2013-12-19 
【Aiden in English】
If there was a time when I was hyperactive toward saltwater, it was now. Today, we came to Male, the capital of the Maldives, in the Laccadive Sea of the Northern Indian Ocean. With an average elevation of 1.5 m/4'11" above sea level, like my height, this garland of islands consisted of 26 atolls and became the lowest nation on our planet. We were about to see the coral life in a submarine. The submarine had at least 15 windows on each side, and two people shared each window. Not a single fish was in sight when it began to descend slowly. But as we reached the seafloor of 40 meters/131 feet, the place shed with life. Tiny Southern, orange-lined cardinalfish darted around while the imperial and blue-face angelfish peacefully roamed. Guadalupe cardinalfish dashed through seaweed, and giant California moray eels snoozed in their holes. The coral reefs seemed like a civilized living center for fish all around. Additionally, we spotted some divers. They fed the fish and would often attract a massive school of fish. The feeding frenzy would only last a moment, but it's amazing how the food was so powerful. If you controlled the food, you would control the fish. The same thing happens to humans, as we have many more weaknesses. The economy will crash if you have all the money and won't share any of it. The divers would even be able to catch a fish, and it practically swam willingly into their hands for more food. Plus, they played a good show of tricks and even held a cardinalfish up against the window for us to take a picture. The more fish I saw, the more quickly the time flew away. It felt like running water in a stream. Before I knew it, 40 minutes were up, and our underwater adventure ended. Just as waterfalls to the ground, you will never get it again. 【紅霞譯】
真沒想到鹽水一時激起我萬丈熱情，今天我們抵達位於北印度洋拉克代夫“十萬個島嶼”海被稱作馬爾代夫“島嶼花環”的首都馬累“宮殿”，這個由26個花環珊瑚礁組成的島國因為平均海拔只與我身高不相上下(1.5米／4英尺11英寸)，所以悍然成為全球地勢最低的國家。
我們乘坐潛水艇來到珊瑚海底世界，船艙內兩側各設有大約15個透視窗戶，每個透視窗戶分別供兩位遊客一同觀摩，潛水艇慢慢下降，起先沒有什麼小魚閃現在視線之內，可一旦觸及40米／131英尺深的海底，周圍景觀驟然變化：個頭不大的褐斑長鰭天竺鯛橫衝直撞；帝王神仙魚和藍面荷包魚信步漫遊；聖母天竺鯛一會兒躲進海藻不知去向，一會兒又突然鑽了出來；超級螫裸胸鱔懶洋洋呆在洞裡打着呼嚕，珊瑚礁儼然就是各方海底神聖的活動中心。
此外，幾位潛水員跟隨我們的潛水艇，不時向海里散發食物，瞬間吸引了成群結隊的魚群，俗話說得好：“人是鐵飯是鋼一頓不吃餓得慌”，從天而降的食物威力有多強大，誰手握魚餌誰就可以控制魚群，類似的事情同樣也發生在人類，甚至更加飢腸轆轆，這時如果吝嗇鬼緊攥財富不放，那麼沒準會導致經濟危機。 潛水員能輕而易舉地抓到魚，實際上這些長得光鮮亮麗的生物根本架不住誘惑，心甘情願地任人擺布，潛水員正好順水人情，索性抓條小魚送到窗前供遊客拍照留影，我們完全陶醉在魚群輕飛曼舞之中，不知不覺地40分鐘擦身而逝，時間如同海浪拍岸，揮之即去而難再復回。
Today in History(歷史上的今天): 2012: Capital Santiago, Chile(智利首都聖地亞哥)
2009: 新西蘭懷托摩螢火蟲洞(Waitomo Cave, NZ)  Nautica Oceania over North Malé Atoll in Malé, the Capital of the World's Lowest Nation
(“大洋·航海”號遊輪停泊在北馬累環礁·世界上海拔最低的國家首都 12-19-2013)  Jumhooree Maidan or Republic Square, the Central, Iconic Gathering Place in the Maldives
(共和國廣場·中心地標性聚會場所 12-19-2013)  Shaheed Hussain Adam Bldg, the Police HQ
(以民族英雄沙希德·侯賽因·亞當“殉道者·英俊·人類”命名的大廈——警察總局)  Grand Friday Mosque & Traditional Fishing Boats
(星期五大清真寺和傳統漁船)  Minaret & Dome of Grand Friday Mosque
(星期五大清真寺·宣禮塔與圓頂)
Grand Friday Mosque, the Largest Mosque in the Maldives (星期五大清真寺·馬爾代夫最大的清真寺 12-19-2013)  Hukuru Miskiy, the Oldest & Most Ornate Mosque in the Maldives, Dating back to 1658
(始建於1658年的胡庫魯“老”星期五清真寺·馬爾代夫最古老、裝飾最華麗的清真寺 12-19-2013)  Sultans' Tombs or Cemetery of Personalities @ Hukuru Miskiiy
(老星期五清真寺·蘇丹“統治者”墳墓或稱名人墓地 12-19-2013)  Muliaage Palace, the official residence of the President of the Maldives
(穆利阿格“新穆利府”宮·馬爾代夫總統官邸 12-19-2013)  Victory Monument, Commemorating the Country's Successful Defense against a 1988 Coup Attempt
(勝利紀念碑·紀念該國成功抵禦1988年政變企圖 12-19-2013) 
Jumhooree Binaa, the Official Monument Commemorating the 30th Republic Day of the Maldives (共和國紀念碑·馬爾代夫共和國成立30周年官方紀念碑 12-19-2013)  Warships of the Coast Guard @ the Pier
(碼頭上海岸警衛隊軍艦 12-19-2013)
 Whale Submarine Maldives (馬爾代夫鯨魚潛水艇 12-19-2013)
 Pilot Station w/ Main Viewing Port
(駕駛台·主觀景窗 12-19-2013)
 Whale Submarine Maldives @ -40 m/131 ft
(馬爾代夫鯨魚潛水艇·水下40米／131英尺 12-19-2013)
Orange-lined Cardinalfish (黃帶天竺鯛)  珠蝴蝶魚、線紋蓋刺魚、斑點刺尾鯛、瓜達盧佩“狼之河”紅雀魚
 刺尾鯛、黃鰭刺魚、黑紋裸胸鱔、雙斑紅鯛
Shuffle Board @ Nautica Oceania (“大洋·航海”號遊輪·沙狐球 12-19-2013)
Miniature Golf Nautica Oceania (“大洋·航海”號遊輪—微型高爾夫球 12-19-2013)
 String Quartet Nautica Oceania
(“大洋·航海”號遊輪—弦樂四重奏 12-19-2013)
 Grand Dining Lounge @ Nautica Oceania
(“大洋·航海”號遊輪——大餐廳休息室 12-19-2013) 
Wrap-up of Diary ahead of Dinner @ Martini of Nautica Oceania (“大洋·航海”號遊輪馬提尼“戰神之子”酒吧檯——飯前趕寫日記 12-19-2013)  Short Treats @ Nautica Oceania
(“大洋·航海”號遊輪——酥餅 12-19-2013) Crosslinks(相關博文):
Maldives(出遊馬爾代夫) Across the Indian Ocean(穿越印度洋) |
