阿尔伯克基国际气球节上的气球, 阿尔伯克基市, 新墨西哥州 Balloons at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, New Mexico (© gmeland/Shutterstock)

阿尔伯克基国际气球节上的气球, 阿尔伯克基市, 新墨西哥州 Balloons at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, New Mexico (© gmeland/Shutterstock)

最古老的飞行方式 The oldest way to fly

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

October means pumpkin fields, Halloween, leaf-peeping, and the World Series. But in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the beginning of October means a skyful of hot air balloons. The 50th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is the largest gathering of balloonists in the world, with more than 500 hot air balloons going aloft this week. The now 9-day event got its start by launching 13 balloons from a shopping mall parking lot in 1972 to celebrate the birthday of a local radio station. It has easily become the biggest event of the year in Albuquerque, whose entire populace can view balloons in flight simply by stepping outside their homes and looking up.

The event is staged from the 365-acre Balloon Fiesta Park, on the northern outskirts of Albuquerque with the Sandia Mountains a few miles away. The Balloon Fiesta claims to be the most photographed event in the world, and it's easy to understand why. The highlight of the week is a mass ascension, in two waves, of all the balloons, decorated with every color and some shaped like animals or cartoon characters. In the age of jets and helicopters and rockets, this mass celebration of nearly silent flight reminds us that the magic of flying is not about speed, but simply reaching the sky.

国际热气球节

十月意味着南瓜田、万圣节、偷看树叶和世界系列赛。但在新墨西哥州的阿尔伯克基，10月初意味着满天都是热气球。第50届阿尔伯克基国际气球节是世界上最大的气球爱好者聚会，本周有500多个热气球升空。1972年，为了庆祝当地广播电台的生日，这项为期9天的活动从一个购物中心停车场发射了13个气球开始。它很容易成为阿尔伯克基一年中最大的盛事，那里的全体民众只要走出家门，抬头就能看到飞行中的气球。

该活动在365英亩的气球嘉年华公园举行，该公园位于阿尔伯克基北郊，距离桑迪亚山脉几英里。气球嘉年华声称是世界上拍摄次数最多的活动，原因很容易理解。本周的亮点是所有气球的两次大规模提升，气球上装饰着各种颜色，有些形状像动物或卡通人物。在喷气式飞机、直升机和火箭的时代，这种近乎无声飞行的大规模庆祝活动提醒我们，飞行的魔力不在于速度，而仅仅在于飞向天空。