来这里已经月余，我却土的一直没有出游。虽然意大利帅哥很想把他的红色Avero卖给我，我也很中意他的运动款，可怜囊中羞涩。由于税表延误，第一次发工资要到10月中旬，交了房租，水电，cox外加奢侈的添置了一款最新iTouch，就只好勒紧裤腰带过活，于是继续过蹭车的日子...
当然也不一定要蹭车，如果有人drive，大家share汽油费，也不失一个好办法。我在US的第一次出游就这样实现了！虽然只是从Gainesville到同州的Tisuville，来回也有6小时的车程。和几个天文学会的美国本科生一道，我终于也有到从前只在电视里听到过的遥远的"太空中心"逛的这天了!3个小时的车程也不无聊，从墨西哥来的Kevin热情非凡，一刻不停的和我说话，最后也搞不清谁的英语更蹩脚= =
可惜游览的第一部分却让我昏昏欲睡：Kenedy Space Center是一个专向游人开放的Vistor Complex，所有的航天飞机和火箭都是模型，注重的是教育和娱乐，特别是对小孩子，专门为他们设计的junior astronaunt简直就是儿童滑梯组合。有意思的是和我一起来的几个老美虽然也都是college students，竟然还在滑梯外面流连了好一会才走开- -b...有几个推进器倒不是模型，但也称得上古董级。无聊的我打算拍照解闷，才发现前一天忘记给电池充电...
直到下午3点进入IMAX看3D电影:Magnificent Desolation-walking on the moon，我也终于从昏睡状态解脱出来。戴上立体眼镜，坐在超大屏幕前，随着Appollo宇航员一起登上月球开始一段前所未有的旅程。三维逼真效果极佳，平静而凹凸不平的月球表面似乎真的是伸手可及。不过我还是抑制住伸手去摸的冲动，Tom Hanks的解说浑厚而感人，特别是听到Armstrong的声音再次重复那句经典名言：this is a small step for a man, but a huge step for the mankind，我忽然有一种不真实的感受：人类登上月球这一壮举，真的是美国人在70年代就完成的吗？要知道那个时候人类在计算机、通信技术、空间科学领域和宇航员训练条件等方面都远落后于现在，也难怪有人说“美国人第一次实现人类登月”图像是上个世纪的最大骗局。但，眼前所见的这一切，那些曾经的宇航员深情的回忆，会让你不自觉的对这个国家的远见，这个民族人民的努力，以及人类自身充满敬意...
深沉完毕，来点刺激的，亲身体验一下航空飞机从起飞到进入太空的全过程，听起来似乎很不错，而这个simulator实际的效果也真的很不错。随着蜂鸣声，航天飞机的舱门打开，乘客按照预定队列依次入座，NASA的captain表情严肃的要求大家扣好安全带，系统开始初始化，面前控制板上绿色的程序一行行的运行着。最后一次检查安全带后，舱门关闭。航天飞机从水平进入垂直状态，我也跟着被吊到半空与地面平行。巨大的轰鸣声后，飞机左右摆动了几下（成为twang），然后离开地面，经过空气挤压机舱的Max-Q过程，逐渐加速平稳，升上天空，进入第一宇宙速度后，与燃烧完的原料火箭脱离，于是就进入了漫天星斗的太空世界，飞机顶舱打开，看到蔚蓝的地球模型，大家还在赞叹与感慨之余，机舱门打开，模拟过程结束。
之后又去了离KSC不远的另一个同属于NASA的Hall of Fame，其实就是我们常说的名人堂，展出了美国历史上所有航天计划的相关资料，技术介绍和众多宇航员的私人物品，当然还少不了游客体验环节：你可以坐上航天飞机控制模拟器亲自体验一下开飞机的感觉，也可以驾驶火星探测飞机在神秘而复杂的火星表面执行任务，还可以设计自己的航天飞机完成某项特殊任务...在这里体验的人没有大人孩子之分，这里就像是一个不分年龄的游乐园，没有人会羞于做一个高级的游戏，一样可以惊叹和尖叫，虽然这只是一个游戏。言及此，我想到了去国内各种展览馆参观的经历，相较之下不难发现差距。国外的博物馆很注重游客参与环节，让被动的接受成为有趣的体验，从而让教育性被娱乐性加强而起到更好的作用。当然，能不能这样做还要考虑现实，技术和资金抛开不谈，如果在中国搞一个航天飞机体验模型，大家都抢着去当"杨利伟"，估计又会出现今年过年香港disney的情况...
晚上6:30，结束KSC的行程，踏上回家的旅途。然后，开车的那个不知轻重的美国男生飚车到86mph，结果在orlando回甘城的高速路上被执行任务的警车抓个正着，我也头一回知道了被美国警察当街拦下是怎么回事= =大黑天在高速路边靠边停车，身后闪烁着刺眼的蓝红警灯，一位一身警服腰间带枪的白人officer礼貌却公事公办的口气，依次检查驾照、ID和保险单，那个美国小孩只有连连称是的份...最后开了一张200多刀的罚单才算完事。据那几个美国人说，这位officer已经算得上相当nice了...omg，今后我开车一定会乖乖的，不酒后驾车，不超速，不闯红灯，不和行人抢道= =200刀...简直是抢钱啊，都可以再添一只itouch了= =
码字完毕，睡觉...
2008年10月5日星期日
2008年9月19日星期五
Why am I here?
Why am I here? When I say here, I do not only refer to GATOR Nation, where I'm physically be, but also Here-G blog!
It's one of those cliches that I'm sick of MSN space again, or this is a whole new set that doesn't correlate with my past articles in Live space. But it's true! I'm here! In Gainesville! A complete new school, new city, new country! And I wanna refresh my blog with something new!
OK. Let's get started. For those who does not familiar with what a GATOR Nation is, refer to wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_Gators
While for those guys who does not have access to wiki, I know my friends at home all have this shit problem, pls refer to this: http://www.gatorcountry.com/
Surprise! It's a country of SPORTS!
Well, not exactly. University of Florida has a good reputation for its sports, and all the teams, football, basketball, volleyball, soccer(usually women's), golf, swimming, have the name GATOR, from alligator, a crocodile family, scattering everywhere in . As a small city while so famous for its sports team, the team is capable to be the representative of the whole city! So Gator team became Gator Nation, and every one in this city is pround to be a Gator, with a cute(?) alligator on top of his/her polo, cap, sports shoes, cars, school bag, mug, underwear(? Yes!), or literally every single piece.
Here I am, in a place that looks like a countryside, but with people's passion willing to be a Gator of 100%. And as for the past 3 weeks I spent here, I am so happy I am here, in University of Florida, American's No.1 Party School, learning to be a Gator in Gainesville, and enjoying myself to be a member of GATOR Nation. Though it's just a start, my story to be a Gator will be going on...
It's one of those cliches that I'm sick of MSN space again, or this is a whole new set that doesn't correlate with my past articles in Live space. But it's true! I'm here! In Gainesville! A complete new school, new city, new country! And I wanna refresh my blog with something new!
OK. Let's get started. For those who does not familiar with what a GATOR Nation is, refer to wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_Gators
While for those guys who does not have access to wiki, I know my friends at home all have this shit problem, pls refer to this: http://www.gatorcountry.com/
Surprise! It's a country of SPORTS!
Well, not exactly. University of Florida has a good reputation for its sports, and all the teams, football, basketball, volleyball, soccer(usually women's), golf, swimming, have the name GATOR, from alligator, a crocodile family, scattering everywhere in . As a small city while so famous for its sports team, the team is capable to be the representative of the whole city! So Gator team became Gator Nation, and every one in this city is pround to be a Gator, with a cute(?) alligator on top of his/her polo, cap, sports shoes, cars, school bag, mug, underwear(? Yes!), or literally every single piece.
Here I am, in a place that looks like a countryside, but with people's passion willing to be a Gator of 100%. And as for the past 3 weeks I spent here, I am so happy I am here, in University of Florida, American's No.1 Party School, learning to be a Gator in Gainesville, and enjoying myself to be a member of GATOR Nation. Though it's just a start, my story to be a Gator will be going on...
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