书城外语英语PARTY——不列颠之狮·英格兰
35212200000008

第8章 城市导航City Guide(6)

The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts which was set up by Sir Paul McCartney in 1996, to train artistes and technicians, in the building which formerly housed the Liverpool Institute for Boys.

York

约克之旅

约克是约克夏郡的首府,它是英国历史的缩影,自从罗马时代起,它就是一个重要的政治、文化、宗教和贸易中心。约克布有着丰富的历史文化遗产,这里有古代城墙、中世纪的小巷,还有约克大教堂--欧洲最大的中世纪教堂。

约克的魔力令其他英国城市难以与之媲美。杰出的建筑和两千年的历史与繁荣的商业街和获奖景点融为一体。小巧的市中心有三十余家博物馆、画廊和各种旅游路线,在约克一年中任何时候都不会乏味。

游客可以在中心大街商店、传统礼品店和独立精品屋里享受一流的购物体验,而对时尚敏感的购物者可以直奔市郊新建的名牌折扣卖场。晚间娱乐活动一样多彩多姿,比如在月光下游船,听音乐会看戏,或在这个闹鬼最多的欧洲城市来一番幽灵之旅。

众多餐馆供应传统英国佳肴和精美国际菜式。据说在约克一年中每晚都可以去一个不同的酒馆或酒吧!激动人心的活动和节日全年不断,包括深受欢迎的乔维克北欧海盗节(Jorvik Viking Festival)、圣尼古拉斯圣诞庆祝活动和英国规模最大的美食节。各种风格和档次的住宿更体现了约克郡的热情好客,约克不愧为短期休假的理想地点。

York has been the capital of the north for nearly 2000 years and has played a central role in British history under the Romans, Saxons and Vikings. A proud city, it attracts millions of visitors who come to gawk at its age, its grandeurgrandeur n.庄严, 伟大 and importance, to be overwhelmedoverwhelm vt.淹没, 覆没, 受打击, 制服, 压倒 by it,s fascinating past. The city walls ─ among the most impressive surviving medieval fortifications in Europe - encompass this thriving, fascinating centre.

To visit is to step back in time, no matter that in doing so, things can seem somewhat confusing. Taking a walk through the historic heart of the walled city proves this point perfectly. Thanks to its tangled medieval streetplan, things like calling a spade a spade, don,t necessarily work here. The tiny lanes are called gates - tangible evidence of the Viking years - and the many gateways that pierce the encircling city walls are called bars (in the old days you,d want a gate to “bar the way”, rather than act as an opening). Once you get the hang of it though, visiting is a breezebreeze n.微风, 煤屑, 焦炭渣, 轻而易举的事, 小风波 vi.吹微风, 逃走 and it,s hard to get lost.

York straddles the rivers Ouse and Foss, and lies virtually at the heart of Yorkshire. On the tourist level, there,s much on offer and the city makes the perfect holiday destination for anyone who likes history, beauty and even some added thrills for the kids. Just have a look around using the links on this page to some of the popular attractions available you,ll be amazed at the variety of things to see and do. Finding time to do it all, will be your only problem, perhaps.

Why not start your tour of England here, as many of the county,s original settlers did and discover it for yourself? From its interesting museums, galleries, castlescastle n.城堡 and ruins, there,s more than enough to venture around. The shopping is reasonable, dining out, perhaps not as varied as other towns, but readily available and the hotel accommodation, of world standards.

If you are seeing a truly English holiday destination where history; past and present are intertwined in harmonyharmony n.协调, 融洽, then York is definitely where you want to be.

There are at least ten things worth seeing and doing if you visit York.

Don,t miss a visit to the renowned Jorvik Viking Centre. York,s Viking roots were revealed in all their horned glory during excavationsexcavation n.挖掘, 发掘, 挖掘成的洞, 出土文物 of the Coppergate area in 1976. Now, through the miracle of smellarama, “time car” rides, fibreglass figures and a lot of imagination, the Danish murky depths have been transformed into one of York,s most popular attractions.

Don,t miss seeing at least a few of the many Medieval Churches located in and around the city. The finest is All Saints, North St. with its most unusual stainedglass depiction of a spectaclewearing churchgoerchurchgoer n.经常去做礼拜的人 from the 15th century. The church is said to be haunted, as is Holy Trinity, Goodramgate, tucked away in a churchyard that,s popular with lunchmunching shoppers. All Saints Pavement is on a busy intersectionintersection n.[数]交集, 十字路口, 交叉点, but step inside and there,s fine stained glass and a lantern tower. St. Denys, Walmgate, has York,s oldest stained glass and a Norman porch. All however a worth your inspection, but the above will give you a good insight into the city,s past.

If you are visiting with children, there,s a wealth of activities they,ll love. One of these is a visit to the Museum Gardens. This welcoming green expanse not only offers the kids space to stretch their legs but affords mum and dad some enjoyable moments too. The gardens, monasticmonastic n.僧侣, 修道士 adj.庙宇的 origins are revealed by the Benedictine remains of St. Mary,s Abbey, founded in 1080 and accompanied by the St. Olave,s Church, dedicated to Norway,s patron saint. The abbey ruins make a suitably evocativeevocative adj.唤出的, 唤起的 backdropbackdrop n.背景幕, (事件的)背景 for the Mvstery Plays held in the gardens every four years. Take time out to wander past the abbey,s Hospitium and Gatehall entrance, the Victorian Gothic Gardens Lodge and a VIP accommodation lodge dating from 1470. Don,t miss the Yorkshire Museum also located here and its fine collection of Roman, AngloSaxon, Viking and medieval remains.

Get in touch with the National Centre for Early Music home of Britain,s acclaimed York Early Music Festival and the York Early Music Christmas Festival, the centre offers a year round programme of activities well worth seeing and experiencing.

Big boys, little boys and even girls and mums will enjoy an amble around the National Railway Museum. Reputed to be one of the world,s biggest museums devoted to the legacy of steampowered locomotion, the impressive collection of carriages includes Queen Victoria,s saloon, thirdclass rattlers, speedsters like the recordbreaking Mallard and of course a replicareplica n.复制品 of Stephenson,s Rocket. There,s also zillions of uniforms, buttons, watches, clocks, tickets, maps, posters and a recreation of an oldfashioned station. Visitors are invited to pop into the restoration shops to watch the renovators at work.

Another popular attraction for all ages is the York Maze. Carved out of 1.5 million (or so) growing maize plants and covering the area of 15 football pitches, York maze is thought to be the largest maze in the world!! With a different design every year it is ready to baffle visitors old and new.