吉婆群岛包括了大大小小366座岛屿,覆盖着大约200平方公里的水域,点缀着许多美丽的海滩和洞穴,它距离海防(Hai Phong)约20公里,西面是东京湾(Vinh Bac Bo也可译为北部海湾,英文成为Gulf of Tonking),东面是下龙湾(Vinh Ha Long或Halong Bay)。
陆地面积约190平方公里,森里葱郁的山峦,沿岸的红树林和淡水沼泽、湖泊以及瀑布形成了自然美丽风光。
大部分岛屿被森林覆盖着,这些岛屿和附近约90平方公里的水域都属于国家公园。公园里拥有丰富的动植物,其中包括了包含犀鸟的21种鸟类和208中哺乳动物(包括野猫、野猪、豪猪、猴子、鹿和长臂猿等),水中生长的植物、温泉和岩溶湖更为这儿增添了吸引力。
曾经有人在岛屿上的一些洞穴中发现了一些新石器时代的人类遗迹和石制工具。
这些岛屿上的人口不到一万五千人,甚至不及20年前的一半。内地的贫困,加上当时共产党的政策曾经促使人们往海外发展以及寻找新的家园,由于港口的地理位置优越,吉婆岛的捕渔船队在1970年代满足了整个北方逃难“船民”的需求。并且由于吉婆岛上大部分的居民都是华人,在越南和中国于1979年开战之前,越南发动了对华人少数民族的迫害,吉婆岛的居民加入了逃难的行列,因此现在很多留在岛上的居民都有亲属在美国、加拿大和澳大利亚。
来自海外亲属的礼物和贷款帮助岛上居民筑起了成排的窄小旅店,远眺东京湾,吉婆岛是各个岛屿的主要停泊地和码头。
附近有两片干净的海滩,步行就可抵达,可是外国人即使是只看一眼海滩也必须买票才能进入。
对于那些希望到公园内探索、而且又有足够的时间的旅客而言,乘坐定时的公交车从海边穿过荔枝园和废弃了得农场,行驶18公里后就可到达公园入口,径直向山上攀登的最近路线只有几公里,只要不是雨天、道路太过泥泞爬起来也不会太过困难;但最好能找一个导游带路,那些背着装满罐装饮料背包的小女孩就是最现成的导游。无论如何,就算你不找她们,她们也会跟着你往上走,试图将饮料卖给你。爬到山顶,你将会看到被大海冲刷得奇形怪状的岩石,还有郁郁苍苍的壮丽群山。
2009年7月9日星期四
越南下龙湾
图片是位于越南北部广宁县的下龙湾,安静美丽的下龙湾覆盖着近4000平方公里的区域,点缀着大大小小1600个石灰岩岛屿,许多小岛至今还不知什么名称。
千奇百怪的石头雕刻希奇的从大海中探出头来,不可胜数的洞穴形成了一幅迷幻般永恒世界,舢板船的风帆和在海湾中游戈的小船更为这道风景增添了几分魅力。
千奇百怪的石头雕刻希奇的从大海中探出头来,不可胜数的洞穴形成了一幅迷幻般永恒世界,舢板船的风帆和在海湾中游戈的小船更为这道风景增添了几分魅力。
下龙湾于1994和2000年被联合国教科文组织列为世界遗产名录之一。
下龙意为“从天而降的龙”,这名称起源于当地的传说:
话说当时玉皇大帝命令天上的一条龙及其子孙阻止来自海外的侵略,激战中天龙口吐巨石,这些喷吐出来的巨石变成了令人惊奇的岛屿喀斯特地形阻挡了敌人的船只。
可是还有另一版本的传说,提起天龙突出的宝石是珍珠,而海湾则是巨龙飞下潜入大海时,其摆动的尾巴在陆地上挖出了很深的河谷,同时震出了岩石上的裂缝,后来被大海填满而形成的。
无论如何,这条巨龙对自己的杰作很是欣赏,于是定居于此,一直到今天都还生活在海湾下。
下龙湾一带的岛屿拥有数之不尽的洞穴,所有有名称的洞穴都有自己的传说,当地的渔民甚至能叫出各个粗陋的石灰岩堆的昵称,当然这些昵称的起源都是在于这些岩石和动物形状惊人的相似。
2009年5月27日星期三
Plitvice Lakes National Park
These pictures are from Plitvice Lakes National Park, tucked into Croatia's rugged interior, and is known for its string of 16 spectacular blue-green lakes.
Formed from streams cascading down the mountains, these breathtaking turquoise pools are separated from one another by natural dams of travertine, with waterfalls tumbling over them.
In 1979, the park was added to Unesco's World Heritage list, although a conservation committee has been set up since 1893 to protect the area from development.
Plitvice's past has not always been so harmonious, however. In 1991, the war in Croatia forced thousands of people to flee the area. The park's forests were cut down and its facilities destroyed during the conflict: landmines threatened both humans and wildlife, while fishing with explosives degraded the lakes. When the conflict ended in 1995, the government worked to restore the area's natural beauty: numerous conservation initiatives have followed to help improve and maintain the park's ecosystem.
A centre dedicated to scientific research and preservation has been established and the government has been working to raise awareness of the site's ecological and historical significance. Educational projects have been launched and the visitor centre improved.
The boardwalks, pictured, have been one of Plitvice's greatest achievements. Offering visitors exceptional access to great viewpoints, they have played a key role in restoring the area economy. But the main purpose of these wooden pathways is to prevent damage to the surrounding valley, helping to ensure that this unique environment is preserved.
Formed from streams cascading down the mountains, these breathtaking turquoise pools are separated from one another by natural dams of travertine, with waterfalls tumbling over them.
In 1979, the park was added to Unesco's World Heritage list, although a conservation committee has been set up since 1893 to protect the area from development.
Plitvice's past has not always been so harmonious, however. In 1991, the war in Croatia forced thousands of people to flee the area. The park's forests were cut down and its facilities destroyed during the conflict: landmines threatened both humans and wildlife, while fishing with explosives degraded the lakes. When the conflict ended in 1995, the government worked to restore the area's natural beauty: numerous conservation initiatives have followed to help improve and maintain the park's ecosystem.
A centre dedicated to scientific research and preservation has been established and the government has been working to raise awareness of the site's ecological and historical significance. Educational projects have been launched and the visitor centre improved.
The boardwalks, pictured, have been one of Plitvice's greatest achievements. Offering visitors exceptional access to great viewpoints, they have played a key role in restoring the area economy. But the main purpose of these wooden pathways is to prevent damage to the surrounding valley, helping to ensure that this unique environment is preserved.
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