沿著落基山的冰原大道前行

文、圖伊夫 Yi Fu 譯曹宇光Cao Yuguang

沿著落基山的冰原大道前行

Travel along the Ice fi eld Parkway of the Rocky Mountains

文、圖伊夫 Yi Fu 譯曹宇光Cao Yuguang

班夫一景 Scene of Banff

一

賈斯珀擁有最大的國家公園，而班夫則是最大的小鎮(zhèn)。班夫鎮(zhèn)，成立于1883年，1990年成為阿伯塔省的一個自治區(qū)。小鎮(zhèn)是這個國家公園的主要商業(yè)重心，也是文化活動中心。班夫是一些文化機(jī)構(gòu)的所在地，如班夫中心、懷特博物館、班夫國家盧克斯頓博物館、洞穴與盆地國家歷史古跡和一些藝術(shù)博物館。

受《加拿大國家公園法》和加拿大聯(lián)邦當(dāng)局的制約，班夫小鎮(zhèn)嚴(yán)格控制常駐人口數(shù)量，根據(jù)2007年人口普查，人口為8721人。其實(shí)，班夫的房價并不比50余公里外的卡爾加里市區(qū)高，但是，即使你是百萬富翁或達(dá)官顯貴，也休想在這里購買一寸房宅。

小鎮(zhèn)依山傍水，景色秀麗。一條主干道的兩側(cè)，是造型各異、色彩不同的臨街商鋪。這些商鋪內(nèi)出售的商品，大抵以體育用品居多。同中國一些商家喜歡在店內(nèi)奉供佛龕類似，班夫的許多店鋪門外更喜歡擺放不同造型的黑熊玩偶。穿街而過的一些大型車輛的車身上，往往還有其他野生動物的逼真彩繪。

但最讓游客感興趣的，則是距離班夫鎮(zhèn)不遠(yuǎn)的那座因一部電影而更加馳名的斷背山。12年前，導(dǎo)演李安把《斷背山》的外景地選擇在這一帶，使更多的電影觀眾從中真切感受到了落基山的壯麗美景。電影里演繹的那個纏綿悱惻的情感故事，又豐富了許多游客對這一景區(qū)無限的遐想。

商店里，與《斷背山》有關(guān)的旅游紀(jì)念品并不太多，更多的是介紹冰原大道的圖片。冰天雪地、白雪皚皚與遼闊空曠是這些圖片的主旋律。的確，即使3月下旬，這里也是繁星滿天。由于人口基數(shù)就少，再加上嚴(yán)寒，本地人很少出來，漫步班夫小鎮(zhèn)的街頭，聽到的口音，更多的是美國與歐洲各國的游客。每年，小鎮(zhèn)都能接待至少330萬游客。

二

世界上，或許除了非洲的馬賽馬拉和塞倫蓋地以及南非克魯格國家公園的野生動物保護(hù)區(qū)外，再也沒有其他地方能像落基山國家公園這樣，給人提供在野外與動物頻頻遭遇的機(jī)會了。

19世紀(jì)以來，歐洲移民大批來這里定居，這些移民不僅擁有現(xiàn)代的武器，把野生動物作為經(jīng)濟(jì)商品和娛樂對象進(jìn)行大量的獵殺，而且大規(guī)模地開墾土地、擴(kuò)大牧場、建設(shè)城鎮(zhèn)，使許多野生動物失去了生息之地。譬如班夫國家公園建設(shè)時，跟保護(hù)野生動物植物并無關(guān)系，只是為了控制對一處溫泉的開發(fā)，為了發(fā)展旅游以增加聯(lián)邦政府的財政收入。由于急功近利，充分發(fā)揮公園的商業(yè)價值，國家公園不斷開發(fā)旅游點(diǎn)，修筑公路，規(guī)劃城鎮(zhèn)，建設(shè)賓館、療養(yǎng)院、動物園、博物館等；為了提供燃料、鐵路枕木和礦井頂柱，需要砍伐大片的森林以及維持?jǐn)?shù)以千計(jì)鐵路職工生活需要。這些經(jīng)濟(jì)活動和旅游事業(yè)的發(fā)展，給自然保護(hù)帶來了巨大壓力。

H3：在實(shí)施股票期權(quán)激勵的企業(yè)中，相對于處于草案公告前一年的企業(yè)，現(xiàn)金冗余對研發(fā)投入的促進(jìn)作用在處于行權(quán)等待階段的企業(yè)中會被削弱。

對于生態(tài)保護(hù)的重視，是1972年申請冬奧會主辦權(quán)引發(fā)爭議后才真正開始的。環(huán)境保護(hù)組織的影響力日益加大，最終迫使加拿大當(dāng)局放棄申辦冬奧會。1988年，修訂后的國家公園法將生態(tài)環(huán)境的保護(hù)放在第一優(yōu)先級，所有開發(fā)項(xiàng)目一律暫停，隨即產(chǎn)生了第一批國家公園以及相應(yīng)的法律和管理措施。

生物學(xué)家開始通過航空調(diào)查、無線電跟蹤、牙齒切片等手段，進(jìn)一步了解了各種動物的分布、活動范圍、種群結(jié)構(gòu)和生態(tài)行為，逐步提出了一些符合自然規(guī)律的保護(hù)措施，如擴(kuò)大動物保護(hù)區(qū)、恢復(fù)灌木叢和草地、種植優(yōu)良牧草和豆科植物、有計(jì)劃地狩獵以控制種群數(shù)量等等。

如今的國家公園，漫山遍野的樹木再無人為干擾，即使倒下也不必扶起，任由原生態(tài)自生自滅。同時，對于野生動物更是倍加珍惜。沿途設(shè)置很多路牌，分別標(biāo)有鹿、羊、熊等圖案，以此提醒司機(jī)們放慢車速，防止撞傷它們。目前，狼是最為稀缺的動物，目前僅存數(shù)十只，因此比中國的熊貓還珍貴。路人一旦發(fā)現(xiàn)狼的行蹤，都有義務(wù)立即向公園管理部門匯報，以密切關(guān)注狼的生活動態(tài)，隨時制定保護(hù)的新措施。

三

從硫磺山俯瞰，班夫小鎮(zhèn)上最壯觀的建筑，莫過于佇立于博河與深綠色樹林之中那棟蘇格蘭城堡式的五星級豪華飯店──班夫溫泉城堡酒店。這座百年老店，是隨著1884年興建橫貫加拿大的鐵路穿越落基山脈班夫段而誕生的。

當(dāng)時的太平洋鐵路公司的總經(jīng)理認(rèn)為，旅游者不僅花錢在酒店里吃住，而且還會乘坐火車，穿州過府到達(dá)這里，這一計(jì)劃將有助于鐵路運(yùn)輸業(yè)的繁榮，遂提出修建班夫溫泉酒店的計(jì)劃，以期利用班夫的美麗景色和特有的溫泉吸引游客。

酒店由建筑師布魯斯?普瑞斯設(shè)計(jì)，這座酒店也是加拿大太平洋鐵路公司在加拿大各地興建的一大批城堡式酒店中的第一個。溫泉酒店外墻由灰褐色石板砌成，好似中世紀(jì)的城堡，施工歷時兩年，于1888年6月正式開業(yè)。

酒店總面積達(dá)92000平方英尺，擁有828間各式客房、55間會議廳、17間餐廳，井配有高爾夫球場、商店走廊及保齡球、網(wǎng)球、室外溫泉游泳池、電影院、健身中心、土耳其蒸汽浴、按摩瀑布、太陽燈室等各種室內(nèi)、室外活動設(shè)備。店內(nèi)裝飾典雅精致，散發(fā)尊貴的氣息，所有家具古香古色。整個風(fēng)格傳統(tǒng)、凝重，內(nèi)外環(huán)境獨(dú)特、神秘。服務(wù)生穿著傳統(tǒng)的蘇格蘭花格裙子，哪怕在冰天雪地的嚴(yán)冬也是如此。每天下午五點(diǎn)，都有身著短裙的風(fēng)笛手吹一段風(fēng)笛，營造出濃重的蘇格蘭風(fēng)情，吸引了無數(shù)名人包括國家元首、王公貴族以及電影明星等文化界名流紛紛來此下榻。

店內(nèi)面積龐大，房間各部相同，四通八達(dá)的走廊則很容易讓人迷路。但更讓游客迷茫、恐懼又好奇的，則是關(guān)于酒店內(nèi)會在半夜出現(xiàn)鬼怪的傳聞：傳說100多年前一個英國公主在這家酒店里舉行婚禮，不幸的是，下樓梯時，這位公主被長長的婚紗絆倒身亡。從那以后，每到夜間，穿著婚紗的公主，便頻頻出現(xiàn)在酒店的樓道里款款而行……

班夫一景 Scene of Banff

Reputed as the “backbone of North America”, the Rocky Mountains have an extent as far as 4500 kilometers from north to south. Just like a giant dragon, the Rocky Mountains stretch in rises and falls, and present a grand spectacle with range upon range and peak upon peak. Among its wide geographic distribution scope, a larger part is within the territory of Canada. It is also the core zone of Rocky Mountains including five national parks, i.e, Jasper,Banff, Yoho, Kootnay and Waterton Lake that some provincial parks all these above parks encircle together the most beautiful part of the Rocky Mountains. If one travels in winter along the 230-kilometer No.93 Icefield Parkway, the most famous one in the world, he or she will witness on both sides lofty snow peaks, giant ice fields, frozen lakes and occasionally some wild animals, together with severalhas no habit of hibernation.

A

Jasper is the largest national park while Banff is the largest town. The Town of Banff was founded in 1883 and has become the only incorporated municipality in the Province of Alberta. This town is the commercial hub of the national park as well as the cultural events center. Some cultural organizations and agencies, such as Banff Center, White Museum, National Luxton Museum in Banff, National Historical Sites of Caves and Basins and other art museums, are located there.

As Canadian National Park Law and Canadian authority stipulate, the Town of Banff keeps a strict control over its permanent population. The census in 2007 showed 8721 persons in total. As a matter of fact, the unit price of real estate in Banff is not higher than Calgary City in a distance of 50 kilometers. Nevertheless, even a millionaire, a celebrity or a high-ranking official will find it extremely difficult to purchase an inch of real estate.

With mountains and streams nearby, this town enjoys a beautiful scene. Along both sides of the main avenue stand stores of various shapes and colors. Most of them are selling sports equipments. Just like many Chinese merchants who always present a niche for a statue of Buddha, the owners of Banff stores prefer to leave some black bear dolls of varied patterns outside their doors. On some large vehicles that pass the street, one often finds some vivid and colorful painting of other wild animals.

However, the most interesting resort for tourists is the nearby mountain that has gained its reputation out of a famous Hollywood film. 12 years ago, the director Ang Lee chose this part of mountains as the location for the filmBrokeback Mountainby which many film viewers have enjoyed the magnificent landscape of the Rocky Mountains. The tender and romantic love story reflected in the film has added a lot to the imagination of prospective tourists.

In local stores, one can find only a few souvenirs about the film. Rather, there are more pictures about Icefield Parkway. The icy world, thick piles of snow and vast wilderness are invariably the main theme of those pictures. Indeed, even in late March, one still goes with the starry sky most of day. The tiny number of local population and the frigid climate confine most of local residents within their house and thus the majority of accents one can hear in the street mainly come from USA and Europe. This town receives 3.3 at least million tourists annually.

B

Except Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya,Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and Kruger National Park in South Africa, there is no better place than the national parks within the Rocky Mountains that provide tourists with frequent encounters with wild animals in the open country.Since the 19th century, plenty of European immigrants moved here in batches for settlement. They not only hunted down quantities of wild animals as merchandises or for entertainment,but also reclaimed lands, expanded pasture and built up towns in such a large scale that many wild animals lost their own habitats. For example, the establishment of Banff National Park initially aimed for control over a certain hot spring and for tourist development so as to increase the revenue of federal government, which had nothing to do with the wildlife preservation. In order to bring the commercial value of national park into full play and pursue high profits in a rapid way,more tourist resorts were developed, more highways were constructed, and more hotels, sanatoriums, zoos and museums were built. In order to provide sufficient fuel, sleepers under the rail and top pillars of coalmine, they felled large mass of forests for the sake of thousands of railway workers’ life. All above economic undertakings and tourist development led to great pressure on natural conservation.

The stress on ecological protection did not occur until 1972 when controversy arose out of its candidate bid for Winter Olympiad. The increasing influence of environmental protection organization finally forced the Canadian authority to give up their bid. In 1988, the revised National Park Law elevated the protection of ecology and environment onto the 1st Priority.All the ongoing development projects were suspended and the first batch of national parks were established along with related regulations and administrative measures.

Biologists started to adopt such measures as aviation survey,radio tracking and study of teeth specimen to know further information of various animals distribution, scope of activity,species structure and ecological behaviors, such as. Then little by little, they came up with some protective measures in accordance with the laws such as wildlife preservation zone expansion, restoration of bushes and lawns, plantation of excellent herbage, and fabaceae and planned hunting so as to keep species the total number of under control.

In the preseut-day national parks, the trees along the mountains and fields are free of human disturbance. Nobody will try to erect a fallen tree so that everything in nature may live up to its own destiny. In the meanwhile, those wild animals are more cherished. Many signs with deer, sheep and bear will be designated along the road so as to remind drivers to slow down and pay attention not to hurt those animals. At present, wolf is the rarest animal with a total of merely dozons and might be more precious than panda in China. Any passenger who happens to discover the trace of a wolf is obliged to report to the administration of national parks which pay close attention to the wolves' living condition and is ready to put forward new measures for protection at any time.

C

In an overview from Sulphur Mountain, the most spectacular architecture in the Town of Banff must be the five-star luxury hotel in Scottish Baronial style between Bow Falls and a dark green forest. It's the Banff Spring Hotel. This time-honored hotel of a century’s history came into being along with the building of the Rocky Mountains section of a throughout-Canada railway in 1884.

The then general manager of Canadian Pacific Railway supposed that tourists, more than enjoyment in local hotels, would take the train all the way to reach Banff. Thus he proposed the plan of building Banff Spring Hotel so as to attract tourists with charming scenery and unique hot springs to prosper their railway transportation.

Designed by architect Bruce Price, this hotel was the first one among the big batch of castle-style hotels throughout Canada by Canadian Pacific Railway. The outer wall of the hotel, made up of grey and brown plates of stone, canie into resemblance to a castle in the Middle Ages. After two years’ construction, it was officially open to the public in June 1888.

With an area of 92000 square feet, this hotel consists of 828 guest rooms, 55 meeting rooms, 17 restaurants, golf course,stores, galleries, and various indoor and outdoor venues such as bowling and tennis courts, outdoor swimming pools, cinemas,fitness center, Turkish sauna, massage falls and solar heating devices. The elegant and exquisite decorations gawe off a noble scent and all the furniture of ancient aesthetics lead to a traditional and dignified style. In contrast, this hotel appears to be unique as if so with many mysteries. All its waiters are always dressed in traditional Scottish skirts of lattice pattern even in the freezing winter. At 5 pm every day, some bagpipers in short pants will perform melodies to create a distinct Scottish attraction that has invited numerous heads of the state, royal and noble families, film stars and cultural celebrities to take residence here.

Within this spacious hotel, its rooms vary in all respects and the freeway corridors easily get the tourists lost. Nevertheless, the most confusing, fearful and yet curious part of this hotel might be the haunting gossip at midnight. Rumor has it that over a century ago a British princess held her wedding in this hotel, but unfortunately when stepping downstairs, she stumbled over her long wedding gown and passed away. From then on, at every midnight, this princess in her wedding gown often appears in elegant paces along the corridor of the hotel.

6月9日至18日，由中國美術(shù)館主辦的“中國美術(shù)館捐贈與收藏系列展：光影人生——高帆、牛畏予攝影回顧展”在京舉辦。圖為牛畏予1960年拍攝的作品《“跟我走”》From June 9 till 18, Life in Light and Shadow—Photography Retrospect Exhibition by Gao Fan and Niu Weiyu, as part of NAMOC Donation and Collection Series sponsored by NAMOC, was held in Beijing. The Photo Above is Follow Me Shot by Niu Weiyu in 1960