Hyde Park
海德公园
在泰晤士河东部的中心，海德公园（Hyde Park）西接肯辛顿公园(Kensington Park)，东连绿色公园(Green Park)，形成寸土寸金的伦敦城里一片奢侈的绿地，是伦敦最知名的公园。海德公园的东北角有一个大理石凯旋门，东南角有威灵顿拱门，但最有名的应该是这里的演讲者之角。作为英国民主的历史象征，市民可在此演说任何有关国计民生的话题，这个传统一直延续到今。据说当年列宁在伦敦的时候，也经常跑到这里听演讲，以提高自己的英语听力。海德公园西边即为肯辛顿公园，有一个蛇形湖泊，其旁的同名艺廊(Serpentine Gallery) 颇受欢迎。
公园于16世纪后期首次向民众开放。历史上曾经是英国国王的鹿场，后来又成为赛车和赛马的场所。公园里还有着名的皇家驿道，道路两旁巨木参天，整条大道就像是一条绿色的“隧道”，许多骑马爱好者经常在这里遛马。公园中有森林、河流、草原，绿野千顷，静温悠闲。园内还有一座维多利亚女王为其夫阿尔伯特王子所建的纪念碑。
每年夏天是海德公园最热闹的季节，经常有一种叫“无座音乐会”的活动在这里举行。场地里没有座位，听众们可以一边散步一边聆听乐队的演奏，还可以跟着音乐的节拍跳舞。每当音乐会举行时，海德公园简直成了音乐的海洋。
Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London， England， and one of the Royal Parks of London. The park is divided in two by the Serpentine Lake. The park is contiguouscontiguous adj.邻近的， 接近的， 毗边的 with Kensington Gardens， which is widely assumed to be part of Hyde Park， but is technically separate. The boundary between the two is West Carriage Drive， which can be seen running north south on the map linked below. Hyde Park is 350 acres (1.4 km2) and Kensington Gardens is 275 acres (1.1 km2) giving an overall area of 625 acres (2.5 km2).
Hyde Park lies between the Bayswater Road in the north and Knightsbridge in the south. Park Lane lies to the east and Kensington Gardens to the west. The north east corner of the Park， which is at the end of Oxford Street contains Marble Arch， which was built as a gateway to Buckingham Palace in 1827， but was moved to its present position inn 1851. Gates now close the arch itself as only royalroyal adj.王室的， 皇家的， 第一流的， 高贵的 vehicles are allowed to pass through it. At the junction of Edgware Road and Bayswater Road just outside the Park， is a triangular plaque set in the road which marks the site of Tyburn Gallows， where public executions took place until 1783. These were supposed to act as a deterrent， but instead became a public entertainment. Just inside the Park near Marble Arch， is speakers corner. On Sundays， speakers on every subject， Government， Religion， declaim to an audience which usually interrupt with good humoured cat calls.
Hyde Park used to be surrounded by iron railings， but these were removed during World War II when there was a big drive to collect iron， steel and aluminiumaluminium n.［化］铝 adj.铝的 to make war weapons. Housewives gave up their saucepans and frying pans and houses and parks lost their railings. Not only that but there were rumours that the pans were never used as they were the “wrong kind of metal”.
The Serpentine， a curved lake in the Park， is used for boating and there is an outdoor swimming pool as well. Some hardy swimmers used the Serpentine in the winter as well as during the summer.
At Hyde Park corner， which is a very busy junction just outside the south east corner of the Park， is Wellington Arch which has a war memorial statue on top of it. Visitors are welcome at Wellington Arch and viewing galleries and exhibitions have been created inside the Arch.
Aspley House which was the home of the first Duke of Wellington (1769～1852) hero of Waterloo and later Prime Minister， is situated at 149 Piccadilly， at Hyde Park corner. The house now contains a museum which is open between 11a.m. and 5p.m.， Tuesdays to Sundays. Entrance is free on Waterloo day and costs ￡4.50 at other times.
Inside the Park， at the southern edge is Rotten Row. The name Rotten Row is a corruptioncorruption n.腐败， 贪污， 堕落 of the expression “route de roi” which means Kings Road. This is the road that the monarchs used to ride along to hunt deer. The route is now used by the Household Cavalry in order to exercise their horses， and they ride back to the barracksbarracks n.兵营， 许多人居住的简陋房舍 along the Row after the changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace and Horseguards.
Along Knightsbridge from Hyde Park Corner is the Albert Memorial which is a large statue of Prince Albert. Prince Albert was married to Queen Victoria and the memorial was erected at a cost of ￡120，000. The Prince is holding a catalogue to the Great Exhibition of 1851 which was organised by the Prince. The Exhibition was held in The Crystal Palace which is a large glass gallery in Hyde Park. In addition to the cataloguecatalogue n.目录 the memorial contains 169 portraits of poets， architects and painters. At each corner is an illustration of Europe， America， Asia and Africa， whilst figures represent Commerce， Engineering， Manufacture and Agriculture. The memorial has recently been restored and is well worth a look if you are in the area.
Almost opposite the Albert Memorial is the Albert Hall， which is one of London，s major Concert Halls capable of seating 8，000. The Hall also plays host to sporting events， including the Honda Challenge Cup which is a tennis tournament for “veterans”. Other events include the Promenade Concerts (The Proms) as well as other classical and rock concerts. If you want to see The Proms there are many cheap tickets issued on a firstcome， firstserved basis. The first hundred or so people in the queue， stand for the concert in the arena. Some seats are also available in the galleries. The last night of The Proms is an affair of great emotion and patriotismpatriotism n.爱国心， 爱国精神 and is usually broadcast on BBC television.
So next time you，re in London and looking for somewhere to sit and each your lunch， Hyde Park is the place to go - you，ll be surrounded by history in every direction.
St. James，s Park
圣詹姆斯公园
面对白金汉宫的圣詹姆斯公园，原本是圣詹姆斯宫的鹿园，17世纪时查理二世聘请法国景观设计师重新造景，19世纪初在英国着名建筑师纳许(John Nash)进一步美化之下，成为伦敦市中心最美丽的公园，是市民与游客最佳小憩休闲之地，处处可见晒太阳、散步、野餐。圣詹姆斯公园又有“鸭园”之称，公园中央长形水池聚集了各种大小、颜色鸭类，常可见到小鸭子在水面上展翅快飞，留下道道水痕，还有天鹅、鸟类、雉等多种保护鸟类，每天下午3点是喂食时间。詹姆斯公园的最佳绝妙美景，就是从桥上隔着湖水眺望白金汉宫，特别是晚上白金汉宫点灯夜景更为迷人。林阴大道(The Mall)的圣詹姆斯宫，为红砖都铎式建筑，原本是亨利八世在16世纪所建麻风病院，18和19世纪初曾经为皇室住所，现在则为接待国外使节的正式接待场所。
圣詹姆斯公园也是皇家公园中最古老、最小、装饰性最丰富的公园，在夏季的时候，每天还可聆听2场精彩的音乐会，而园种的鸟类保护区规划，使得鸟群大都集中在公园东端的鸭岛与中央的湖面上，公园每天从清晨6点一直开放到午夜。南端的鸟类饲养所旁的步道，也因而被称为“鸟笼步道”，漫步其间听着鸟语闻着花香，顿觉神清气爽。
从圣詹姆斯公园穿越林阴大道后，即会看到一座都铎式的建筑，那就是圣詹姆斯宫（St. Jamess Palace），它原是一座麻风病院，但在西元1532年由亨利8世下令改建后，自1698年起即成了永久性的皇室所在地，但因维多利亚女王于1837年即位改住汉白金宫，所以圣詹姆斯宫目前是皇家卫队、皇家私人保镖及其他官员的住所。
