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You don't have to go to the ends of the Earth to find somewhere without
a Starbucks, a McDonald's or a megamall. Just head 600 miles east of South
Carolina to Bermuda, where residents exist quite happily without fast-food
chains, save one KFC.
Perhaps it has something to do with the pink beaches, pastel-colored
houses or the incredibly clear blue water. But somehow, in this day of
globalization and homogenization, this island has managed to retain a
charm and authenticity all its own.
It doesn't take long after your plane has landed
to realize Bermuda is a special place. Although situated in the Atlantic,
Bermuda offers a beach experience as good as - if not better than - its
southern neighbors in the Caribbean, with swimming, snorkeling and scuba
diving all top-notch
. And
the shape of the island ensures you're never far from the coast.
From historic St. George's to wildflowers to
mopeds , the 22-square mile
island oozes charm. And the houses in every color of the rainbow are also
a big part of what makes Bermuda so special, says Hilary Gordon, who
recently moved to the island after visiting many times.
"The wonderful thing is that you can pretty well say that while no two
Bermudians are alike, they're quite house-proud and garden-proud," says
Colin Campbell, executive officer and senior architect of OBM
International, an architecture company founded in Bermuda in 1936. "People
really like to keep the old spit-and-polish going."
Instead of modern structures, Bermudians' taste runs more toward the
island's traditional architecture, which Campbell describes as "Georgian
Light," and the signature whitewashed pyramid-like Bermuda roofs, which
employ a drainage system that allows houses to store rainwater in
individual tanks.
"Bermudians tend to carry a flame for old houses," says Campbell,
adding that they like to "feel the history" of a house.
Those who don't are faced with plenty of regulations for building both
private and commercial structures. For example, illuminated signs are
forbidden, which has discouraged fast-food restaurants from coming to the
island.
"The charm of Bermuda is challenged all the time,
but good sense rather than raging avarice
saves the day," he
added.
(Agencies) |
远离都市的喧嚣，告别星巴克、麦当劳和大型购物广场，来到南卡罗莱纳以东600英里的百慕大群岛，感受一下当地居民的快乐生活。那里除了一家肯德鸡之外没有别的快餐店。
提起百慕大，也许人们就会联想到粉色的海滩、色彩柔和的房屋和清澈得不可思议的、碧蓝的海水。但是，不知到为什么，在全球一体化进程加速的今天，百慕大成功地保持了自身的特色和独有的魅力。
初到百慕大，你就会被它的与众不同所吸引。虽然位于大西洋中部，但它的形状决定了在岛上你永远都不会离海岸太远。所以百慕大群岛带给你的海滩体验，如游泳、潜泳、跳水，比起加勒比海中的各个群岛是有过之而无不及。
曾经多次来百慕大旅游的希拉里·戈登最近刚搬到岛上来。他说，这个方圆22平方英里的岛屿处处散发着迷人的气息，历史上著名的圣乔治小镇、野花和两用脚踏车都是这里特有的风景。彩虹般色彩绚烂的房子更让百慕大群岛尽显魅力。
OBM国际建筑公司于1936年在百慕大成立，公司的高级建筑师兼执行官柯林·坎贝尔说：“虽然岛上的每个人各不相同，但是他们对家庭摆设和花园布置都很讲究。这里的人们追求完美，将一切安排的井然有序。”
这里的建筑风格，却一直保持着自身的“浅色”传统，坎贝拉将之称为“乔治亚之色”。所有房子的屋顶都被刷成了白色，屋顶上安装了排水系统，以便下雨时将雨水储存在水箱里。
“百慕大的老式房屋最具风采，百慕大人喜欢品尝其中历史的味道，”坎贝拉说。
如果在百慕大群岛建造私人住宅或商品房，则需要遵守很多规定。比如，百慕大禁止安装灯光装饰，因此各种快餐店对这片岛屿只能望洋兴叹。
“百慕大虽然不断的受到各种外界事物的干扰，但是百慕大人保持特色的强烈意识战胜了对物质利益的盲目追求，从而使百慕大群岛成为浩瀚海洋中一片难得的净土，”他补充说。
（中国日报网站译） |
Updated: 2005-10-08 08:53
