Iguazu Falls: Why this natural wonder should be on everyone's bucket list 伊瓜蘇瀑布:為什麼這個天然奇景應該被列在每個人的死前必做清單上
(CNN)You might
have seen the photos. Even read about it. You might have visited other great
waterfalls before. But you probably still have no idea what to expect when you
come face to face with the almighty Iguazu Falls, on the border of the
Argentina province of Misiones and the Brazilian state of Parana.
(CNN)你可能曾經看過這些照片，甚至讀過關於它的資訊，你之前可能曾經去過其他壯觀的瀑布，但你可能仍然不知道當你親眼看到位於阿根廷的米西奧內斯省和巴西巴拉那州兩地交界的邊境、超級壯觀的伊瓜蘇瀑布時，應該期待什麼。
Unlike
over-hyped destinations that can leave you feeling disappointed, Iguazu Falls
instantly turns even jaded travelers into a raving fan.
不同於其他過度宣傳的景點，可能會讓你覺得失望，伊瓜蘇瀑布會立即讓不再對瀑布感興趣的旅人再次變成瘋狂的粉絲。
Judging by
the sheer number of visitors -- more than one million a year -- its pulling
power is showing no sign of weakening.
根據訪客總數判斷—一年超過一百萬人次—它的吸引力完全沒有減弱的趨勢。
"Unlike any other waterfall on earth" 「不像任何其他地球上的瀑布」
Spanning 2.7 kilometers, Iguazu Falls is
made of 275 waterfalls or cataracts
橫跨了2.7公里，. 伊瓜蘇瀑布是由275個瀑布或大瀑布組成的。
To describe
the Iguazu Falls without gushing superlatives is a futile
exercise.
如果談到於伊瓜蘇瀑布少了一連串的盛讚的形容，就等於沒說。
With water
cascades as far as the eye can see -- some massive and powerful, some small and
dainty -- the Iguazu Falls are a shock to the system.
一眼看去，看到最遠的地方都有瀑布—一些磅礡且有力，一些小而優雅--伊瓜蘇瀑布是世界上的一大震撼景觀。
Even the
late U.S. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was reportedly so impressed when she saw
them that she purportedly said "Poor Niagara."
據傳聞即使是美國前第一夫人愛蓮娜·羅斯福在看到瀑布時，都覺得很震撼，據說她當時還說「尼加拉瓜瀑布相形見絀」
"Iguazu
Falls always catches you by surprise," says Martin Ruffo, Intrepid
Travel's regional product manager for Latin America. "They're truly a
magnificent display of nature.
「伊瓜蘇瀑布總是會讓你覺得驚奇」大衛旅行社( Intrepid Travel's)的拉丁美洲區產品經理Martin Ruffo這麼說「它們(瀑布群)真的是大自然的鬼斧神工」
"Their
size and scale are unlike any other waterfall on earth."
「它們的規模大小不像地球上的任何一個瀑布」
That's no
exaggeration.
這一點都沒有誇大。
By any
measure, Iguazu Falls is a monster
用任何方式來衡量，.伊瓜蘇瀑布就像一隻怪獸。
It's made up
of a system of 275 waterfalls or cataracts, with the exact number depending on
the season.
它是由約275個瀑布或大瀑布組成，而確切的數字根據季節有所不同。
It spans an
area 2.7 kilometers wide.
它橫跨了2.7公里寬。
The tallest
of these waterfalls, called the Devil's Throat, drops by more than 80 meters
into a milky abyss that creates a permanent cloud of mist.
這些瀑布中最高的瀑布叫做惡魔的咽喉(Devil's Throat)，從超過80公尺的高空往乳白色的深淵傾瀉而下，深淵形成了一個永久的雲霧。
To put that
in perspective, Iguazu Falls is nearly twice as tall as Niagara Falls and
rivaled only by Zambia and Zimbabwe's Victoria Falls, which is taller at 108
meters.
論這一點來看，伊瓜蘇瀑布差不多是尼加拉瓜瀑布的兩倍高，且能與之相比的只有尚比亞和辛巴威的維多利亞瀑布，比伊瓜蘇瀑布高，有108公尺高。
It's nearly
three times as wide as Niagara Falls and significantly wider still than
Victoria Falls.
它幾乎比尼加拉瓜瀑布寬三倍，而且明顯的比維多利亞瀑布還寬。
The amount
of water pouring from these falls to the Iguazu River is equally staggering.
從這些瀑布傾瀉而下到伊瓜蘇河的水量相當驚人。
On average,
about 1,500 cubic meters of water flows every second.
平均大約每秒有1500平方公尺的水流量。
Depending on
the time of the year, the rate of water flow can be as much as 13,000 cubic
meters per second -- enough to fill five Olympic swimming pools -- especially
during the rainy months of November to March.
根據一年的不同時間，水流的速率可能達每秒13,000平方公尺，(這樣的水量)足夠填滿五座奧林匹克游泳池，尤其是在雨季的11月到3月。
It's little
surprise then that the river that the water flows into, as well as the
waterfalls, are both named Iguazu, which literally means "big water"
in native Guarani Indian language.
有點令人驚訝的是，這條水流注入的河流和這個瀑布都叫做伊瓜蘇，這個名字在當地瓜拉尼印第安人的語言中，字面代表「大量的水」。
Endless
superlatives 無盡的盛贊之詞
Straddling the border of Argentina and Brazil, Iguazu Falls became a UNESCO World
Heritage Site in 1984.
跨立於阿根廷與巴西的邊境，伊瓜蘇瀑布在1984年成為聯合國教育科學暨文化組織所列的世界遺產之一。
In 2011, it
was selected as one of the winners of the New Seven Wonders of Nature
competition.
在2011年，它獲選為新世界七大奇景比賽的贏家。
It's easy to
see why it's piling up awards and accolades.
為什麼它能獲得堆積如山的獎項和盛讚顯而易見。
It's located
within one of the few remaining inland rainforests in South America, the
Atlantic rainforest, which has been wisely preserved by both Argentina and
Brazil.
它位在南美洲少數僅存的內陸雨林中，這個大西洋雨林受阿根廷與巴西全面的保護。
The lush,
sub-tropical national parks surrounding it are teeming with wildlife.
This is a haven for more than 2,000 plant species, about 400 bird species, 80
types of mammals and countless insects and invertebrate species.
有蒼翠繁茂、充滿野生動物的亞熱帶國家公園圍繞著它，這是超過2000種植物物種、大約400種鳥類、80種哺乳類動物和數不盡的昆蟲和無脊椎物種的天堂。
According to
local tour guide Francis Almeida Barros, it's not uncommon here to encounter
colorful toucans, monkeys and even jaguars on the way to the waterfalls.
根據當地導遊Francis Almeida Barros表示，在這裡前往瀑布的路上，遇到彩色的巨嘴鳥、猴子，甚至是美洲豹，都是很稀鬆平常的事。
This jungle
experience, albeit briefly, sets Iguazu Falls apart from its more popular
global rival.
這趟叢林之旅的經驗，儘管短暫，仍然讓伊瓜蘇瀑布從全球其他受歡迎的的對手中脫穎而出。
Unlike
Niagara Falls, which is surrounded by development such as casinos, a revolving
restaurant and Starbucks, Iguazu Falls is pure nature.
不像尼加拉瓜瀑布，是被圍繞在已開發的區域中，像是賭場、旋轉餐廳和星巴克，伊瓜蘇瀑布是完全天然的。
Devil's Throat: The largest water curtain 惡魔的咽喉:最大的水幕
For many
visitors, the first glimpse of Iguazu Falls is an emotional experience.
對很多訪客而言，看到伊瓜蘇瀑布的第一眼是一個很情緒性的經驗。
But it pales in comparison
to getting up close to the falls.
比起遠遠看到的第一印象，近距離接觸瀑布會讓人臉色蒼白。
The
Argentinean side offers this experience with a walking route along a series of rustic-looking
boardwalks that take visitors close to the action.
阿根廷提供這樣的經驗，讓人能夠沿著一條看起來質樸的木板路路線走，會帶訪客走到驚心動魄的場景。
With around
two-thirds of the waterfalls located here, there's plenty of opportunity to get
intimate with the falls and get soaked in the process.
大約三分之二的瀑布都在這，這裡有足夠的機會可以近距離接觸瀑布，並且在這走的過程中弄得全身濕透。
It's possible to explore the spectacular
Devil's Throat waterfalls by speedboat.
有機會可以以快艇在如此壯觀的惡魔的咽喉瀑布中探索。
Most people head straight
to the main attraction, that being the Devil's Throat (Garganta del Diablo in
Spanish). Shaped like a horseshoe, the Devil's Throat is the largest water
curtain in the whole system and includes 14 waterfalls.
大部分的人都直接前往主要的景點，也就是惡魔的咽喉(西班牙語: Garganta del Diablo)，形狀像一個馬蹄鐵，這個惡魔的咽喉是在整個瀑布群中最大的水幕，包含了14座瀑布。
It's
possible to take a speedboat to the falls, but be prepared to get really wet as
these boats take you right under the falls.
有可能可以搭乘快艇前往瀑布，但是要有全身溼透的心理準備，這些船會直接帶你到瀑布正下方。
You could
easily spend the whole day exploring this side of the waterfalls without even
noticing time passing.
你可能很容易就花費一整天在探索這邊的瀑布，甚至不會注意到時間的流逝。
After
getting soaked, the Brazilian side of the falls offer a more sedate but equally
gratifying view.
在受到瀑布沖刷後，巴西那一邊的瀑布提供一個更平靜，但同樣讓人滿足的景觀。
While you
don't get as close to the falls, the Brazilian side offers incredible panoramic
views that help deepen an appreciation for their grandeur.
不過你不會靠瀑布那麼近，巴西這邊提供讓人難以置信的全景景觀，讓人看了會為它的壯觀深深感嘆。
原文網址:http://edition.cnn.com/2015/03/24/travel/iguazu-falls-bucket-list/index.html?iref=obinsite
