东京，日本的首都，人口在全国47个都道府县中最多，约有1229万人，是世界上屈指可数的大都市，是日本政治、经济和文化的中心。
东京的主要购物区分布在山手线的各主要站周围，百货店比较集中的地区有池袋、新宿和原宿、涉谷、新桥、东京站附近的银座和日本桥，这些地区构成主要的购物区。还有就是以电器界著名的秋叶原、以旧书市著名的神保町、以水产批发著名的筑地中央批发市场、以便宜货著称的上野糖横町。有特色的地名还有用永田町、霞关、兜町、大手町等。
东京的著名观光景点有东京铁塔、皇居、国会议事堂、浅草寺、浜离宫、上野公园与动物园、葛西临海公园、台场、东京迪斯尼乐园等。比较有特色的比赛有棒球和相扑，看棒球可以到后乐园站的东京球场，那里是东京巨人队的主场。看相扑可以到秋叶原附近的两国去，那里既有两国国技馆，还有许多相扑选手所属的部屋（俱乐部），每个部屋都有自己的名号与标志。江户东京博物馆也值得一看。山手线上的几个大站的附近地区，也是游玩和观光的好地方，比如池袋附近的阳光大厦里集中了许多水族馆、美术馆、博物馆，新宿附近的都厅大厦、歌舞伎町、购物区，涉谷与原宿则是日本年轻人时装、音乐、化妆、随身物品、发式、甚至生活方式的信息源。上野附近集中了如日本的传统剧场、东京国立美术馆、国立科学博物馆、国立西洋美术馆、东京都美术馆等。在银座和新宿的主街道，到了星期天，禁止车辆通行，那里就成了步行者的天堂，卖艺或公演的街头艺术家、出售各种手工制品的各国小贩、在街上玩耍的年轻人，各色人等、五花八门。
2008年8月6日星期三
日本本州全景六日经典品质游
东京，日本的首都，人口在全国47个都道府县中最多，约有1229万人，是世界上屈指可数的大都市，是日本政治、经济和文化的中心。
东京的主要购物区分布在山手线的各主要站周围，百货店比较集中的地区有池袋、新宿和原宿、涉谷、新桥、东京站附近的银座和日本桥，这些地区构成主要的购物区。还有就是以电器界著名的秋叶原、以旧书市著名的神保町、以水产批发著名的筑地中央批发市场、以便宜货著称的上野糖横町。有特色的地名还有用永田町、霞关、兜町、大手町等。
东京的著名观光景点有东京铁塔、皇居、国会议事堂、浅草寺、浜离宫、上野公园与动物园、葛西临海公园、台场、东京迪斯尼乐园等。比较有特色的比赛有棒球和相扑，看棒球可以到后乐园站的东京球场，那里是东京巨人队的主场。看相扑可以到秋叶原附近的两国去，那里既有两国国技馆，还有许多相扑选手所属的部屋（俱乐部），每个部屋都有自己的名号与标志。江户东京博物馆也值得一看。山手线上的几个大站的附近地区，也是游玩和观光的好地方，比如池袋附近的阳光大厦里集中了许多水族馆、美术馆、博物馆，新宿附近的都厅大厦、歌舞伎町、购物区，涉谷与原宿则是日本年轻人时装、音乐、化妆、随身物品、发式、甚至生活方式的信息源。上野附近集中了如日本的传统剧场、东京国立美术馆、国立科学博物馆、国立西洋美术馆、东京都美术馆等。在银座和新宿的主街道，到了星期天，禁止车辆通行，那里就成了步行者的天堂，卖艺或公演的街头艺术家、出售各种手工制品的各国小贩、在街上玩耍的年轻人，各色人等、五花八门。
东京的主要购物区分布在山手线的各主要站周围，百货店比较集中的地区有池袋、新宿和原宿、涉谷、新桥、东京站附近的银座和日本桥，这些地区构成主要的购物区。还有就是以电器界著名的秋叶原、以旧书市著名的神保町、以水产批发著名的筑地中央批发市场、以便宜货著称的上野糖横町。有特色的地名还有用永田町、霞关、兜町、大手町等。
东京的著名观光景点有东京铁塔、皇居、国会议事堂、浅草寺、浜离宫、上野公园与动物园、葛西临海公园、台场、东京迪斯尼乐园等。比较有特色的比赛有棒球和相扑，看棒球可以到后乐园站的东京球场，那里是东京巨人队的主场。看相扑可以到秋叶原附近的两国去，那里既有两国国技馆，还有许多相扑选手所属的部屋（俱乐部），每个部屋都有自己的名号与标志。江户东京博物馆也值得一看。山手线上的几个大站的附近地区，也是游玩和观光的好地方，比如池袋附近的阳光大厦里集中了许多水族馆、美术馆、博物馆，新宿附近的都厅大厦、歌舞伎町、购物区，涉谷与原宿则是日本年轻人时装、音乐、化妆、随身物品、发式、甚至生活方式的信息源。上野附近集中了如日本的传统剧场、东京国立美术馆、国立科学博物馆、国立西洋美术馆、东京都美术馆等。在银座和新宿的主街道，到了星期天，禁止车辆通行，那里就成了步行者的天堂，卖艺或公演的街头艺术家、出售各种手工制品的各国小贩、在街上玩耍的年轻人，各色人等、五花八门。
2008年8月1日星期五
西藏景点介绍：Potala Palace
Potala Palace
In 641, after marrying Princess Wencheng, Songtsen Gampo decided to build a grand palace to accommodate her and let his descendants remember the event. However, the original palace was destroyed due to a lightening strike and succeeding warfare during Landama's reign. In seventeenth century under the reign of the Fifth Dalai Lama, Potala was rebuilt. The Thirteenth
Dalai Lama expanded it to today's scale. The monastery-like palace, reclining against and capping Red Hill, was the religious and political center of old Tibet and the winter palace of Dalai Lamas. The palace is more than 117 meters (384 feet) in height and 360 (1180 feet) in width, occupying a building space of 90 thousand square meters. Potala is composed of White Palace and Red Palace. The former is for secular use while the later is for religious.
The White Palace consists of offices, dormitories, a Buddhist official seminary and a printing house. From the east entrance of the palace, painted with images of Four Heavenly Kings, a broad corridor upwards leads to Deyang Shar courtyard, which used to be where Dalai Lamas watched operas. Around the large and open courtyard, there used to be a seminary and dormitories. West of the courtyard is the White Palace. There are three ladder stairs reaching inside of it, however, the central one was reserved for only Dalai Lamas and central government magistrates dispatched to Tibet. In the first hallway, there are huge murals describing the construction of Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple and the procession of Princess Wencheng reaching Tibet. On the south wall, visitors will see an edict signed with the Great Fifth's handprint. The White Palace mainly serves as the political headquarter and Dalai Lamas' living quarters. The West Chamber of Sunshine and the East Chamber of Sunshine lie as the roof of the White Palace. They belonged to the Thirteenth Dalai Lama and the Fourteenth Dalai Lama respectively. Beneath the East Chamber of Sunshine is the largest hall in the White Palace, where Dalai Lamas ascended throne and ruled Tibet.
The Red Palace was constructed after the death of the Fifth Dalai Lama. The center of the complicated Red Palace is the Great West Hall, which records the Great Fifth Dalai Lama's life by its fine murals. The scene of his visit to Emperor Shunzhi in Beijing in 1652 is extraordinarily vivid. It also has finely carved columns and brackets. The hall has four additional chapels. The West Chapel houses three gold stupas of the Fifth, Tenth and Twelfth Dalai Lamas'. Their mummified and perfumed bodies are well kept in those stupas. Among the three, the Fifth Dalai Lama's stupa is the biggest, which is made of sandalwood, wrapped in gold foil and decorated with thousands of diamonds, pearls, agates and others gems. The stupa, with a height of 14.86 meters (49 feet), spends more than 3,700 kilograms of gold. The North Chapel contains statues of Sakyamuni, Dalai Lamas and Medicine Buddha, and stupas of the Eighth, Ninth and Eleventh Dalai Lamas. Against the wall is Tanjur (Beijing edition), a most important Tibetan Buddhist sutra sent to the Seventh Dalai Lama by Emperor Yongzheng. In the East Chapel a two meters (6.5 feet) high statue of Tsong Khapa, the founder of Gelugpa which is Dalai Lama's lineage, is enshrined and worshipped. In addition, about 70 famous adepts in Tibetan Buddhism surround him. The South Chapel is where a silver statue of Padmasambhava and 8 bronze statues of his reincarnations are enshrined. On the floor above, there is a gallery which has a collection of 698 murals, portraying Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Dalai Lamas and great adepts and narrating jataka stories and significant Tibetan historic events. West of the Great West Hall locates the Thirteenth Dalai Lama's stupa hall. Since he was regarded as great as the Great Fifth, people started to build his stupa after his death in the fall of 1933. Taking three years, the stupa is comparable with the Great Fifth's stupa. It is 14 meters (46 feet) in height, coated with a ton (2200 pounds) of gold foils. In front of it is a mandala made of more than 200,000 pearls and other gems. Murals in the hall tell important events in his life, including his visit with Emperor Guangxu. The highest hall of Potala was built in 1690. It used to be the holy shrine of Chinese Emperors. Dalai Lamas would come here with his officials and high lamas to show their respects to the central government annually before.
Dharma Cave and the Saint's Chapel are the only structures left which were built in seventh century. They both lie central of the Red Palace. Dharma Cave is said to be the place where King Songtsen Gampo proceeded his religious cultivation. Inside the cave, statues of Songtsen Gampo, Princess Wencheng, Princess Tritsun and his chief ministers are enshrined. In the Saint's Chapel above Dharma Cave, Chenrezi, Tsong Khapa, Padmasambhava, the Fifth, Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Dalai Lamas are enshrined and worshipped. Visitors may find a stone with a footprint that was believed left by the infant Twelfth Dalai Lama.
In 641, after marrying Princess Wencheng, Songtsen Gampo decided to build a grand palace to accommodate her and let his descendants remember the event. However, the original palace was destroyed due to a lightening strike and succeeding warfare during Landama's reign. In seventeenth century under the reign of the Fifth Dalai Lama, Potala was rebuilt. The Thirteenth
Dalai Lama expanded it to today's scale. The monastery-like palace, reclining against and capping Red Hill, was the religious and political center of old Tibet and the winter palace of Dalai Lamas. The palace is more than 117 meters (384 feet) in height and 360 (1180 feet) in width, occupying a building space of 90 thousand square meters. Potala is composed of White Palace and Red Palace. The former is for secular use while the later is for religious.
The White Palace consists of offices, dormitories, a Buddhist official seminary and a printing house. From the east entrance of the palace, painted with images of Four Heavenly Kings, a broad corridor upwards leads to Deyang Shar courtyard, which used to be where Dalai Lamas watched operas. Around the large and open courtyard, there used to be a seminary and dormitories. West of the courtyard is the White Palace. There are three ladder stairs reaching inside of it, however, the central one was reserved for only Dalai Lamas and central government magistrates dispatched to Tibet. In the first hallway, there are huge murals describing the construction of Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple and the procession of Princess Wencheng reaching Tibet. On the south wall, visitors will see an edict signed with the Great Fifth's handprint. The White Palace mainly serves as the political headquarter and Dalai Lamas' living quarters. The West Chamber of Sunshine and the East Chamber of Sunshine lie as the roof of the White Palace. They belonged to the Thirteenth Dalai Lama and the Fourteenth Dalai Lama respectively. Beneath the East Chamber of Sunshine is the largest hall in the White Palace, where Dalai Lamas ascended throne and ruled Tibet.
The Red Palace was constructed after the death of the Fifth Dalai Lama. The center of the complicated Red Palace is the Great West Hall, which records the Great Fifth Dalai Lama's life by its fine murals. The scene of his visit to Emperor Shunzhi in Beijing in 1652 is extraordinarily vivid. It also has finely carved columns and brackets. The hall has four additional chapels. The West Chapel houses three gold stupas of the Fifth, Tenth and Twelfth Dalai Lamas'. Their mummified and perfumed bodies are well kept in those stupas. Among the three, the Fifth Dalai Lama's stupa is the biggest, which is made of sandalwood, wrapped in gold foil and decorated with thousands of diamonds, pearls, agates and others gems. The stupa, with a height of 14.86 meters (49 feet), spends more than 3,700 kilograms of gold. The North Chapel contains statues of Sakyamuni, Dalai Lamas and Medicine Buddha, and stupas of the Eighth, Ninth and Eleventh Dalai Lamas. Against the wall is Tanjur (Beijing edition), a most important Tibetan Buddhist sutra sent to the Seventh Dalai Lama by Emperor Yongzheng. In the East Chapel a two meters (6.5 feet) high statue of Tsong Khapa, the founder of Gelugpa which is Dalai Lama's lineage, is enshrined and worshipped. In addition, about 70 famous adepts in Tibetan Buddhism surround him. The South Chapel is where a silver statue of Padmasambhava and 8 bronze statues of his reincarnations are enshrined. On the floor above, there is a gallery which has a collection of 698 murals, portraying Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Dalai Lamas and great adepts and narrating jataka stories and significant Tibetan historic events. West of the Great West Hall locates the Thirteenth Dalai Lama's stupa hall. Since he was regarded as great as the Great Fifth, people started to build his stupa after his death in the fall of 1933. Taking three years, the stupa is comparable with the Great Fifth's stupa. It is 14 meters (46 feet) in height, coated with a ton (2200 pounds) of gold foils. In front of it is a mandala made of more than 200,000 pearls and other gems. Murals in the hall tell important events in his life, including his visit with Emperor Guangxu. The highest hall of Potala was built in 1690. It used to be the holy shrine of Chinese Emperors. Dalai Lamas would come here with his officials and high lamas to show their respects to the central government annually before.
Dharma Cave and the Saint's Chapel are the only structures left which were built in seventh century. They both lie central of the Red Palace. Dharma Cave is said to be the place where King Songtsen Gampo proceeded his religious cultivation. Inside the cave, statues of Songtsen Gampo, Princess Wencheng, Princess Tritsun and his chief ministers are enshrined. In the Saint's Chapel above Dharma Cave, Chenrezi, Tsong Khapa, Padmasambhava, the Fifth, Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Dalai Lamas are enshrined and worshipped. Visitors may find a stone with a footprint that was believed left by the infant Twelfth Dalai Lama.
Jokhang Temple
Jokhang Temple is the spiritual center of Tibet. Everyday pilgrims from every corner of Tibet trek a long distance to the temple. Some of them even progress prostrate by body length to the threshold of the temple. Pilgrims fuel myriad of flickering butter lamps with yak butter, or honor their deities with white scarves (Kha-btags or Hada) while murmuring sacred mantras to show their pieties to the Buddha.
It lies at the center of the old Lhasa. Built in 647 by Songtsen Gampo and his two foreign wives, it has a history of more than 1,300. It was said that Nepal Princess Tritsun decided to build a temple to house the Jowo Sakyamuni aged 12 brought by Chinese Princess Wencheng. Princess Wencheng reckoned according to Chinese astrology that the temple should be built on the pool where the Jokhang now locates. She contended that the pool was a witch's heart, so the temple should be built on the pool to get rid of evils. The pool still exists under the temple. Then goats were used as the main pack animals, as is the reason the city is called Lhasa. The construction took 12 months. However it was originally small and had been expanded to today's scale in later dynasties. When the Fifth Dalai Lama took reign, large-scale reconstruction and renovation had been done. The temple is a combination of Han, Tibetan and Nepalese architectural techniques. Visitors will see sphinx and other weird and sacred sculptures.
The temple keeps many invaluable cultural relics. The most famous and valuable one is the Jowo Sakyamuni aged 12, which is circumambulated by thousands of pilgrims day and night. On his sides, there are altars of Songtsen Gampo and his two wives who introduced Buddhism into Tibet. The murals in the main hall are also worth seeing, depicting the procession of Princess Wencheng arriving in Tibet and the building of the Jokhang Temple while other murals tell Jataka stories. Two thangkas imaging Yamantaka and Chakrasamvara from the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) still remain in perfect condition. The gold bumpa (a vase) upon which the reincarnations of Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama are decided, musical instruments brought into Tibet by Wencheng and other important stuffs are also kept here.
Every year, the Great Prayer Festival will be held in the Temple. The rites of Dalai Lamas and Panchen Lamas' initiation into lamahood are also held in the monastery.
It lies at the center of the old Lhasa. Built in 647 by Songtsen Gampo and his two foreign wives, it has a history of more than 1,300. It was said that Nepal Princess Tritsun decided to build a temple to house the Jowo Sakyamuni aged 12 brought by Chinese Princess Wencheng. Princess Wencheng reckoned according to Chinese astrology that the temple should be built on the pool where the Jokhang now locates. She contended that the pool was a witch's heart, so the temple should be built on the pool to get rid of evils. The pool still exists under the temple. Then goats were used as the main pack animals, as is the reason the city is called Lhasa. The construction took 12 months. However it was originally small and had been expanded to today's scale in later dynasties. When the Fifth Dalai Lama took reign, large-scale reconstruction and renovation had been done. The temple is a combination of Han, Tibetan and Nepalese architectural techniques. Visitors will see sphinx and other weird and sacred sculptures.
The temple keeps many invaluable cultural relics. The most famous and valuable one is the Jowo Sakyamuni aged 12, which is circumambulated by thousands of pilgrims day and night. On his sides, there are altars of Songtsen Gampo and his two wives who introduced Buddhism into Tibet. The murals in the main hall are also worth seeing, depicting the procession of Princess Wencheng arriving in Tibet and the building of the Jokhang Temple while other murals tell Jataka stories. Two thangkas imaging Yamantaka and Chakrasamvara from the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) still remain in perfect condition. The gold bumpa (a vase) upon which the reincarnations of Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama are decided, musical instruments brought into Tibet by Wencheng and other important stuffs are also kept here.
Every year, the Great Prayer Festival will be held in the Temple. The rites of Dalai Lamas and Panchen Lamas' initiation into lamahood are also held in the monastery.
Jokhang Temple
Jokhang Temple is the spiritual center of Tibet. Everyday pilgrims from every corner of Tibet trek a long distance to the temple. Some of them even progress prostrate by body length to the threshold of the temple. Pilgrims fuel myriad of flickering butter lamps with yak butter, or honor their deities with white scarves (Kha-btags or Hada) while murmuring sacred mantras to show their pieties to the Buddha.
It lies at the center of the old Lhasa. Built in 647 by Songtsen Gampo and his two foreign wives, it has a history of more than 1,300. It was said that Nepal Princess Tritsun decided to build a temple to house the Jowo Sakyamuni aged 12 brought by Chinese Princess Wencheng. Princess Wencheng reckoned according to Chinese astrology that the temple should be built on the pool where the Jokhang now locates. She contended that the pool was a witch's heart, so the temple should be built on the pool to get rid of evils. The pool still exists under the temple. Then goats were used as the main pack animals, as is the reason the city is called Lhasa. The construction took 12 months. However it was originally small and had been expanded to today's scale in later dynasties. When the Fifth Dalai Lama took reign, large-scale reconstruction and renovation had been done. The temple is a combination of Han, Tibetan and Nepalese architectural techniques. Visitors will see sphinx and other weird and sacred sculptures.
The temple keeps many invaluable cultural relics. The most famous and valuable one is the Jowo Sakyamuni aged 12, which is circumambulated by thousands of pilgrims day and night. On his sides, there are altars of Songtsen Gampo and his two wives who introduced Buddhism into Tibet. The murals in the main hall are also worth seeing, depicting the procession of Princess Wencheng arriving in Tibet and the building of the Jokhang Temple while other murals tell Jataka stories. Two thangkas imaging Yamantaka and Chakrasamvara from the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) still remain in perfect condition. The gold bumpa (a vase) upon which the reincarnations of Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama are decided, musical instruments brought into Tibet by Wencheng and other important stuffs are also kept here.
Every year, the Great Prayer Festival will be held in the Temple. The rites of Dalai Lamas and Panchen Lamas' initiation into lamahood are also held in the monastery.
It lies at the center of the old Lhasa. Built in 647 by Songtsen Gampo and his two foreign wives, it has a history of more than 1,300. It was said that Nepal Princess Tritsun decided to build a temple to house the Jowo Sakyamuni aged 12 brought by Chinese Princess Wencheng. Princess Wencheng reckoned according to Chinese astrology that the temple should be built on the pool where the Jokhang now locates. She contended that the pool was a witch's heart, so the temple should be built on the pool to get rid of evils. The pool still exists under the temple. Then goats were used as the main pack animals, as is the reason the city is called Lhasa. The construction took 12 months. However it was originally small and had been expanded to today's scale in later dynasties. When the Fifth Dalai Lama took reign, large-scale reconstruction and renovation had been done. The temple is a combination of Han, Tibetan and Nepalese architectural techniques. Visitors will see sphinx and other weird and sacred sculptures.
The temple keeps many invaluable cultural relics. The most famous and valuable one is the Jowo Sakyamuni aged 12, which is circumambulated by thousands of pilgrims day and night. On his sides, there are altars of Songtsen Gampo and his two wives who introduced Buddhism into Tibet. The murals in the main hall are also worth seeing, depicting the procession of Princess Wencheng arriving in Tibet and the building of the Jokhang Temple while other murals tell Jataka stories. Two thangkas imaging Yamantaka and Chakrasamvara from the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) still remain in perfect condition. The gold bumpa (a vase) upon which the reincarnations of Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama are decided, musical instruments brought into Tibet by Wencheng and other important stuffs are also kept here.
Every year, the Great Prayer Festival will be held in the Temple. The rites of Dalai Lamas and Panchen Lamas' initiation into lamahood are also held in the monastery.
2008年7月29日星期二
The Palace Museum
The Palace Museum
What strikes one first in a bird's -eye view of Beijing proper is a vast tract of golden roofs flashing brilliantly in the sun with purple walls occasionally emerging amid them and a stretch of luxuriant tree leaves flanking on each side. That is the former Imperial Palace, popularly known as the Forbidden City, from which twenty-four emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties ruled China for some 500 years--from1420 to 1911. The Ming Emperor Yong Le, who usurped the throne from his nephew and made Beijing the capital, ordered its construction, on which approximately 10,000 artists and a million workmen toiled for 14 years from 1406 to 1420. At present, the Palace is an elaborate museum that presents the largest and most complete ensemble of traditional architecture complex and more than 900,000 pieces of court treasures in all dynasties in China.
Located in the center of Beijing, the entire palace area, rectangular in shape and 72 hectares in size, is surrounded by walls ten meters high and a moat 52 meters wide. At each corner of the wall stands a watchtower with a double-eave roof covered with yellow glazed tiles.
The main buildings, the six great halls, one following the other, are set facing south along the central north-south axis from the Meridian Gate, the south entrance, to Shenwumen, the great gate piercing in the north wall. On either side of the palace are many comparatively small buildings. Symmetrically in the northeastern section lie the six Eastern Palaces and in the northwestern section the six Western Palaces. The Palace area is divided into two parts: the Outer Court and the Inner Palace. The former consists of the first three main halls, where the emperor received his courtiers and conducted grand ceremonies, while the latter was the living quarters for the imperial residence. At the rear of the Inner Palace is the Imperial Garden where the emperor and his family sought recreation.
The main entrance to the Palace is the Meridian Gate(1), which was so named because the emperor considered himself the "Son of the Heaven" and the Palace the center of the universe, hence the north-south axis as the Meridian line going right through the Palace. The gate is crowned with five towers, commonly known as the Five-Phoenix Towers(2), which were installed with drums and bells. When the emperor went to the Temple of Heaven, bells were struck to mark this important occasion. When he went to the Ancestral Temple, it was the drums that were beaten to publicize the event.
Beyond the Meridian Gate unfolds a vast courtyard across which the Inner Golden Water River runs from east to west. The river is spanned by five bridges, which were supposed to be symbols of the five virtues preached by Confucius--benevolence, righteousness, rites, intelligence, and fidelity(3).
At the north end of the courtyard is a three-tiered white marble terrace, seven meters above the ground, on which, one after another, stand three majestic halls; the Hall of Supreme Harmony(4), the Hall of Complete Harmony(5), and the Hall of Preserving Harmony(6).
The Hall of Supreme Harmony, rectangular in shape, 27 meters in height, 2,300 square meters in area, is the grandest and most important hall in the Palace complex. It is also China's largest existing palace of wood structure and an outstanding example of brilliant color combinations. This hall used to be the throne hall for ceremonies which marked great occasions: the Winter Solstice, the Spring Festival, the emperor's birthday and enthronement, and the dispatch of generals to battles, etc. On such occasions there would be an imperial guard of honor standing in front of the Hall that extended all the way to the Meridian gate.
On the north face of the hall in the center of four coiled-golden dragon columns is the "Golden Throne", which was carved out of sandalwood. The throne rests on a two-meter-high platform with a screen behind it. In front of it, to the left and right, stand ornamental cranes, incense burners and other ornaments. The dragon columns entwined with golden dragons measure one meter in diameter. The throne itself, the platform and the screen are all carved with dragon designs. High above the throne is a color-painted coffered ceiling which changes in shape from square to octagonal to circular as it ascends layer upon layer. The utmost central vault is carved with the gilded design of a dragon toying with pearls. when the Emperor mounted the throne, gold bells and jade chimes sounded from the gallery, and clouds of incense rose from the bronze cranes and tortoises and tripods outside the hall on the terrace. The aura of majesty created by the imposing architecture and solemn ritual were designed to keep the subjects of the "Son of the Heaven" in awe and reverence.
The Hall of Complete Harmony is smaller and square with windows on all sides. Here the emperor rehearsed for ceremonies. It is followed by the Hall of Preserving Harmony in which banquets and imperial examinations were held.
Behind the Hall of Preserving Harmony lies a huge marble ramp with intertwining clouds and dragons carved in relief. The slab, about 6.5 meters long, 3 meters wide and 250 tons in weight, is placed between two flights of marble steps along which the emperor's sedan was carried up or down the terrace. It is the largest piece of stone carving in the Imperial Palace. Quarried in the mountains scores of kilometers southwest of Beijing, this gigantic stone was moved to the city by sliding it over a specially paved ice road in winter. To provide enough water to build the ice road, wells were sunk at very 500 meters along the way.
The three halls of the Inner Palace are replicas of the three halls in the front, but smaller in size. They are the Palace of Heavenly Purity(7), the Hall of Union(8), and the Palace of Earthly Tranquility(9).
The Palace of Heavenly Purity was once the residence of the Ming emperors and the first two of the Qing emperors. Then the Qing Emperor Yong Zheng moved his residence to the Palace of Mental Cultivation and turned it into an audience hall to receive foreign envoys and handled the state affairs. The promotion and demotion of officials were also decided in this hall. After the emperor's death his coffin was placed here for a 49-day period of mourning.
The Palace of Union was the empress's throne room and the Hall of Earthly Tranquility, once a private living room for the empress, was partitioned. The west chamber served religious purposes and the east one was the bridal chamber where the newly married emperor and empress spent their first two nights after their wedding.
The Imperial Garden was laid out during the early Ming dynasty. Hundreds of pines and cypresses offer shade while various flowers give colors to the garden all year round and fill the air with their fragrance. In he center of the garden is the Hall of Imperial Peace, a Daoist temple, with a flat roof slightly sloping down to the four eaves. This type of roof was rare in ancient Chinese architecture. In he northeastern corner of the garden is a rock hill, known as the Hill of the Piled-up Wonders, which is topped with a pavilion. At the foot of the hill are two fountains which jet two columns of water high into the air. It is said that on the ninth night of the ninth month of the lunar calendar, the empress would mound the hill to enjoy the autumn scene. It is also believed that climbing to a high place on that day would keep people safe from contagious diseases.
The six Western Palaces were residences for empresses and concubines. They are kept in their original way for show. The six Eastern Palaces were the residences for them too. But now they serve as special museums: the Museum of Bronze, the Museum of Porcelain and the Museum of Arts and Crafts of the Ming and Qing dynasties. In the northeastern-most section of the Inner Palace are the Museum of Traditional Chinese Paintings and the Museum of Jewelry and Treasures where rare pieces of imperial collections are on display.
Now the Forbidden City is no longer forbidding, but inviting. A visit to the Palace Museum will enrich the visitors' knowledge of history, economy, politics, arts as well as architecture in ancient China.
What strikes one first in a bird's -eye view of Beijing proper is a vast tract of golden roofs flashing brilliantly in the sun with purple walls occasionally emerging amid them and a stretch of luxuriant tree leaves flanking on each side. That is the former Imperial Palace, popularly known as the Forbidden City, from which twenty-four emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties ruled China for some 500 years--from1420 to 1911. The Ming Emperor Yong Le, who usurped the throne from his nephew and made Beijing the capital, ordered its construction, on which approximately 10,000 artists and a million workmen toiled for 14 years from 1406 to 1420. At present, the Palace is an elaborate museum that presents the largest and most complete ensemble of traditional architecture complex and more than 900,000 pieces of court treasures in all dynasties in China.
Located in the center of Beijing, the entire palace area, rectangular in shape and 72 hectares in size, is surrounded by walls ten meters high and a moat 52 meters wide. At each corner of the wall stands a watchtower with a double-eave roof covered with yellow glazed tiles.
The main buildings, the six great halls, one following the other, are set facing south along the central north-south axis from the Meridian Gate, the south entrance, to Shenwumen, the great gate piercing in the north wall. On either side of the palace are many comparatively small buildings. Symmetrically in the northeastern section lie the six Eastern Palaces and in the northwestern section the six Western Palaces. The Palace area is divided into two parts: the Outer Court and the Inner Palace. The former consists of the first three main halls, where the emperor received his courtiers and conducted grand ceremonies, while the latter was the living quarters for the imperial residence. At the rear of the Inner Palace is the Imperial Garden where the emperor and his family sought recreation.
The main entrance to the Palace is the Meridian Gate(1), which was so named because the emperor considered himself the "Son of the Heaven" and the Palace the center of the universe, hence the north-south axis as the Meridian line going right through the Palace. The gate is crowned with five towers, commonly known as the Five-Phoenix Towers(2), which were installed with drums and bells. When the emperor went to the Temple of Heaven, bells were struck to mark this important occasion. When he went to the Ancestral Temple, it was the drums that were beaten to publicize the event.
Beyond the Meridian Gate unfolds a vast courtyard across which the Inner Golden Water River runs from east to west. The river is spanned by five bridges, which were supposed to be symbols of the five virtues preached by Confucius--benevolence, righteousness, rites, intelligence, and fidelity(3).
At the north end of the courtyard is a three-tiered white marble terrace, seven meters above the ground, on which, one after another, stand three majestic halls; the Hall of Supreme Harmony(4), the Hall of Complete Harmony(5), and the Hall of Preserving Harmony(6).
The Hall of Supreme Harmony, rectangular in shape, 27 meters in height, 2,300 square meters in area, is the grandest and most important hall in the Palace complex. It is also China's largest existing palace of wood structure and an outstanding example of brilliant color combinations. This hall used to be the throne hall for ceremonies which marked great occasions: the Winter Solstice, the Spring Festival, the emperor's birthday and enthronement, and the dispatch of generals to battles, etc. On such occasions there would be an imperial guard of honor standing in front of the Hall that extended all the way to the Meridian gate.
On the north face of the hall in the center of four coiled-golden dragon columns is the "Golden Throne", which was carved out of sandalwood. The throne rests on a two-meter-high platform with a screen behind it. In front of it, to the left and right, stand ornamental cranes, incense burners and other ornaments. The dragon columns entwined with golden dragons measure one meter in diameter. The throne itself, the platform and the screen are all carved with dragon designs. High above the throne is a color-painted coffered ceiling which changes in shape from square to octagonal to circular as it ascends layer upon layer. The utmost central vault is carved with the gilded design of a dragon toying with pearls. when the Emperor mounted the throne, gold bells and jade chimes sounded from the gallery, and clouds of incense rose from the bronze cranes and tortoises and tripods outside the hall on the terrace. The aura of majesty created by the imposing architecture and solemn ritual were designed to keep the subjects of the "Son of the Heaven" in awe and reverence.
The Hall of Complete Harmony is smaller and square with windows on all sides. Here the emperor rehearsed for ceremonies. It is followed by the Hall of Preserving Harmony in which banquets and imperial examinations were held.
Behind the Hall of Preserving Harmony lies a huge marble ramp with intertwining clouds and dragons carved in relief. The slab, about 6.5 meters long, 3 meters wide and 250 tons in weight, is placed between two flights of marble steps along which the emperor's sedan was carried up or down the terrace. It is the largest piece of stone carving in the Imperial Palace. Quarried in the mountains scores of kilometers southwest of Beijing, this gigantic stone was moved to the city by sliding it over a specially paved ice road in winter. To provide enough water to build the ice road, wells were sunk at very 500 meters along the way.
The three halls of the Inner Palace are replicas of the three halls in the front, but smaller in size. They are the Palace of Heavenly Purity(7), the Hall of Union(8), and the Palace of Earthly Tranquility(9).
The Palace of Heavenly Purity was once the residence of the Ming emperors and the first two of the Qing emperors. Then the Qing Emperor Yong Zheng moved his residence to the Palace of Mental Cultivation and turned it into an audience hall to receive foreign envoys and handled the state affairs. The promotion and demotion of officials were also decided in this hall. After the emperor's death his coffin was placed here for a 49-day period of mourning.
The Palace of Union was the empress's throne room and the Hall of Earthly Tranquility, once a private living room for the empress, was partitioned. The west chamber served religious purposes and the east one was the bridal chamber where the newly married emperor and empress spent their first two nights after their wedding.
The Imperial Garden was laid out during the early Ming dynasty. Hundreds of pines and cypresses offer shade while various flowers give colors to the garden all year round and fill the air with their fragrance. In he center of the garden is the Hall of Imperial Peace, a Daoist temple, with a flat roof slightly sloping down to the four eaves. This type of roof was rare in ancient Chinese architecture. In he northeastern corner of the garden is a rock hill, known as the Hill of the Piled-up Wonders, which is topped with a pavilion. At the foot of the hill are two fountains which jet two columns of water high into the air. It is said that on the ninth night of the ninth month of the lunar calendar, the empress would mound the hill to enjoy the autumn scene. It is also believed that climbing to a high place on that day would keep people safe from contagious diseases.
The six Western Palaces were residences for empresses and concubines. They are kept in their original way for show. The six Eastern Palaces were the residences for them too. But now they serve as special museums: the Museum of Bronze, the Museum of Porcelain and the Museum of Arts and Crafts of the Ming and Qing dynasties. In the northeastern-most section of the Inner Palace are the Museum of Traditional Chinese Paintings and the Museum of Jewelry and Treasures where rare pieces of imperial collections are on display.
Now the Forbidden City is no longer forbidding, but inviting. A visit to the Palace Museum will enrich the visitors' knowledge of history, economy, politics, arts as well as architecture in ancient China.
北京之旅
好久没有出差到外地了，这个星期终于去了一次北京，这次旅途也给我带来了好多第一次。
第一次开高速，我的车子买过来一年了，至今只开了5000多公里，每次都是上班下班，最远就是开到杭州的滨江，已经被无数同事鄙视我浪费车子。这次终于开了机场高速，哈哈，总算上高速了（虽然机场高速并不能算真正的高速）。
第一次坐飞机去北京，记得我以前和同事几次去北京都被我强烈要求坐火车去，就算火车的环境再差，时间再久我就是不坐飞机，恐飞啊，没办法。其实火车也有一个好处，能减肥！新鲜吧，我有一次坐火车去北京来回轻了6斤，效果可真好。这次一个同事直接给订了机票，不坐也得坐了。国航的飞机感觉还挺不错，不仅机上有大屏幕时刻报告飞机的飞行情况（高度，速度，机外温度，卫星定位地图），而且给每个人配了一个耳机，可以插在座椅把手上听10多个广播频道。国航的飞机起飞降落都还很平稳，饭菜也还行，如果下次出差坐飞机的话我还坐国航的。
第一次碰上大风，到了北京以后第一天天气还不错，风和日丽的，谁知道第二天老天就不给面子了，刮起了8级的大风，瘦一点的人走在路上估计都走不了直线。我运气也不大好，在路上边走边说去吃饭，“飕”，一不小心就吃了几口沙子，tnnd跑到北京吃沙子来了，看来北京确实不太适合居住啊。
第一次碰上飞机误点，我之前也坐过几次飞机，但是从来还没碰过误点的，这次的误点尤其搞笑，可能大家都经历过飞机晚点到达导致误点的，可是我碰到的是什么情况想想也好笑，北京机场的话因为太大了所以飞机不是直接连着登机楼，必须坐一个机场巴士到飞机边再登机，搞笑的是机场巴士一直没来，没完没了的等，那个工作人员急死了，冲着对讲机里的人喊赶紧来巴士，喊了好久没人理，结果15点30的人都在另一个口子被巴士接走了，我们15点15的连车子在哪都不知道，后来过了一会总算在工作人员的努力下来了一辆车把我们接走了，这个时候已经早过了起飞时间了，匆匆登机，放好行礼，然后等待起飞，结果空姐一个广播“各位旅客大家好，因为空中管制，我们的航班将推迟半小时起飞”，我晕，我估计是车子晚点所以不能按时起飞的话就得推迟。过了半小时，空姐告诉大家飞机要起飞了，结果一看前面好多架飞机在跑道上排队，估计都被管制了，等它们都上天了，大概20分钟又过去了，总算起飞了。起飞以后不知道是不是驾驶员要赶时间，飞得还挺快，本来1个小时40分钟的航程他只用了80分钟就到了，原来飞机也是可以超速的，这也算个第一次吧。
为了这么多第一次留个纪念！
第一次开高速，我的车子买过来一年了，至今只开了5000多公里，每次都是上班下班，最远就是开到杭州的滨江，已经被无数同事鄙视我浪费车子。这次终于开了机场高速，哈哈，总算上高速了（虽然机场高速并不能算真正的高速）。
第一次坐飞机去北京，记得我以前和同事几次去北京都被我强烈要求坐火车去，就算火车的环境再差，时间再久我就是不坐飞机，恐飞啊，没办法。其实火车也有一个好处，能减肥！新鲜吧，我有一次坐火车去北京来回轻了6斤，效果可真好。这次一个同事直接给订了机票，不坐也得坐了。国航的飞机感觉还挺不错，不仅机上有大屏幕时刻报告飞机的飞行情况（高度，速度，机外温度，卫星定位地图），而且给每个人配了一个耳机，可以插在座椅把手上听10多个广播频道。国航的飞机起飞降落都还很平稳，饭菜也还行，如果下次出差坐飞机的话我还坐国航的。
第一次碰上大风，到了北京以后第一天天气还不错，风和日丽的，谁知道第二天老天就不给面子了，刮起了8级的大风，瘦一点的人走在路上估计都走不了直线。我运气也不大好，在路上边走边说去吃饭，“飕”，一不小心就吃了几口沙子，tnnd跑到北京吃沙子来了，看来北京确实不太适合居住啊。
第一次碰上飞机误点，我之前也坐过几次飞机，但是从来还没碰过误点的，这次的误点尤其搞笑，可能大家都经历过飞机晚点到达导致误点的，可是我碰到的是什么情况想想也好笑，北京机场的话因为太大了所以飞机不是直接连着登机楼，必须坐一个机场巴士到飞机边再登机，搞笑的是机场巴士一直没来，没完没了的等，那个工作人员急死了，冲着对讲机里的人喊赶紧来巴士，喊了好久没人理，结果15点30的人都在另一个口子被巴士接走了，我们15点15的连车子在哪都不知道，后来过了一会总算在工作人员的努力下来了一辆车把我们接走了，这个时候已经早过了起飞时间了，匆匆登机，放好行礼，然后等待起飞，结果空姐一个广播“各位旅客大家好，因为空中管制，我们的航班将推迟半小时起飞”，我晕，我估计是车子晚点所以不能按时起飞的话就得推迟。过了半小时，空姐告诉大家飞机要起飞了，结果一看前面好多架飞机在跑道上排队，估计都被管制了，等它们都上天了，大概20分钟又过去了，总算起飞了。起飞以后不知道是不是驾驶员要赶时间，飞得还挺快，本来1个小时40分钟的航程他只用了80分钟就到了，原来飞机也是可以超速的，这也算个第一次吧。
为了这么多第一次留个纪念！
2008年7月28日星期一
迪斯尼乐园（ Disneyland )
界儿童梦幻乐园-迪斯尼
迪斯尼乐园是美国动画片大师迪斯尼在创作米老鼠和唐老鸭以后，于1955开办的。它能使孩子留连忘返，也能让大人返老还童，是老少皆宜的人间乐园。这个乐园占地36公顷，设有8个主题游乐区：
1、美国主街：走进这里像走进一座美国历史，最吸引人的是惟妙惟肖的林肯机器人。这位白宫的第16任总统，能站会座，还能发表有声有色的演讲。
迪斯尼图片
2、冒险乐园：跳上游船，进入未知的世界。鳄鱼的大嘴就挂在船边，土著的矛头正朝着游客，大象再多走一步就要踩到船上。一声枪响，吓走蠢蠢欲动的河马，所有布景生动如真。
3、新奥尔良广场：以海盗和鬼屋吸引游人。乘船而下，遇到海盗在岸上袭击，房屋起火，海盗抢劫杀人，四处救命之声。
4、西部边疆和动物王国。
5、梦幻奇境：美梦都可以成真。那高高的睡美人城堡已经成为迪斯尼乐园的象征。睡美人换回童年。乘坐小船进入小小世界，里面别有洞天，穿着各国传统服装的小人，歌舞跳跃，动作优美。仿佛四海为家，世界大同。
6、米老鼠城：重温米老鼠和唐老鸭的故事。
7、童话世界：这里汇集了现代科技的精华，勾勒出一个美丽的未来世界，你能看到360度环幕电影，欣赏美国风光。
迪斯尼乐园是美国动画片大师迪斯尼在创作米老鼠和唐老鸭以后，于1955开办的。它能使孩子留连忘返，也能让大人返老还童，是老少皆宜的人间乐园。这个乐园占地36公顷，设有8个主题游乐区：
1、美国主街：走进这里像走进一座美国历史，最吸引人的是惟妙惟肖的林肯机器人。这位白宫的第16任总统，能站会座，还能发表有声有色的演讲。
迪斯尼图片
2、冒险乐园：跳上游船，进入未知的世界。鳄鱼的大嘴就挂在船边，土著的矛头正朝着游客，大象再多走一步就要踩到船上。一声枪响，吓走蠢蠢欲动的河马，所有布景生动如真。
3、新奥尔良广场：以海盗和鬼屋吸引游人。乘船而下，遇到海盗在岸上袭击，房屋起火，海盗抢劫杀人，四处救命之声。
4、西部边疆和动物王国。
5、梦幻奇境：美梦都可以成真。那高高的睡美人城堡已经成为迪斯尼乐园的象征。睡美人换回童年。乘坐小船进入小小世界，里面别有洞天，穿着各国传统服装的小人，歌舞跳跃，动作优美。仿佛四海为家，世界大同。
6、米老鼠城：重温米老鼠和唐老鸭的故事。
7、童话世界：这里汇集了现代科技的精华，勾勒出一个美丽的未来世界，你能看到360度环幕电影，欣赏美国风光。
纽约旅游景点-华尔街（Wall Street)
华尔街(wall street)是纽约市曼哈顿区南部一条大街的名字，长不超过一英里，宽仅１１米。它是美国一些主要金融机构的所在地。他掌握这西方经济的命脉，在世界金融领域起着重要的作用。
华尔街上的联邦厅曾是美国第一届国会的所在地，首任总统华盛顿就是在这里宣誓就职的，如今大门前耸立着华盛顿像以纪念此事。不过华尔街作为政治中心只是短暂的一瞬，而作为金融中心却一直辉煌夺目，经久不衰。
华尔街两旁很早就已是摩天大楼竖立，街道如同峡谷，抬头只能望见一线天。数不清的大银行、信托公司、保险公司和交易所都在这里驻足。每天成千上万的白领阶级涌到这里上班。而住在郊区的金融巨头们，则不必受挤车堵车之苦。他们上下班乘飞机，直升机场就设在华尔街东端不远的东河畔。
纽约证券交易所是华尔街的财神庙，是西方经济的晴雨表，在世界各大证券交易所排名第一。它建于1903年，起初是一幢8层的楼，1922年又建造了一撞22层的高楼，两座大厦组合在一起。交易所内向一个足球场，大厅里到处是大大小小的电脑屏幕和电子显示器，活跃在这里的经纪人和专业员工不下3000人，这里从开盘到收盘，常常是人来人往一片忙乱，人声鼎沸，手势也不断，废弃的股票行情表和纸屑满天飞，恰似没有硝烟的战场。但不得不承认，美国纽约证券交易所在美国国民经济中发挥着举足轻重的作用。
华尔街上的联邦厅曾是美国第一届国会的所在地，首任总统华盛顿就是在这里宣誓就职的，如今大门前耸立着华盛顿像以纪念此事。不过华尔街作为政治中心只是短暂的一瞬，而作为金融中心却一直辉煌夺目，经久不衰。
华尔街两旁很早就已是摩天大楼竖立，街道如同峡谷，抬头只能望见一线天。数不清的大银行、信托公司、保险公司和交易所都在这里驻足。每天成千上万的白领阶级涌到这里上班。而住在郊区的金融巨头们，则不必受挤车堵车之苦。他们上下班乘飞机，直升机场就设在华尔街东端不远的东河畔。
纽约证券交易所是华尔街的财神庙，是西方经济的晴雨表，在世界各大证券交易所排名第一。它建于1903年，起初是一幢8层的楼，1922年又建造了一撞22层的高楼，两座大厦组合在一起。交易所内向一个足球场，大厅里到处是大大小小的电脑屏幕和电子显示器，活跃在这里的经纪人和专业员工不下3000人，这里从开盘到收盘，常常是人来人往一片忙乱，人声鼎沸，手势也不断，废弃的股票行情表和纸屑满天飞，恰似没有硝烟的战场。但不得不承认，美国纽约证券交易所在美国国民经济中发挥着举足轻重的作用。
2008年7月27日星期日
匆行德州
这是一次非常心累的旅行。本以为德州的朋友已安排好了，仗了地主的便利，然而，到了德州才知道，德州的朋友，对玩并不很在行。显然我错误的估计了此行的难度。他除了能告诉我SANANTONIO是西班牙文化的缩影，到那儿一定要吃MAXICAN的饭菜和有个不大的SEAWORLD这些我已知的粗略之外，就没有更多的建议了。在他看来是德州没风景。对于AUSTIN，因为是首府的缘故，当然要去的非它的CAPITALHILL莫属了。我是就这么上路了的。
飞机是比预计的时间提前了半个小时到的，但在机场，错过了接机的友人。等我到酒店的时候，已经是晚上10点过了。朋友在中国城的一家24小时营业的越南餐馆为我接风。因为朋友是个在读书的小孩子，是没有什么经济收入的，所以，我没有让他破费，只要了一碗果条，味道倒是比费城的地道。据说，论正宗，德州的中餐馆是不亚于加州的。我们看到了中国城的街道也是用中文命名的，这在加州虽然很常见，在费城却不多的。我起初是没有想到德州会有这么多的中国人，而HOUSTON是个这么中国化的城市的。
第二天一早，德州的朋友赶来陪我去SANANTONIO。出城的时候我才发现，HOUSTON居然有很多的立交桥。听朋友介绍，HOUSTON的城市结构像极了北京，是分一环，二环的。见到8号公路就是二环了，也才算是进了城。而几乎所有城里的路都是环城的。我们要上了10号州际公路，一路向西北，187英里，大约三个小时的行程就可到SANANTONIO了。领教了朋友的车技之后，不敢再坐车了。也许天生就不是坐车的命。
虽然路是不熟，然而德州的路是出了名的好开。限速70不说，一眼望去，百十公理出去都是笔直的，看得到前面很远的车流，当然也看得到警察。朋友说，看不出我这么大的人还是个急脾气。开起车来更是比男孩子还像男孩子。
我本来是打算去看些自然的东西，而朋友要去海洋公园，还极力鼓吹那里的鲸鱼表演极精彩。我没有去过香港的海洋公园，然而去过的父兄都在我们去BALTIMORE水族馆看海豚表演的时候告诉过我，美国训练动物的本事不及中国人的1/10，属小儿科的。我想去验证一下也好。结果倒是真的让我没有意外的惊叹。只能说难为这些敬业的美国人了。我还是拍了很多的照片，为人与动物相融合的那一瞬间。而园子里其他的表演就没有什么特别的了。要是你到过加州或弗州的电影城或任何一个类似THESIXFLAG之类的游乐场，你就不会再觉得有任何新鲜了。朋友因为是小孩子，玩心很重，要去玩过山车，高架车，水怪之类的游戏，而终于因为我不能同行而放弃了。这些东西我在中国的时候玩过很多，而现在早已不玩了的。那只是种人生的体验，知道是怎么回事就好了，但并不嗜好。我喜欢刺激的游戏，却不喜欢挑战自己的生理。我晕车，晕船，晕机，晕所有飘的载体和状态。所以一直都不喜欢玩这些东西的。我最喜欢的碰碰车和高卡车，那里是没有的。朋友嘟着嘴对我说，真没劲。我说，等你到了我的年纪，你就知道什么可为什么不可为，什么可为而不为，什么不可为却得为了。把个小孩子闹得丈二摸不着头脑。问我讲话怎么能总是一套一套的，像是很有思想的样子。我告之，这对于一个女人而言，不是赞美。因为我曾亲耳听过一个男孩子对一个喜欢他的女孩子说“我要的是老婆不是哲学家。”那个女孩儿至今仍耿耿于怀。她对我说，那个男孩子没有看到她为女人温柔贤惠的一面，他没有给她机会去展现这部分的她。我也为那个女孩儿而遗憾，因为她后来嫁得并不好。她其实真的很喜欢那个把她定义为哲学家的男孩子。我的运气显然不比她好。
我们从海洋公园出来已经过了晚8点。酒店是在宾州就订好的。还算好找。这个晚上，则轮到我做东，请德州的朋友吃牛排。显然小家伙是不习惯这些美国食物的，饭后抗议说，还是中国饭经济实惠。打那以后，为了填饱小家伙的胃，我是着实费了些时间的。中餐馆虽说是有人的地方就有，然而，等你下力气去找的时候，就不那么明显了。第二天，我们一早在SANANTONIO的城里转了大半天，7个标明了的历史景点，我们只找到5个，最后的两个因为时间关系，我放弃了。多是记载了德州的发展历史和当年独立战争时期的境况的。我们知道最早是西班牙人发现的德州大陆，而德州一度是不同种族的殖民地。西班牙人，法国人都曾占据过这块土地。市中心的广场就是当年独立战争的战场。一堵围墙，就像中国的万里长征的一角。到处可见的是一句“THE COST OF FREEDOM”。
我们以一顿地道的MAXICAN晚餐结束了SANANTONIO的行程，一路向西，在跨越了东西的35号洲际公路开出了一个小时，太阳落山前赶到了德州的首府AUSTIN。酒店就在35号公路上，非常容易就找到了。这样我们有了充足的时间赶进城，在太阳的余辉中站在了州政府办公厅的大堂里，在那里我看到了早在16世纪德州就有女性出任州长一职。那一刻我突然在想，把所有的CAPITALHILL都走到需要多少年？虽是大同小异，毕竟还是各有千秋的。而大多坐落在山坡上的地势，尤其透视出一种庄严的宏伟。
我们是比走马观花还不如的穿行过德州州立大学的校园的，这是所除加大之外唯一入围美国前25名的公立学校。本想去它的图书馆看看，可惜没找到。主要是朋友说要去看城中河和湖中大坝。而我们赶到60迈之外的大坝的时候，人家已经关闭了进坝参观的大门，我们只来得及在坝上看看沉默的湖水和远处灯塔里闪烁的微光。
周一一早就离开了AUSTIN，这次我们走的是290的州内公路。城里部分的限速大概是35，而出了城区就又回到了70，也是非常好走的路。3个小时我们就回到了HOUSTON。德州的朋友不甘心让我没有任何印象的离开德州，尤其对于爱海的我。就这么着，我们赶到了码头乘轮渡过到海中岛，只片刻的停留，就赶紧往回赶。而我甚至没有时间去航天博物馆和HOUSTON的城里转转了。我赶到机场的时候，离起飞的时间只有20分钟，是最后一个登机的旅客。这倒一如我从前在中国旅行的习惯。而这倘回家的行程，飞机倒是比预计的时间推迟了20分钟到达的。这好像更符合我不想回家的心理。每次放飞出去，都有种人在天涯，无拘无束的自由的感觉，而一回到宾州，就好像所有的沉重都回来了。
飞机是比预计的时间提前了半个小时到的，但在机场，错过了接机的友人。等我到酒店的时候，已经是晚上10点过了。朋友在中国城的一家24小时营业的越南餐馆为我接风。因为朋友是个在读书的小孩子，是没有什么经济收入的，所以，我没有让他破费，只要了一碗果条，味道倒是比费城的地道。据说，论正宗，德州的中餐馆是不亚于加州的。我们看到了中国城的街道也是用中文命名的，这在加州虽然很常见，在费城却不多的。我起初是没有想到德州会有这么多的中国人，而HOUSTON是个这么中国化的城市的。
第二天一早，德州的朋友赶来陪我去SANANTONIO。出城的时候我才发现，HOUSTON居然有很多的立交桥。听朋友介绍，HOUSTON的城市结构像极了北京，是分一环，二环的。见到8号公路就是二环了，也才算是进了城。而几乎所有城里的路都是环城的。我们要上了10号州际公路，一路向西北，187英里，大约三个小时的行程就可到SANANTONIO了。领教了朋友的车技之后，不敢再坐车了。也许天生就不是坐车的命。
虽然路是不熟，然而德州的路是出了名的好开。限速70不说，一眼望去，百十公理出去都是笔直的，看得到前面很远的车流，当然也看得到警察。朋友说，看不出我这么大的人还是个急脾气。开起车来更是比男孩子还像男孩子。
我本来是打算去看些自然的东西，而朋友要去海洋公园，还极力鼓吹那里的鲸鱼表演极精彩。我没有去过香港的海洋公园，然而去过的父兄都在我们去BALTIMORE水族馆看海豚表演的时候告诉过我，美国训练动物的本事不及中国人的1/10，属小儿科的。我想去验证一下也好。结果倒是真的让我没有意外的惊叹。只能说难为这些敬业的美国人了。我还是拍了很多的照片，为人与动物相融合的那一瞬间。而园子里其他的表演就没有什么特别的了。要是你到过加州或弗州的电影城或任何一个类似THESIXFLAG之类的游乐场，你就不会再觉得有任何新鲜了。朋友因为是小孩子，玩心很重，要去玩过山车，高架车，水怪之类的游戏，而终于因为我不能同行而放弃了。这些东西我在中国的时候玩过很多，而现在早已不玩了的。那只是种人生的体验，知道是怎么回事就好了，但并不嗜好。我喜欢刺激的游戏，却不喜欢挑战自己的生理。我晕车，晕船，晕机，晕所有飘的载体和状态。所以一直都不喜欢玩这些东西的。我最喜欢的碰碰车和高卡车，那里是没有的。朋友嘟着嘴对我说，真没劲。我说，等你到了我的年纪，你就知道什么可为什么不可为，什么可为而不为，什么不可为却得为了。把个小孩子闹得丈二摸不着头脑。问我讲话怎么能总是一套一套的，像是很有思想的样子。我告之，这对于一个女人而言，不是赞美。因为我曾亲耳听过一个男孩子对一个喜欢他的女孩子说“我要的是老婆不是哲学家。”那个女孩儿至今仍耿耿于怀。她对我说，那个男孩子没有看到她为女人温柔贤惠的一面，他没有给她机会去展现这部分的她。我也为那个女孩儿而遗憾，因为她后来嫁得并不好。她其实真的很喜欢那个把她定义为哲学家的男孩子。我的运气显然不比她好。
我们从海洋公园出来已经过了晚8点。酒店是在宾州就订好的。还算好找。这个晚上，则轮到我做东，请德州的朋友吃牛排。显然小家伙是不习惯这些美国食物的，饭后抗议说，还是中国饭经济实惠。打那以后，为了填饱小家伙的胃，我是着实费了些时间的。中餐馆虽说是有人的地方就有，然而，等你下力气去找的时候，就不那么明显了。第二天，我们一早在SANANTONIO的城里转了大半天，7个标明了的历史景点，我们只找到5个，最后的两个因为时间关系，我放弃了。多是记载了德州的发展历史和当年独立战争时期的境况的。我们知道最早是西班牙人发现的德州大陆，而德州一度是不同种族的殖民地。西班牙人，法国人都曾占据过这块土地。市中心的广场就是当年独立战争的战场。一堵围墙，就像中国的万里长征的一角。到处可见的是一句“THE COST OF FREEDOM”。
我们以一顿地道的MAXICAN晚餐结束了SANANTONIO的行程，一路向西，在跨越了东西的35号洲际公路开出了一个小时，太阳落山前赶到了德州的首府AUSTIN。酒店就在35号公路上，非常容易就找到了。这样我们有了充足的时间赶进城，在太阳的余辉中站在了州政府办公厅的大堂里，在那里我看到了早在16世纪德州就有女性出任州长一职。那一刻我突然在想，把所有的CAPITALHILL都走到需要多少年？虽是大同小异，毕竟还是各有千秋的。而大多坐落在山坡上的地势，尤其透视出一种庄严的宏伟。
我们是比走马观花还不如的穿行过德州州立大学的校园的，这是所除加大之外唯一入围美国前25名的公立学校。本想去它的图书馆看看，可惜没找到。主要是朋友说要去看城中河和湖中大坝。而我们赶到60迈之外的大坝的时候，人家已经关闭了进坝参观的大门，我们只来得及在坝上看看沉默的湖水和远处灯塔里闪烁的微光。
周一一早就离开了AUSTIN，这次我们走的是290的州内公路。城里部分的限速大概是35，而出了城区就又回到了70，也是非常好走的路。3个小时我们就回到了HOUSTON。德州的朋友不甘心让我没有任何印象的离开德州，尤其对于爱海的我。就这么着，我们赶到了码头乘轮渡过到海中岛，只片刻的停留，就赶紧往回赶。而我甚至没有时间去航天博物馆和HOUSTON的城里转转了。我赶到机场的时候，离起飞的时间只有20分钟，是最后一个登机的旅客。这倒一如我从前在中国旅行的习惯。而这倘回家的行程，飞机倒是比预计的时间推迟了20分钟到达的。这好像更符合我不想回家的心理。每次放飞出去，都有种人在天涯，无拘无束的自由的感觉，而一回到宾州，就好像所有的沉重都回来了。
德州旅游项目
想寻求狂野西部的乐趣吗？ 在方圆 692,248 平方公里 (267,277 平方英里) 的德州，数百处景点等待您去探索，无论是在牧场骑马牧牛，还是参观女牛仔博物馆，处处都能领略真正的边陲风情。 从阿玛瑞洛到布朗斯韦尔，有数不胜数的美术馆和文化中心。您还来不及驻足细细观赏，就会被另一处的民族文化节，或是展示德州丰富文化遗产的文化中心所吸引，让您目不暇接。 如果喜爱户外活动，您可以去湾区海岸的海滩漫步、沿 Caddo Lake 到 Devils River 一线垂钓、徒步浏览瓜达卢普、戴维斯和 Chisos Mountains ，在 Big Thicket 泛舟，还可以在格兰德河峡谷中观鸟。 如果您对购物情有独钟，普莱诺市柳树弯的店铺、弗雷德里克斯伯格的主街道和马发市的长廊将会满足您的心愿。 无论您兴趣何在，德州之旅都会令人倍感愉悦。
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