2012-12-28

【Aiden in English】

        By December, a hot summer had come to the south. However, the cold still numbed my teeth as we waited on the sun deck for the glaciers and sheer mountains to appear over the horizon in the Strait of Magellan, which separates the Pacific Ocean from the Atlantic Ocean. 

        Due to tidal constraints, we had to delay our arrival time by two hours in Ushuaia, Argentina, this afternoon. Unexpectedly, Glacier Alley became our retreat. The cruise glided to Beagle Channel, named after the ship that carried the English naturalist Charles Darwin on a five-year voyage around the tip of South America. Glaciers Alley boasted a passage lined with spectacular hanging glaciers, icy rivers, dancing waterfalls, and granite walls on each side. Spain, Romania, Germany, Italy, France, the Netherlands, and others were represented by each of the 12 glaciers in European colonial flavors.

        As the first stupendous glacier came into view, all my drowsiness melted away, replaced immediately by stunning awe. The natural surroundings here evoked a feeling of infinite peace, making me feel as though I was reliving the Ice Age again. The immense silence didn't seem interrupted until the creaks of glacier movement took place, and the waterfalls splashed into the alley. We soaked up the marvelous scenery and inhaled the fresh sea air, accompanied by a pleasant breeze. The glaciers were so large that I doubted five "Star Princess" cruise ships would fill half the ice. But something didn't sound quite right. Thin icicles were hanging down. The ice was melting slowly, and a tiny piece of ice carved off the glacier instantly turned into water. Just like the others, tiny chunks were nibbled away by growing heat. I no longer needed my heavy coat.

        When we finally sat down for lunch, I ordered some random items from the menu. The spicy soup tasted more like a sandwich and turned out messy, but I wasn't hungry. I was excited about going to any dry land again. Before I knew it, I boarded a tour bus to drive to the end of the world—Ushuaia, Argentina.

        Ushuaia was a former Argentine penal colony. Now, it proudly serves as the southernmost city in the world and a gateway to the wilderness in Argentina and Antarctica.

        Looking out the window through the Martial Mountains, whose glaciers reshaped the river pathway into a U-shaped valley, I spotted a small clearing where no popular beaches but stumps grew in Tierra del Fuego (Land of Fire) National Park. The beavers built up their community around the Pipo riverside and peat bogs. A stack of roughly cut logs was neatly arranged to form a dam. The dam was already a speck among the trees and mushrooms.

        "Wait, mushroom?" I thought. Small yellow peach-like mushrooms the size of my thumb were dotted with entangled twigs. Just at that moment, the tour guide pointed at them and gave a quick reference about them. They were edible Darwin fungi and had a nickname of "Indian Bread." They lived in the trees all the time.

        Chinese lanterns (Mizodendrum punctatum) set up another example of hemiparasitically living on deciduous trees. Whether the host trees were happy with these "lanterns" or not, they bundled in a colorful patch like the land of fire.

        Nearby, a single duck waded across the water as we passed by a small creek toward its nest in the center. We ran into a red fox that was patrolling this area haughtily. I wondered how they coexisted peacefully.

        Lake Fagnano was divided into parts and shared by Argentina and Chile along the unpaved road. Wild and snow-capped Andes Mountains began to appear high up on the surrounding slopes. Rivers carved V-shaped valleys as they passed over the land.

        Then, we headed to the end-of-the-world post office in Ensenada Bay, along the Beagle Channel. The owner was the only man to greet a crowd of visitors worldwide and stamp tons of End-of-World postcards daily. Beagle Channel looked longer than the naked eye could see. Soon, we were immersed in the beauty of glaciers plummeting to the icy water and the ever-changing island panorama in the backdrop.

        We made our last stop in Lapataia Bay on the Pan-American Highway, an astounding marvel of civil engineering that began in Alaska and stretched nearly 29,800 miles/47,958 kilometers across two continents. Guinness's Book of World Records listed the highway as the world's longest "passable road." If one biked from Alaska to Ushuaia, it would take at least 1.5 years to reach the world's end. I wondered what type of manic would do such a thing.

        As a light rain began to fall, it was time for us to cruise away. We knew that we would come back again. Next time, we will surely take an Icebreaker from Ushuaia to Antarctica instead of a flight!

【紅霞譯】

        時下臨近十二月底，酷暑正席捲南半球，然而當清晨站在甲板上隨船從太平洋朝大西洋方向穿越麥哲倫“巨大”海峽時，我牙齒打顫，渾身上下被凍得僵硬。

        因為潮汐關係，我們不得不推遲下午靠岸時間，即延後兩個小時抵達號稱世界盡頭的阿根廷“銀色之地”烏斯懷亞“深海灣”城，這麼一來，事先未列入計劃的智利“土地的盡頭”冰川巷出人意料地出現在我們的行程之中。遊輪沿比格犬“小獵犬”海峽行駛，那條水路得名於當年英國博物學家查爾斯•達爾文五年環南美航行考察所乘坐的“比格犬號”，位於比格犬海峽上的冰川巷由十二個冰川組成，每一個冰川則以歐洲殖民國家命名，懸垂的冰川、浪漫的冰河、舞動的瀑布以及挺拔的高山，使得兩側西班牙冰川、瑞士羅曼什冰川、德意志冰川、意大利冰川、法蘭西冰川、荷蘭冰川等更加奇特迷人。

        隨着第一座冰川映入眼帘，我立刻睡意全無，滿臉充滿驚喜，大自然洋溢着永恆祥和的氣息，仿佛帶我重新回到“冰期”時代。整個冰川巷萬籟俱寂，唯有當冰塊移動時而造成的斷裂聲或者瀑布跌落時而發出的拍打聲才偶爾敲碎深沉的寧靜，我們陶醉在宛如仙境的景致當中，深感波浪輕快空氣宜人。眼前冰川如此之大，我懷疑即使五艘“公主•星辰” 號遊輪也裝不下它，這時周圍好像有什麼不對頭，很多冰柱列隊倒掛，冰晶慢慢溶化，一點一滴地變成水珠，氣溫回升渙然冰釋，我也隨之脫掉了穿在身上的厚外套。

        午餐時我隨便點了些東西，辣湯味道偏酸，三明治吃得亂七八糟，反正我一點不餓，倒是十分期待找個乾燥的地方呆着，未容細想，我已經坐上開往世界盡頭阿根廷深灣城的旅遊大巴。

        深灣城過去曾為流放重刑罪犯的荒郊野嶺，現在不僅是眾人嚮往的世外桃源，而且還成為阿根廷內陸和南極洲極地探險的交通樞紐。

        進入阿根廷火地島國家公園內，我透過車窗遙望威武山脈，U形山谷儼然是冰川融化後長期雕飾的傑作，周邊有一大片荒地，幾乎見不到該地區普遍流行的山毛櫸，被折斷的樹樁橫七豎八堆躺在皮泊河邊及沼澤地上，原來水獺常年在這裡築壩修堤安營紮寨，蠶食了許多本來可以長大成材的樹林。

        “瞧一瞧，那是蘑菇嗎？”形如桃樣的黃色蘑菇簇擁在樹枝樹幹上下，大小跟我拇指差不多。正在此時，導遊指着解釋道，它們可作食用，學名叫達爾文真菌，俗稱“印度麵包”，喜歡與山毛櫸結伴同生。

        “中國燈籠”善於半寄生地打坐在落葉喬木上，不管宿主樂意不樂意，“燈籠”高吊枝頭，紅一片、黃一片、青一片，如火如荼，非常好看。

        附近不遠，一隻鴨子正朝水中游去，它的老窩築在我們剛剛經過的小溪中央，途中我們恰巧遇到一隻紅狐狸旁若無人地穿過馬路，不知兩個傢伙怎樣和平共處？

        暗湖位於土路盡端，智利與阿根廷兩國各居一側平分秋色，遠處視野間，奔放雄偉終年積雪的安第斯“高聳的山脊”山脈層巒疊嶂，各支河流爭相在山巒間切割出一條V型峽谷。

        比格犬海峽山上有一所郵局可謂蓋世無雙，老闆是獨一無二的雇員，每天不僅接待來自世界各地大量的遊客，還要給無數張明信片加蓋“世界盡頭”紀念郵戳。比格犬海峽一眼望不到頭，跟着它一路走一路瞧，我們不覺沉醉於寒冷刺骨景色旖旎的奇山異島之中而不能自拔。

        最後，我們鑑賞了火地島羅非魚灣畔的泛美公路，這條舉世矚目的交通幹線北起美國阿拉斯加，南至阿根廷深灣城，橫亙北美和南美兩大地域，全長共達29,800 英里／47,958公里，作為全世界最長的可以通行的公路被納入《吉尼斯世界紀錄大全》，假如有人要騎自行車越野穿行的話，恐怕至少需要一年半的時間，我想象不出何許狂人會作出這等壯舉。

        小雨乍起，我們也該返程了。深灣城，我們後會有期，相信不久的將來探險南極時我們定會到這裡專乘破冰船而不再坐飛機，因為依賴天氣主宰命運的航行實在不靠譜！

Today in History(歷史上的今天):

2010: 節日串連(Holiday Connection)

2009: 騎在羊背上的國家(Riding on Sheep's Back)

Star Princess through Glacier Alley, a Stretch of the 150-Mile/241-Km-long Beagle Channel in Southern Chile

(“公主·星辰”號遊輪穿行冰川巷——智利南部長達150英里/241公里的比格犬海峽 12-28-2012)

Romanche Glacier in Tierra del Fuego, Beagle Channel, Alberto de Agostini National Park  

(羅曼什“瑞士”冰川——位於火地島比格爾海峽阿爾貝托·阿戈斯蒂尼“高貴而明亮·莊嚴”國家公園 12-28-2012)

Hanging Tidewater Glaciers @ Alemania Glacier, Patagonia

(巴塔哥尼亞阿萊馬尼亞“德國”冰川·垂懸潮水冰川)

Espana Glacier Dumping Water into Beagle Channel

(西班牙冰川向比格爾海峽傾瀉水流 12-28-2012)

Glacier Alley from Darwin Ice Field on Isla Grande to the Sea 

（冰川巷·從火地島達爾文“親愛的朋友”冰原到大海)

Cordillera Darwin Located in the Southwestern Portion of Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego 

(達爾文山脈·位於火地島西南部，完全位於智利境內 12-28-2012)

Glacier Alley, Snow-capped Darwin Range

(冰川巷·白雪覆蓋的達爾文山脈)

Massive Glaciers & the Fjords in Southern Patagonia in Chile far from the Antarctic Water 

(巨大的冰川和峽灣·遠離南極水域的智利巴塔哥尼亞“大腳之地”南部 12-28-2012)

Glacier Alley, the Patagonian Fjordlands 

(冰川巷·巴塔哥尼亞峽灣)

Border Between Argentina & Chile

(阿根廷與智利國界)

Ushuaia Located in the Tierra del Fuego Archipelago 

(烏斯懷亞·位於火地島半島)

Ushuaia, the World's Southernmost City

(烏斯懷亞·世上最南端的城市 12-28-2013)

Martial Mountains of Ushuaia

(烏斯懷亞·馬爾斯“戰神”山脈)

U-Shape Valley of Martial Mtns in Ushuaia

(烏斯懷亞·馬爾斯山脈U形山谷)

Bahía Encerrada， Protecting Basins & Coasts & Preserving Wild Species as a Green Lung

(恩塞拉達“閉合”灣·如同綠肺，守護着盆地和海岸並保護着野生物種 12-28-2012)

Bahía Encerrada Natural Reserve of Ushuaia

(烏斯懷亞·恩塞拉達灣自然保護區)

Wreck of the Saint Christopher (HMS Justice) aground in the Harbor of Ushuaia 

(聖克里斯托弗“基督承載者”號 | 正義號殘骸·擱淺在烏斯懷亞港)

Downtown Ushuaia (烏斯懷亞·市中心)

Tierra del Fuego NP @ the End of the World

(火地島國家公園·位於世界盡頭 12-28-2012)

Duck Nested in a River Center @ Tierra del Fuego NP

(火地島國家公園·建在河中心的鴨窩)

Red Fox Eyes Ducks in the River @ Tierra del Fuego NP

(火地島國家公園·覬覦河鴨的紅狐狸)

Beaver Home @ Tierra del Fuego NP

(火地島國家公園·河狸老巢)

Iron-Containing Colorful Creek @ Tierra del Fuego NP 

(火地島國家公園·含鐵的多彩小溪)

Chinese Lanterns @ Tierra del Fuego NP

(火地島國家公園·中國燈籠)

Indian Bread @ Tierra del Fuego NP

(火地島國家公園·印度麵包)

Chile in Distance across Tierra del Fuego NP

(火地島國家公園對面的智利 12-28-2012)

Trail to Lago Roca @ Tierra del Fuego NP

(火地島國家公園·通往岩石湖的步道 12-28-2012）

Lago Roca @ Tierra del Fuego NP

 (火地島國家公園·岩石湖 12-28-2012)

Lapataia Bay @ Tierra del Fuego NP 

(火地島國家公園·拉帕塔亞“森林灣” 12-28-2012)

Southernmost Pan-American Highway @ Lapataia Bay

(拉帕塔亞灣·泛美高速公路最南端 12-28-2012)

Pan-American Highway (泛美高速公路線)

V-shaped Valleys along Fagnano Lake of @ Lapataia Bay

(拉帕塔亞灣·V型峽谷 12-28-2012)

The End-of-World Post Office @ Lapataia Bay

(拉帕塔亞灣·世界盡頭郵局 12-28-2012)

Isla Redonda, Located @ Canal Beagle, Tierra Del Fuego

(雷東達“圓形”島·位於火地島比格爾海峽 12-28-2012)

Beagle Channel @ Tierra del Fuego NP 

(火地島國家公園·比格犬海峽 12-28-2012)

Lago Roca Cabana del Bosque @ Tierra del Fuego NP

(火地島國家公園·羅卡“岩石”湖森林小屋 12-28-2012)

Play Piano @ Star Princess

(“公主·星辰”號遊輪——玩鋼琴 12-28-2012)

Dinner @ Star Princess

(“公主·星辰”號遊輪——晚餐 12-28-2012)

Crosslinks(相關博文):

Chile(出遊智利)

Argentina(出遊阿根廷)

South America(漂流南美洲)

小學四年級(4th Grade)