在越南下龙湾吃海鲜

2005年4月下旬，我来到被联合国教科文组织列入世界自然遗产的越南下龙湾。

游船缓缓地驶向下龙湾宽阔的海域，远远望去，但见山连水，水连山，峰峦叠翠，烟波浩渺，千变万化，让人心神荡漾，俗尘顿绝。这时，传来今天中餐就在游船上吃海鲜的消息。

“好哇!”大家欢欣雀跃地叫起来，而我却顿时愁上眉头。

我害怕吃海鲜闹肚子，尤其害怕出外时吃海鲜，所以对海鲜总是“敬而避之”。

担心归担心，那游船却仍然全速向下龙湾挺进。此际，下龙湾那1500平方公里碧蓝的海面上，忽隐忽现着3600座大小岛屿，令人惊异的是大自然那神工鬼斧，竟将山石和小岛雕凿成各种各样的怪异形状：有的如直插水中的筷子，有的如浮在水面的大鼎，有的如奔驰的骏马，有的又如一只蛤蟆，有的如两只争斗的雄鸡，其状栩栩如生，令同行者一个个陶醉忘情，啧啧称奇。这里成为世界自然遗产，真是名不虚传。

游船终于到了下龙湾，停泊在下龙湾的数条渔船旁。这几条渔船“捆绑”在一起，成了一个水上渔市。此刻游船上有的人已经迫不及待地跳到渔船上，一边拿起大“海斗”挑选海鲜，一边与渔老板讨价还价起来。

下龙湾有1000多种鱼，“有名有姓”的有700多种，特别是鲐鱼、鲟鱼、马鲛鱼、鱿鱼、龙虾、青虾、毛虾、铁虾、地虾、软壳蟹、膏蟹等海鲜，受到游客们的青睐。平心而论，看到那些活蹦活跳的海鲜真是招人喜爱。此时，一位瘦小的女主人戴着斗笠，手拿“海斗”捞起船舱里的鱼虾用生硬的中文向我们兜售。有的人被打动了，指着渔船上塑料盆里的鱼，几经还价，终于成交。这里的成交方式真是独特：卖海鲜不以斤两论价，而是用“海斗”来计量，煞是新奇。

我们中餐的海鲜是在游船上“加工”的。我一直在七上八下地斟酌吃还是不吃，所以特地到后舱去察看一番。到了后舱，只见经过清水漂洗的那些还在蹦蹦跳跳的海鲜一古脑儿地被倒进一只大锅子里，好像连解腥的料酒也没放，不用说放姜、葱、盐、油了。

没一会儿，一大盆一大盆已经煮熟了的海鲜端上了餐桌。嘿!堆得像小山般高的什锦盆里，说不清究竟有哪几种鱼虾，反正有的是深黄色的、有的是浅黄色的、有的是橙黄色的，什么样的“黄”都有。那小海蟹不再张牙舞爪了，那大海虾弯得像张弓，那竹节虾、石板鱼像把刀，还有更多的我就叫不出名字了。这就是下龙湾的海鲜?我还在迟疑之间，同伴们早已迫不及待地端起酒盅、品尝起海鲜来。

没有酱油、没有食醋也没有任何作料，甚至连一滴油也没有的海鲜，不知为什么却成了大家嘴里的佳肴!

见大家吃得这般津津有味，我想：如果不品尝一点，错过这种机会，也许会永远留下遗憾。想着想着，这时我也就豁出去了，一改平时不喝酒的习惯，要了一盅白酒、挑一只最小的海虾，便品尝起来。哦，尝了一口我便生发出许多奇怪：这些鱼虾是像原始人那样用清水煮的，但肉却是这般的嫩；虽然没有任何调料，但淡淡的肉味却鲜得出奇!也许这是一种原始的鲜美，一种平时根本无法体会到的鲜美吧?!

“干杯!”不知是谁举起了酒杯，一时间，大家都举起酒杯互相敬酒：“为了相聚在越南下龙湾，为了这餐难得的海鲜，为了……”欢声笑语灌满了船舱。

灌满船舱的欢声笑语也把我的顾忌冲得无影无踪，我居然挟起了一只大螃蟹，大口大口地咀嚼起来……

后来我才知道这种“白煮海鲜”是下龙湾上最流行的吃法。每年东北风起时，对虾到下龙湾觅食产卵，下龙湾之夜像花灯会一样热闹，捕虾船布满湾面，暗黄的油灯诱虾入网。而在近岸处，人们一手拿电石灯，一手拿捞子，干脆就近用手捞虾。捞到虾就白煮或用木炭烤吃，那味道绝对是喷香鲜嫩的。

此时我想起了小时候在江南水乡的河荡里摇着小船去采摘菱角吃的情景。从河水中把长满菱叶的蔓捞起来，把菱叶掩盖下的菱角采摘下来，当场剥去壳送入嘴里，那味道也是又鲜又嫩。就因为这样的菱角新鲜和正宗，即便多吃几口也不会闹肚子，那么我在下龙湾上吃海鲜是这般正宗，同样也不会闹肚子吧?!

生活中最难求的是新鲜和正宗。于是我消除了对吃海鲜所有的恐惧，放开肚子尽情地饱尝了这餐别有风味的海鲜……

Enjoy Seafood on Ha Long Bay

By Jin Tianlin

In later April 2005, I voyaged toward Ha Long Bay, a beautiful sea area in Vietnam on the UNESCO Natural Heritage List. As the ship sailed leisurely into the bay, I was fascinated by the breathtaking views of the islets scattered on the foggy sea. Then I learned that seafood would be main course for lunch on the sea. Hearing the news, fellow tourists jumped with great joy. But I frowned.Seafood is disagreeable with my stomach. I abhor seafood, especially when I am away from home, because eating seafood always gives me diarrhea. I began to worry about the lunch ahead.

The 1,500-square-kilometer bay is home to more than 3,600 islands. Islands and islets have precipitous cliffs and shapes, as if chopped and sculpted by invisible gods. Some look like chopsticks, some like a tripod caldron floating on the water, some like a frog, and some like two fighting roosters. We were just amazed.

We arrived at our lunch venue. A few fishing ships were moored side by side and roped together to form a large platform, serving as a minor fish market. Tourists jumped over to the floating fish market and began to haggle with vendors.

Ha Long Bay abounds with 1,000 kinds of fish, about 700 of which are defined and named. I eyed the prawns and crabs suspiciously but they looked eye-catching and very much alive. Vendors sold the seafood not by weight, by a net as a unit.

The kitchen was on our ship. I went to the back cabin to take a look. To my surprise, the seafood was put into a big pot to cook in plain boiled water, without any seasoning, salt, or cooking wine added to shake off the fish smell.

Pretty soon, cooked prawns and crabs were served. My fellow tourists were too impatient to wait. They immediately began to wolf down the delicious crabs. Seeing the great gusto with which they enjoyed the lunch, I was tempted. I tried to convince myself of giving up my taboo and sampling the delicious food: it would be a great regret forever if I missed this opportunity. It proved easy to persuade myself to bow to the temptation.

I sat down, allowed myself to be offered a small cup of liquor, and tentatively picked up one of the smallest shrimps. Whoa! It was so yummy, though there was no seasoning at all. Pretty soon I found myself attack a large crab with the same gusto.

After lunch, I learned that the plain-cooked seafood is the most popular way to enjoy seafood at Ha Long Bay. When northeastward winds usher in the prawn season in the bay, fishermen get busy. Prawns are cooked in the plain water or barbecued on cokes. The unspoiled taste is unforgettably delicious.

(Translated by David)