梁凤英
数九寒天,新春佳节,各地的游客都会从四面八方涌向天然的避寒胜地——夏威夷。
被美国人称为“天堂的入口”的夏威夷,是美国的第50个州,常住人口约200万,其人种分布为土著居民、白人和亚洲人各占约三分之一,并以亚洲太平洋文化为主流,夏威夷首府是位于欧胡岛上的檀香山。
夏威夷属于海岛型气候,常年温度保持在28℃左右,基本没有四季之分。是十分适合冬季怕冷人群避寒度假旅游的好地方。整个夏威夷群岛均是火山爆发而形成的大大小小岛屿,主要的八个岛屿分别是:欧胡岛、茂宜岛、大岛、可爱岛、莫洛凯岛、拉纳岛、尼豪岛及卡胡拉戚岛。蔚蓝的海岸、宜人的气候、洁净的沙滩、丰富的水上活动、到处林立的度假饭店,再加上当地人、音乐及舞蹈中自然而然散发出的悠闲、浪漫情怀,让世界各地游客流连忘返。
然而浪漫夏威夷的另一面,还有着丰富且深层的文化及自然地理景观,十分值得您冬日来此避寒度假。在夏威夷,旖旎的风光、浓烈的文化、草裙舞的气息扑面而来,更会给你带来一种与众不同的体验。
檀香山的人文气息
马克·吐温说:夏威夷是大洋中最美丽的岛屿,是停泊在海洋中最可爱的岛屿舰队。夏威夷作为世界上最著名的旅游胜地之一,吸引游客的不是它的名胜古迹,而是它得天独厚的美丽环境,以及夏威夷人传统的热情、善良、真挚。夏威夷,是与海浪、沙滩、椰林、热情似火的草裙舞、活力、刺激、悠闲紧紧联系在一起的。冬季去夏威夷度假是个不错的选择。
火奴鲁鲁即檀香山,是港口城市。在夏威夷语中,火奴鲁鲁意指“屏蔽之湾”或“屏蔽之地”。因为早期本地盛产檀香木,而且大量运往中国,被华人称为檀香山。在檀香山,人文跟自然保持着一种新鲜感,一种动感的变化。如此的气候,如此的环境,如此悠闲的生活方式,如此地适于居住,檀香山已成了世界上生活质量最佳的地区之一,它代表着一种生活气质、一种静谧、一种修养。
抵达檀香山的第二天清晨,我就去威基基海滩,浩瀚的大洋在阳光的照耀下呈现出奇特的蓝绿色,波光粼粼,高高的椰子树在微风中摇曳,发出沙沙的响声。穿着比基尼的女孩奔向沙滩,那些勇敢的男子携带着冲浪板就着海浪游向远方。我们在威基基海滩边看到了摆着很多花环的现代冲浪之父杜克·卡哈那莫库的雕像。当地朋友介绍,杜克从小生活在檀香山威基基海滩附近,自幼喜爱游泳和冲浪,是水上运动的高手。他曾经在四次奥运会中夺得三金两银一铜,是美国最知名的运动员之一。杜克在威基基海滩教授冲浪,还很多次用冲浪板救起溺水者。在杜克誕辰100周年的时候建起这座纪念杜克的雕塑。美丽的檀香山因为杜克增加了很多人文气息,给游客带来美丽的故事。
威基基海滩的特色之一是冲浪,街边一排排五颜六色的冲浪板是拍照的好背景。可惜冲浪者多在远处,浪大浪高才是冲浪勇士大显身手之地,站在岸边有点看不太清楚。街上到处可以看到扛着滑板的勇士。海边有很多专门教授冲浪技术的教练,有培训课和陪练,冲浪不乏女士呢。碰到来自大连的一对夫妇,他们说学冲浪上瘾,来了五天,从早到晚都在练习,掌握了技巧不很累。威基基海滩边上还有冲浪者亲吻海豚的雕塑,表现冲浪者接近大自然的喜悦。威基基海滩是檀香山最美丽的海滩,年轻人游泳、晒日光浴、玩冲浪和沙滩排球。海边有免费的露天简易冲水设备。老年人在沙滩上散步或在树荫下闲坐。
火山岛的神奇力量
登上火山岛——大岛,在一片宁静中,似乎仍可感受到大自然那种脉动的神奇力量。这里的火山活动仍十分频繁,到处蒸腾着热气,空气中弥漫着浓浓的硫磺味道,摸一摸地上的石头竟也都是热的。据说,当火山爆发时,喷射出的岩浆直上云霄。浩荡滚流的岩浆,刹那间就把周边的土地变成不毛之地,海水也会呼啸着沸腾起来。那情景该又是多么惊心动魄!夏威夷人对火山历来都怀着敬畏,认为它的爆发是火山女神佩拉的杰作。
曾有一个航行在海上的人,深夜偶遇夏威夷火山爆发,那景象令他极为震撼,当即用相机拍了下来。然而,使他更为吃惊的是,冲洗出的相片上,在喷射出的岩浆中竟隐现一个美丽的女神!于是他把相片赠送给大岛博物馆陈列起来,而这也更印证了民间关于火山女神的传说。如今,当人们蹑足屏息进入火山口时都会虔诚地默祷,祈愿女神的护佑。当地人认为,女神脚下的每一块石头都是神灵,绝不可随意拿走,否则就要遭逢劫难。我悄悄地捡了一小块。当我们离岛时,阵雨初歇,西边天际挂出了一弯绚丽的彩虹。夏威夷人说,去火山岛,如果能遇上彩虹,再看到美国的一级保护珍稀鸟类“耐耐”和海龟,那你就将是最幸运的人。这一天我全看到了。
来到了夏威夷群岛檀香山著名的钻石头山,它是一座美丽的死火山,形成于10多万年之前,火山口高度232米。库克船长在当年发现它时,由于火山闪闪发出的蓝光就像一颗熠熠发光的钻石,故把它誉为钻石头山。1866年马克·吐温乘船来到岛上也被这钻石头山深深地吸引住了……我们乘坐公交车来到山下,沿着山路徒步行走,一路风景优美,蓝色的大海,起伏的山峦,影影绰绰的房屋……我们穿过连着钻石头山的隧道,展现在我们眼前的是一道奇景:现在虽是夏威夷的冬天,充沛的水分使得植物到处郁郁葱葱,风光十分美丽。我们沿着盘山而上的小路往上攀爬,有两条道路都通往山顶,175级陡峭的台阶,穿过漆黑的地下隧道,还有遗留的军事碉堡,到了山顶你可眺望著名的威基基海滩,大海蓝天,海天一色。由于火山喷发而形成的圆形火山口,就像一颗钻石镶嵌于此,璀璨夺目。
珍珠港永不忘却的纪念
从漫步在绿意盎然的丛林,到热气腾腾的火山口,再浏览熔岩形成的奇特山洞,听着火山女神的传说,欣赏着各种珍稀植物和鸟类,这真是一次人生难得的经历。夏威夷的历史都写在岛上最古老的民族——波利尼西亚人热情奔放的歌舞和那些神奇的传说里。然而,有一段难忘的历史却写在珍珠港蓝色海面上那飘浮着的朵朵油花中。endprint
1941年12月7日夜,日本集結了大批飞机和战舰,在浓密的夜色掩护下,对美国西太平洋重要军事基地珍珠港发动突然袭击。此役,美方遭到重创,44艘战舰被击沉,损失战机188架,1200多名官兵遇难,2400多平民在火海中丧生。原本对日本发动侵略战争还持有幻想与不同看法的美国人,此时才大梦初醒,举国上下群情激愤并迅速团结起来,从而促使罗斯福总统作出了立即对日宣战的决定。美国的参战,从根本上改变了双方力量对比的格局,加快了“二战”反法西斯胜利的进程,成为这次大战的重要转折。同时,对正在艰难困苦中浴血奋战,抗击日本帝国主义侵略的中国人民来说,也是有力的支持和鼓舞。美国人民把珍珠港事件当成他们的“国殇”和“二战”胜利的起点。为纪念这段悲壮的历史,缅怀战争中的死难将士,政府在“亚利桑那”号战舰被炸沉的现场建立了一座纪念馆。我站在馆前的引桥上,清晰地看到那艘黑黝黝的战舰静静地躺在清碧的海水中;平静的海面上漂浮着朵朵油花,那油花在温煦的阳光下像无数精灵,不断闪烁跳动着。这油花来自战舰被炸裂的油罐,它每天都有油往外渗出,从不间断,迄今已渗漏了半个多世纪。据说,还将继续渗漏一百年。在岁月沧桑不断地流逝和变幻中,西太平洋的蓝色波涛已将战争的硝烟和印痕揩洗干净,也渐渐抚平了人们心头的那份伤痛,而留下“亚利桑那”号战舰的钢铁残躯,正是为了那永不忘却的纪念。
我想,今天的人们,重温这段历史,不是想去找回和延续过去的仇恨,而是要温故知新,在我们人类共同拥有的这个仍不太平的星球上,努力构建一个再也没有战争,人们和谐相处、共同繁荣的新世界。
“阿罗哈”是夏威夷人最爱说的一句话,它来自当地土著人的语言,包含了你好、再见和我爱你三重意思。离开夏威夷的那天,我向前来送行的美国朋友道出的最后一句话正是:阿罗哈,美丽而又热情好客的夏威夷!
Hawaii: Sunny Paradise for Wintering
By Liang Fengying
I have just visited Hawaii to unwind myself in the warm weather and enjoy the natural beauty, culture and history of “the most beautiful islands” as remarked by Mark Twine.
Hawaii is indeed a hideaway of warm days and nights for those who dislike the cold intensely. The average temperature around Hawaii is 28 degrees centigrade and local people know no different seasons. All the islands in Hawaii are the results of volcanoes. Sunshine, sands, aquatic sports, hotels, musical tradition, and native culture attract tourists from all over the world.
My destination in Hawaii was Honolulu. The next morning, I rushed to Waikiki, a beachfront neighborhood of Honolulu on the south shore of the island of Oahu. The endless ocean looked bizarrely green and blue in bright sunshine; coconut trees swayed in breezes, giving low murmurs; girls in bikini sauntered to the sea; and brave guys swam out with their surfing boards.
The statue of Duke Kahanamoku (1890-1968), a famous Olympian swimmer, was eye-catching on the beach. He grew up at Honolulu and loved to surf there. He won three gold medals, two silver medals and one bronze medal in four Olympic Games. The statue was installed on the 100th anniversary of his birth to honor him, one of the greatest sportsmen of the United States.
Waikiki is indeed a place to learn how to surf. Surfing boards in various colors can be seen out of shops along the street. Surfers were out on the sea and it wasnt easy to see them clearly from where I stood. On the beach I saw training coaches. I ran into a couple from Dalian, a city of northeastern China. They had been in Honolulu for five days and they had been learning how to surf day and night. They were excited. Beside surfers and surfing novices, there were many people on the beach. Some were playing basketball. Some were sunbathing. On the beach were free showers. Old people strolled on the beach or sat in the shades of trees.endprint
One “must see” on the island of Oahu is Diamond Head, a volcanic tuff cone. I went there. I remember going through a tunnel that connects Diamond Head. Though it was winter, the woods were verdant and the landscape was breathtaking. There were two ways to the top. I chose to walk the steep 175 steps. On the top, I looked afar at Waikiki in distance. The sea and the sky merged in one color.
Another “must see” on the island of Oahu is Memorial, located about two miles west of the Honolulu Airport in Pearl Harbor. On December 7, 1941, the battleship USS was sunk in the Japanese attack. In 1961, a solemn white monument was erected above the midsection of the ship. The 184-foot-long memorial spans the sunken hull and houses a museum room, an assembly area and a shrine room. The visit gave me the opportunity to experience the event that catapulted the United States into World War Two and consequently altered the war situation in China. I looked down at the submerged dark wreckage. Oil leaked from the tanks of the sunken battleship. It had risen to the water surface since the day the battleship sank and will continue leaking for another 100 years.endprint