Walking High Above on Vietnam’s ‘Golden Bridge’

 

In the mountains of central Vietnam, two huge hands lift a golden walkway high above the mountaintops. It is as if the ground below has taken a human form and grown arms.

“I feel like I’m walking on clouds,” said Vuong Thuy Linh, a visitor from Hanoi. “It’s so unique”.

Many Vietnamese and foreign tourists have been to Cau Vang, or the “Golden Bridge” in Vietnam’s Ba Na Hills, since it opened in June. Most seemed very excited to see and experience a structure known for its unusual design.

The walkway sits at over 1,000 meters above sea level and extends¹ over the treetops from the edge of a leafy cliff². It offers visitors a clear, unrestricted view of the beautiful countryside below.

The bridge was a project of TA Landscape Architecture of Ho Chi Minh City. It was designed to create the image of the “giant hands of Gods, pulling a strip³ of gold out of the land,” said Vu Viet Anh of TA Landscape Architecture.

“It creates a walkway in the sky, among the foggy and fairy-like lands of Ba Na mountain,” he told the Reuters news agency⁴.

Anh noted⁵ that he had been surprised at the level of attention the company’s design had received, both locally and internationally.

The Ba Na Hills were a popular getaway for the French during the colonial⁶ occupation of Vietnam. The area received over 2.7 million visitors last year, according to the Vietnam National Administration⁷ of Tourism.

But it is the Golden Bridge and its supports – two huge stone-colored human hands -- which get the most attention from visitors.

“The two, smooth, giant hands look real,” said Truong Hoang Linh Thuy, another tourist.

“It makes me feel like humans can do anything”.

I'm Alice Bryant.

Words in This Story

unique – adj. special; being only one

tourist – n. someone who makes a trip for pleasure

leafy – adj. covered with green plant life

cliff – n. an overhanging face or rock or ice

view – n. the act of seeing something

giant – adj. very large

according – adv. as stated by or in

1 extends   

v.（空间、时间等）延伸，延续( extend的第三人称单数 )；伸展；给予；延长

参考例句：

• This country extends its power and influence into neighbouring countries. 这个国家将其势力与影响扩大至邻国。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• His domain extends for 20 miles in every direction. 方圆20英里之内都是他的地产。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 cliff   

n.悬崖，峭壁

参考例句：

• The cliff edge is dangerous and should be railed.崖边危险，应该用栏杆围起来。
• He took the measure of the cliff before he climbed it.他把悬崖的高度估量一下后再攀登。

3 strip   

n.长条，条状；连环漫画；n.脱衣舞；vt.脱衣，剥夺；挤干(牛奶)；vt.拆卸；去除(烟叶的茎)；vi.脱衣，表演脱衣舞；剥落

参考例句：

• I need one more strip of cloth to finish this decoration.我还要一根布条来完成这个装饰品。
• We had to strip the old paint from the doors.我们只好把门上的旧漆刮掉。

4 agency   

n.经办；代理；代理处

参考例句：

• This disease is spread through the agency of insects.这种疾病是通过昆虫媒介传播的。
• He spoke in the person of Xinhua News Agency.他代表新华社讲话。

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 colonial   

adj.殖民地的，关于殖民的；n.殖民地，居民

参考例句：

• The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
• The people of Africa have successfully fought against colonial rule.非洲人民成功地反抗了殖民统治。

7 administration   

n.经营，管理；行政，行政机关，管理部门

参考例句：

• Who is in charge of the administration of your company?你们公司的行政工作由谁负责？
• The teachers are responsible to the school administration.教师向学校行政负责。