The Curry Village

The pizza place

我以為我們會住到像鬼城一般的White Wolf Inn，結果我們住到像天堂般的Curry Village。在美國國慶日前兩天訂到優勝美提國家公園內的住房真的就像中樂透一樣幸運。我們滿心期待的另一個原因是，White Wolf Inn離優勝美提國家公園東邊的入口不遠，我們原先計畫從這裡出去然後去其他國家公園。White Wolf Inn剛好位在許多步道的交叉路上，所以我們到達的時候看到許多汽車停在這裡。但是這種破舊的景象也太嚇人了，沒有人知道這是怎麼回事。我的T-Mobile在國家公園內沒有訊號，無法通訊更增加我的憂慮感。最後只好依原路回到Yosemite Village。

在Yosemite Lodge的櫃檯得知我們已經被改到Curry Village，然後我們就在不知道原因的情況下住進了Curry Village。

At around 3:30 in the afternoon, we headed back to the Yosemite Village. We picked up Ladybug with seven spots on our way. At the Yosemite Lodge, we were told that we had been changed to the Curry Village. Again, I couldn’t find my Village. The Ladybug with seven spots is really a nice person, she voluntarily asked people about the direction. Asked few people around, we finally checked in our tent. Yes our hotel room was a tent, very interesting. The Curry Village, I like it a lot.

The outdoor theater

時差加上健康不佳，我總是處在疲倦的狀態，而且是非常疲倦。當學生們在處理住房和搬運行李時，我就一個人帶著我的輪椅開始探索Curry Village。民族色彩濃厚的戶外劇場、比薩小屋、餐廳、休息室或廁所，無論是造型或色彩都融入四周的環境中，讓人感覺到人和大自然才是主角。在戶外劇院區，一群人正在甄選晚上要表演的人，無論大人或小孩都很踴躍參與。我發現這裡的舖面很特殊，有硬舖面的步道和軟舖面的水土保持區，但式軟舖面已經被走出了捷徑。軟舖面是有機的木屑，很容易分解，所以並不好走。在劇院區的座位並不是傳統的整齊排列著，而是在其間空出一些空間，並且在這些空間下舖的是硬舖面。我很好奇的去體驗，發現這是空給輪椅使用者和娃娃車停放的，如此一來輪椅使用者和娃娃就可以和家人在一起了。

At Curry Village, my first stop is the outdoor theater. Today is American National Day. The Village staffs are busy in auditioning actors and actresses for the night. I make some movies about the acting. Everyone here seems having a good time. Kids are chasing around, people are laughing and eating. We are busy in finding our tent, and luckily we get a wheelchair accessible one. Not every tent is accessible to the wheelchair travelers, but few are enough. There is a box for food out side every tent, just like a safe for money.

The hard pavement is for wheelchairs and strollers.

At the audience area, you can see two different pavements, one is soft and the other is hard. Hard pavement is for wheelchairs and strollers, some next to benches, and some in between benches. In Taiwan most of auditoriums only save one spot for wheelchair users. And the spot usually is located on corner or at the far back. When I see this arrangement, all I can think of is opportunity and equality. In Taiwan, no matter how much money I spent for a theater ticket, all I get always a corner seat or far back seat, and never have a chance sit with my friends. The smart seat arrangement at Curry Village inspires me a lot.

The tents

Our tent

Inside of our tent

每個住房的外面都放置有防熊箱。我們必須把所有的食物和有香味的東西都放進防熊箱，聽說熊的鼻子很靈敏，連護唇膏都不放過。對我們來說，這是個有趣的經驗。