父亲节，2014-06-15

【Aiden in English】

        The Pocono Mountains are a national famous attraction. When you think about them, the first thing that comes to mind is lush, green forest and deep, majestic valleys. You probably would never have thought of the peaceful and quiet town at the foot of the mountains to also be a gateway to the Poconos. That's exactly where Dad and I were going.

        And after an hour of torturous driving, we arrived at the tiny town known as Jim Thorpe in the eastern PA. At first, the town looked undisturbed. But as Dad and I roamed the streets, people began to open shops and exhibited their homes. It seemed as if somebody flipped the switch and people started appearing everywhere.

        The square right next to our parking lot soon was filled to the brim with tourists and food stands. That's when I really noticed the architecture of the buildings. They all looked similar with the red painting on the walls in the old style of the late 1800's and early 1900's. Yet what was truly interesting to me was that all the buildings were very different. The houses were used in a large variety. Some were for homes, some for shops, some for restaurants, and many more. The experience allowed me to see that nothing was exactly the same.

        The town was only half of Jim Thorpe. It had a natural side by the mountains and lakes as well. There was a sightseeing train that offered countryside view. Dad and I zoomed onto the train after lunch and sat there in anticipation for the ride to begin. We were not disappointed about this place as the "Switzerland of America". The countryside was amazing with great lakes and meandering steams. The songs of birds rang through the forest, and the mountains seemed to touch the sky. The ride was perfect, except for the conductor blabbing on about history.

        Just as I thought the ride was over, it blasted off to another level. There, around the bend, was a waterfall. It wasn't huge, but the fall was big enough to make the passengers on the train gasp. The water dropped down into a stream that flowed on and it was in the middle of a vast forest. After this spectacular show, the landscapes have been etched into our memory forever.

【红霞译文】

        波可诺山脉可谓全国久负盛名的优胜美地，一提起蕴藏其中的旅游景点，你首先会联想起葱郁繁茂的绿色森林和幽邃深壑的峡谷盆地。也许你永远意识不到通往波可诺山脉的路上有座祥和静谧的小镇，这正是我和爸爸要去的地方。

        经过个把钟头颠簸行驶，我们终于抵达位于宾州东北部的吉姆‧索普小镇。初来乍到，小镇看似与世隔绝，不过一旦走街串巷深入社区，我们发现当地居民开店纳客招揽生意，不约而同地从四面八方涌现出来。

        停车场附近的广场游人如织，地摊纵横，建筑结构迥异，所有楼房均被涂成红色，突出体现十九世纪末、廿世纪初古典风格，各式各样的民居商家餐馆设计独具匠心，让我大开眼界。

        吉姆索普小镇依山傍水，观光列车可以让你置身事外，亲临大自然欣赏乡村景色。午餐后，我们决定抓紧时机乘车环游这座素有“美洲瑞士”之称的名城。河水淼淼，炊烟袅袅，鸟儿在林中欢舞歌唱；我们站在山巅之上，天际近在咫尺，恨不能信手可得。如果列车员在介绍风土人情时播音清晰可辩，环游效果会进一步得到提高。

        返程途中，我们眼前出现一个气势不大但却相当奇特的瀑布，山水自上而下，径直跌至密林深处。吉姆•索普镇好山好水好风光，令人刻骨铭心。