第一次看到乌尤尼盐沼的照片时，Grace不禁怀疑这些图片的真实性——世上真有这样一面镜子？你确定不是PS的杰作吗？在玻利维亚的乌尤尼盐沼，你可以真正体验到何为无穷无尽。这个广袤的盐沼在覆盖了水之后会变成全世界最大的镜子，放眼望去，你根本分不清哪里是天，哪里是地。传说中的“not of this Earth”大概就是这样吧。
Have you ever wanted to visit another planet but don't quite have the wallet power? If you want to feel the out-of-this-world experience, you could try the Uyuni Salt Flat in Bolivia. It is one of the landscapes on planet Earth where you may feel that you are somewhere else in the universe entirely.
你是否曾经渴望去另一个星球游玩，却又囊中羞涩？如果你想体验一下远离这个世界是怎样一种感觉，你可以试试玻利维亚的乌尤尼盐沼。它是其中一个能让你觉得自己完全置身于宇宙中另外某处的地球景观。
This place is 1)immense. It is over ten thousand square kilometers in area, which makes it the largest salt flat in the world. It's also the highest salt flat in the world at 3,656 meters above sea level.
这片地区宽阔辽远，超过一万平方公里的面积使其成为世界上最大的盐沼。它同时也是世界上最高的盐沼，海拔达3656米。
The Uyuni Salt Flat is what remains of a 2)prehistoric lake. All around it there are mountains, which means there are no 3)drainage 4)outlets and the salt is left at the old bed of the lake.
乌尤尼盐沼是一片史前湖泊的遗迹。它四面环山，也就是说这里没有出水口，于是盐分就在古老的湖床上积存了下来。
The origin of the Uyuni goes back some 40,000 years. At that time, the area was part of a huge prehistoric lake, Lake Minchin. With time the lake dried up. Two lakes still remain—the Uru Uru and the Poopó. Two salt flats were left—the smaller Coipasa Salt Flat and the Uyuni. It is thought that the salt flat contains up to ten billion tons of salt.
乌尤尼的起源可追溯到大约四万年前。那时，这个地区是一片巨大的史前湖泊——明清湖的一部分。随着时间的变迁，明清湖逐渐干涸。两个湖泊存留了下来，就是乌鲁乌鲁湖和波波湖；同时也留下了两片盐沼——面积较小的科伊帕萨盐沼和乌尤尼。据估计，这个盐沼的盐储存总量超过一百亿吨。
From a distance, the salt flat appears like an 5)enormous ocean, still and white. The 6)tiles on the flat stretch on as if to 7)infinity—and beyond. It looks like something out of a science-fiction film. When there is rain—as there is occasionally even at this altitude—then something magical happens. The salt flat becomes a mirror of the sky.
从远处看过去，这片盐沼就像一片巨大的海洋，宁静而洁白。盐沼中的盐片一直延伸至无穷无尽——甚至更远。它看起来就像是某部科幻片的产物。下雨时——即使是在这样的海拔高度，雨水也会偶尔出现——奇迹就会发生。盐沼变成了天空的镜子。
Just as you think you have seen it all, something else comes in to view that will astonish you. You will also get the opportunity to see the amazing “tree” made out of rock. The strangeness of our planet is 8)exemplified by this peculiar product of thousands of years of 9)erosion.
正当你认为自己已经见识了所有奇迹之时，另一样东西又映入眼帘，让你惊叹不已——你有机会见到由岩石构成的令人惊叹的“大树”。这种经过千百年侵蚀而产生的特殊作品，见证了我们这个星球是多么神奇。
You may not have heard of Uyuni, but our astronauts have. It is used as a target for 10)calibrating and testing 11)remote sensing systems on satellites in orbit. Why? It's big—very big—and has an incredibly smooth surface which is highly reflective when it is covered in water, making it perfect for that task.
你或许从未听说过乌尤尼，但我们的宇航员对它并不陌生。它被用作轨道上的卫星校准和测试远程感应系统的目标。为什么？因为它面积大——非常大——而且表面极为光滑，在被水覆盖后反射率极高，令它成为该项任务的最佳目标。
In terms of a wildlife vacation, it is probably not the best place to visit. However, on the edges of the salt flat, you will find the 12)llamas are everywhere.
就观看野生动物而言，这里或许不是最佳游览地。不过，在盐沼的边缘，你会发现美洲驼随处可见。
South of Uyuni, the two other lakes and the mountains of the Andes 13)dominate the view. There are three different types of 14)flamingo that visit these lakes, and the sight of them flying is breathtaking. The flamingos are one of the few large animals that 15)thrive in these areas—and you will see 16)flocks of them on your visit.
在乌尤尼的南边，另外两片湖泊和安第斯山脉映入眼帘。有三种不同种类的火烈鸟在这些湖泊停留，它们腾空飞起的景象美得令人窒息。火烈鸟是在这些地区繁荣兴盛的极少数大型动物之一——你在观光期间会见到它们结队而行。
Where to stay though? It would be silly not to take advantage of the 17)hospitality of the local hotel, which is completely made of salt. Likewise for the furniture inside. You can even picnic if you want. Of course, be prepared for your picnic table to be made of salt, too. Surprise!
该在哪里住宿呢？如果不享受一下当地旅馆的热情好客，似乎就不太明智了——它全都是用盐建成的，旅馆内的家具也不例外。如果你愿意的话，甚至可以去野餐。当然了，你要有心理准备哦，野餐桌也是盐制的。惊喜吧！
Uyuni also 18)boasts a train 19)cemetery which is full of the 20)rusting shells of trains from the past. How did they end up here? Uyuni is an important transport 21)hub in Bolivia with four train lines connecting in the town. It must have seemed the logical place to abandon the trains which were no longer needed. It perfectly adds to the strangeness of the place.
乌尤尼还有一个著名的火车墓地，那里满是老式火车锈迹斑斑的外壳。它们怎么会来到这里呢？原来乌尤尼是玻利维亚重要的运输中心，有四条火车线路连接着这个城镇。它似乎成了丢弃废置火车的理想之地。这也为此地的奇异风光添上了完美的一笔。
Of course, the main reason people come here is to see the spectacular salt flat. Although the pictures are amazing, imagine how 22)jaw-dropping this place must be with your own eyes.
当然了，人们来到此地主要还是为了观看那片壮观的盐沼。虽然照片令人称奇，但想想当你亲眼看到这片奇景时会是多么目瞪口呆吧。
Highlights of the Tour 旅程精华
Fish Island 鱼岛
Fish Island is located 74 kilometers from Colchani, right in the middle of the salt mines. It has a total area of 100 23)hectares and very 24)picturesque 25)scenery.
鱼岛距离科尔查尼镇74公里，正好在盐矿的中心。它的总面积达100公顷，风景如画。
The layer of 26)granite and 27)organic materials have produced a strange 28)breed of giant 29)cactus (six meters in height), which has developed an interesting 30)ecological system.
花岗岩层和有机物质为独特的巨型仙人掌（高达6米）的繁育提供了条件，使其发展成一个奇特的生态系统。
On the island's 31)summit there is a cave. The internal walls of the cave present a 32)geological cut that provides information on the various layers of the ground. This is perhaps one of the best places to take wonderful pictures of the island and the salt mines as well.
在小岛的最高点有一个洞穴。洞穴的内壁上有一个地质切口，提供了关于地面各种地层的信息。这里也许是为这个小岛以及盐矿拍下精彩照片的最佳取景地之一。
Fishermen's Island 渔夫岛
The Fishermen's Island is formed on top of the remains of a volcano 120 meters above the surface of the salt mines.
渔夫岛形成于一座火山遗址的顶部，比盐矿的表面要高出120米。
On this island there are seven 33)archaeological sites that belong to the Tiwanaku注 culture. There are two Incan ruins, 30 34)caverns, 12 natural tunnels and one forest of cactuses.
在这座小岛上，有七处蒂瓦纳库文化的考古遗址，还有两处印加人遗迹、30个大洞穴、12个天然地道和一片仙人掌林。
Best Visiting Time 最佳旅行时间
The Uyuni Salt Flat can be visited all year long—even though the majority of the tour operators in the area strongly recommend the dry season of the year between April and October.
一年四季都可以去乌尤尼盐沼旅行——虽然大多数当地旅游公司都强烈推荐游客在四月至十月的旱季期间前来游玩。
Rainy Season (November to March)
雨季(十一月至三月)
During the rainy season, the Uyuni Salt Flat is covered by about 20cm of water. As a result, it becomes a huge mirror reflecting the sky. Without a doubt this is an amazing landscape worth being appreciated and photographed. Another advantage of a visit during the rainy season is the presence of at least 25,000 pink flamingos and other birds at the Colored 35)Lagoon. The disadvantage of traveling during the rainy season is that the Galaxies Cave and Fish Island are covered by water, making it impossible to visit these attractions.
在雨季期间，乌尤尼盐沼上覆盖着大约20厘米深的水。因此，它会变成一块倒映着天空的巨大镜子。毫无疑问，这是一幅值得欣赏和拍摄的奇特美景。在雨季前来观光的另一个好处就是可以在七彩湖看见至少25000只粉红色的火烈鸟和其他鸟类；而坏处就是加里克斯洞穴和鱼岛都被水所覆盖，无法前往这些景点观光。
Dry Season (April to October)
旱季(四月至十月)
The dry season is the most recommended period for a visit to the Uyuni Salt Flat. The 36)octagonal salt formations can be appreciated in full and all the attractions of the area can be visited. June and July are considered to be the high season.
旱季是最被推崇的盐沼游览时节。你不仅能够充分欣赏到盐沼表面（裂成）八边形的形态，还能游玩这一地区的所有景点。六月和七月通常是旅游高峰季节。
