2016-06-25

【Aiden in English】

        If anyone has ever been to New York City, he or she understands what the fancy way of traveling is. Horses are part of the setting, and people pay much money to simply ride on the trolley behind them. Copenhagen has the same concept, except the tradition is with bikes. Many use bikes for mobile and touring purposes, and with a little bit of tinkering, they can be made into luxury taxis containing extra seats. These are known as rickshaws. 

        Apparently, in the late 1900s, these rickshaw bikes were extremely common. They were seen everywhere on the streets, and most people didn't even own cars in the city. As most people now see it, however, the late 1900s may as well have been called the Stone Age. At first glance, I saw many bikes in the city of Copenhagen, but little rickshaws. I understand bikes are cheap, fast transportation, especially in cities, and they can be parked almost anywhere, yet the sheer amount of them parked outside of the central train station is crazy. The second thing I picked up in the center of the city was the weird architecture. Unlike other modern, rich metropolises, the city's old architectural style has not been changed. Sure, certain walls here and there have been repainted, and some even renovated, but the theme of the 1600s still remains strong. Churches, train stations, houses, and work areas all look similar to each other in the sense that they are all extremely out of date. If the guide hadn't said anything, I would've mistaken the Queen's home the same as a hotel or a subway stop. The Amalienborg was also well broadcasted, in which that the more majestic and attracting palaces were given more space, often accompanied by a fountain or a gate. Not only does the style of architecture stay the same, but also many aspects of culture. Guards, dressed in medieval uniforms, still protected the palaces and sacred areas. Granted, they were carrying assault rifles and looked so modernized, but the daily changing of the guards' ceremony very much stayed the same. Unlike the UK, there weren't any instruments involved with the process, and it was way short on style points. It was something to experience though, as they seemed very capable of using their weapons. 

        The rickshaw is something I want to describe in detail. The bike itself had been transformed from a two-wheel drive to a fancy open-air taxi. The seating was just enough to fit three people, and the sea breeze blew straight in our faces. The ride was not the smoothest, but we got around quickly, much faster than cars. The bike, to make room, had mounted a carriage on the front wheel, and decorations were added for a little more welcoming feel. Obviously, with the added three people, the weight had exceeded the physical limitations of a normal man. This is why the 1900s are considered the Stone Age, as they didn't have that beautiful thing known as machinery. The bike had added motors that ran whenever our guide pedaled, which I guess that it was useful but really annoying at the same time. The other annoying part of this trip was that the tourists rarely see rickshaws, and they seldom see ones with such nice decoration, so that leads to many pictures. You know how weird it is to have random strangers walk up to you, holding an enormous camera in your face, and having them snap picture after picture!  Well, I shouldn't be a narcissist, as mom does this to strangers as well. The world is changing, and these rickshaw tours are going fast. I understand it is an old tradition, but if it is the last time this type of culture appears, it feels right to have experienced it one last time.

【紅霞譯文】

        假如有人到過紐約，那麼他／她肯定清楚都市旅遊奇葩橫生，馬車當屬其中一種，人們花大價錢圖的就是坐在馬尾巴後面機動車斗里看光景。不獨有偶，哥本哈根也自有個色招牌，當地人慣用腳踏車，但凡出門都愛騎車兜風，假如稍作改裝，它還能搖身變成外帶闊綽座位的豪華出租車，這種交通工具被稱之為人力車。

        早在上個世紀後期，人力車相當普及，馬路上屢見不鮮，那時城裡普通百姓養不起汽車。如今時過境遷，在多數人眼裡，人力車業已定格在石器時代老皇曆上了。乍看上去，雖說哥本哈根老城中心自行車鋪天蓋地，但人力車卻寥寥無幾，我明白自行車價格實惠，跑動起來又非常方便，即使在人滿為患的都市鬧區，仍然可以無所顧忌地找到泊車地方，中央車站外停車場上自行車堆積成山，充分再現它的實用價值。一旦走進哥本哈根，我深為雕欄玉砌的建築藝術所吸引，與其它時髦氣派的大都會城市相比，這裡的古韻風格並沒有因為社會發展以及時代變遷而失去民族特色。相反，城中散落各處的古垣殘壁每年都被粉刷一新，有的甚至被加固維修，使建造於十七世紀的城牆得以永葆昔日風采。的確，教堂、車站、樓房和辦公場所無一沒有打上老朽之烙印，若不是導遊指出女王寢宮，我還誤以為是哪家酒店或什麼地鐵車站。阿美琳堡宮出鏡率極高，雄偉宏大的建築群往往少不了噴泉和大門點綴，透過格調相仿的建築本身，我們可以發現蘊藏在各個歷史時期的文化元素。打扮成中世紀模樣的皇家衛兵繼續肩負保護皇宮聖殿的光榮使命，儘管他們手持衝鋒鎗，帶有濃烈的現代色彩，但其換崗儀式卻始終沿用傳統做法。不像大英帝國，丹麥的換崗沒有吹吹打打，顯得簡約直白，不過單憑衛兵荷槍實彈，值得我們親臨現場觀摩。

        我想藉機詳細講述一下人力車，這個原本兩輪腳踏車已改裝成敞篷出租車，座位正好容下三人，海風吹拂臉龐，令人十分愜意。話說坐這種車雖然感覺有失平穩，但車子本身卻能見縫插針，因此我們長驅直入，想去哪兒就去那，沒想到竟然比汽車跑得還快。我們乘坐的人力車前輪頂端裝上推兜，這樣空間稍微變大了一點，再加上正面又掛有裝飾，略展東道主好客之情。顯然，車上一下子多了仨人，份量大大超出一個人正常體重，車夫體力消耗可想而知，這正是為什麼廿世紀堪稱石器時代，那年頭人們並不知道引用技術先進的機械裝置。如今我們的人力車已裝備了馬達，馬達固然幫助導遊驅動腳下輪胎，但其嘈音又惹人心煩。另外還有一個缺陷，眼下恐怕遊客打着燈籠滿世界找都難以發現像我們這輛裝飾別致的人力車，結果我們反倒成了遊客爭相拍攝的對象。天哪，當一群陌生人手捧天文相機走上前來對着你咔嚓咔嚓瘋按快門時該有多抓狂呀！算了，我何苦這般矯情，老媽豈不對新鮮事物表現出同樣熱情？世道在變，人力車也在與時俱進，我意識到這個飽經風霜的古老傳統去日不少來日不多，要好好體驗美妙時光。