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在加勒比海游弋 (上)

Cruising in Caribbean Sea (Part 1 of 2)
来源: Bob Mok

 
我们中的许多人都曾前往加勒比海坐游轮。这一天堂有大大小小、形色各异的游轮和路线。从佛罗里达州的港口出发,一周和两周的游轮将将带你到该地区的34个国家和特区游弋。

Many of us have travelled to the Caribbean Islands for cruising adventures. It is a cruising heaven packed with cruise ships of all shapes and sizes. Departing from ports located out of the state of Florida, one and two week trips carry tourists to some of the 34 countries and Territories within the area.
 
加勒比海位于西半球的热带大西洋,由墨西哥和中美洲的西部和西南部,古巴北部的大安的列斯群岛,到南部的南美大陆组成。 

The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and south west, to the north by the Greater Antilles starting with Cuba, to the east by the Lesser Antilles, and to the south by the north coast of South America.
 
从西印度群岛的众多岛屿以及相邻的海岸,统称为加勒比,面积约为2,754,000平方公里。

The entire area of the Caribbean Sea, the numerous islands of the West Indies, and adjacent coasts, are collectively known as the Caribbean. The Caribbean Sea is one of the largest seas and has an area of about 2,754,000 square kilometres.

 
显然,来自中国大陆的游客还很少涉足加勒比的各个国家。这可能是中国离这一地区太远,或对这一地区的旅游宣传力度不够。过去几年,我多次坐游轮在加勒比游弋,但去的地方大部分集中在加勒比海北部。

Apparently, travellers from Mainland China have not begun to explore the Caribbean countries. May be their remoteness and lack of promotions in China have eluded the mainland travellers up to this point. I have taken many Caribbean cruises before this year. Most of these concentrated on the northern part of the Caribbean Seas.

地理位置不在加勒比并位于加勒比北部的巴哈马始终是旅游热点。通常,七天的航行将覆盖加勒比海的西北海域,如开曼群岛,牙买加,海地,多米尼加共和国,波多黎各和墨西哥。

The Bahamas, even though geographically located outside and to the north of the region has always been a tourist hot spot. Typically, seven-day cruises will cover the north west quadrant of the Caribbean Seas and visiting places such as the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Mexico.

 
两个月前,我坐了一趟为期14天的游轮,游弋了加勒比海东部边界的8个不同的国家和特区。这些地方文化多样,可以看到英国,荷兰,法国和美国这4种不同文化的起源和影响。

Two months ago, I took on a 14-day cruise that covers 8 different countries and territories located at the eastern boundaries of the Caribbean Sea. These places are very culturally diversified and offered a glimpse into 4 different origins and influences – British, Dutch, French, and United States.

第一站(美属维尔京群岛)。请不要把此群岛与英属维尔京群岛混淆。英属维尔京群岛是一个避税天堂,且不断上新闻头条。美属维尔京群岛是唯一一个左侧驾车的美国行政区。美国于1917年用2,500万美元的黄金从荷兰手中买下这一群岛。它现在是美国的一个特区,人口约10万。

First stop (US Virgin Islands) – Not to be confused with the British Virgin Islands which is a tax haven constantly popping up in the news concerning tax evasions. The U.S. Virgin Islands is the only US jurisdiction that drives on the left with the steering column on the left side of the vehicles. This is a legacy of Dutch rule before it was purchased by the United States in 1917 for $25 million in gold. It is now an unincorporated territory of the United States with a population of about 100,000.
 
这一带旅游业发达。在我们抵达的当天,有4艘大型游轮停泊在码头。岛上的山上有许多观景点,从那可以看到美丽的海滩。你可以买到便宜货,但必须比较价格,因为各个售点的价格差异很大。

Tourism is well developed and on the day of our visit – 4 large cruise ships were parked at the terminals. There are lovely look-out points from the hills and beautiful beaches can be observed from them. Bargains are available, but visitors will have to compare prices as there are variances from one place to another.

 
第二站(安提瓜和巴布达)。这里曾是英属殖民地,于1981年11月1日独立,成为英联邦国家。该地区有10万人口,英语是官方语言。

Second Stop (Antigua and Barbuda) – A British colony at one time, it secured  independence on November 1, 1981 and became a British Commonwealth country. It has a population of 100,000 and English is the official language.

一旦上了码头,游客即步入专门给游客设的购物街。由于想去其他地方逛逛,我们聘请了一位司机带我们去海滩和其他景点。一路上,我们经历了“右边驾驶”,即司机座椅位于车辆的右侧。也因为此,我总是企图在错的一边上车。

As soon as you left the pier, you will enter into shopping streets catered to tourists. For our excursions, we hired a driver to take us on a tour to various parts of the island – the beaches and the other attractions. Right away, we experienced the “right hand drive” where the driver's seat is on the right side of the vehicle. I kept walking to the wrong side of the car to enter into the passenger seat.
 
我在岛上看到加拿大皇家银行和枫叶银行在岛上的分行。司机告诉我们,投资银行和金融服务构成了岛上经济的重要组成部分。 2017年9月初,巴布达岛被飓风伊尔玛袭击,该岛95%的建筑物和基础设施被摧毁,使巴布达“几乎不能居住”。当时,岛上几乎每个人都被疏散到安提瓜岛,没有人员伤亡。我的感觉是,岛上的人很顽强,重建家园不是个问题。

I saw the Royal Bank and Scotia Bank branches and subsequently found out from the driver that investment banking and financial services make up an important part of the economy. Most of the Island of Barbuda was devastated in early September 2017 by Hurricane Irma and it damaged or destroyed 95% of the island's buildings and infrastructure, leaving Barbuda "barely habitable".  Nearly everyone on the island was evacuated to Antigua which was not affected. I left with the impression that the people there are resilient and recovery will be successful.



下一篇,我将继续介绍这趟有条不紊的14天,涉足8个地方的游弋经历。其中一个地方甚至有一个由中国大陆开发商所开发的公寓项目。我还看到了中文广告牌和希望吸引中国投资者的海报!

Next time, I will continue with the encounters experienced in many other countries and territories visited during this very compact 14 days and 8 destinations adventure. In one location, there was even a condominium development in a community handled by a Mainland Chinese developer complete with Chinese billboards and posters catering to Chinese investors!
 

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