply called European flat oysters.
However, these European flat oysters are no longer easy to find. Even in Europe, due to low production, they are now limited to a limited supply, only available from September to December. Belon oysters are even less abundant, and Xiao Peng hadn't even tasted them in France for over two years! Now, here are even more delicious Emerald Oysters, so how could Xiao Peng not be interested?
He adjusted the sails and sped up the boat towards Lampedusa Pier. After the boat turned around a rocky headland, Lampedusa Island came into Xiao Peng's sight.
Xiao Peng looked at the pier beach, and his first reaction was...
disappointment!
"Xiao Pa, is this the rich man's back garden you mentioned? Why does it feel so lifeless and a bit desolate? Is it because we came at the wrong season and it's not the tourist season now?" Xiao Peng asked.
Pascal was also a little confused: "That's not right. Even if it's not the tourist season, this place is still very lively. How did it become like this?"
Xiao Peng pointed to the hilltop next to the pier and asked, "Xiao Pa, is that a tourist attraction here?"
Pascal followed the direction of Xiao Peng's finger and saw the hilltop. The entire hilltop was covered with all kinds of fabrics, including waste clothes, waste sheets and the like.
"Whose landscape is a pile of rags!" Pascal complained. "Is this Lampedusa? Why is it different from what I remember?"
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