浪漫之都——巴黎

　　Ah, beautiful Paris!For centuries this city has attracted the admiration of the world. The allure and charm of Paris excite all who visit there.

　　Where can you discover the charm of Paris for yourself? Is it in the legacy of all the French rulers who worked to beautify their beloved city? Is it in the famous castles, palaces, statues and monuments, such as the Eiffel Tower? Can you find it in the world-class museums, such as the Louver? Perhaps Paris’ allure lies in the taste and style of the Parisians.

　　When you visit Paris, you don’t have to spend all of your time visiting museums and monuments. They are certainly worthy of your time, but ignore them for a day. First take some time to look around and experience life in Paris. You’ll find it charming.

　　Take a stroll along the Seine River. Glance over the artists’ colorful paintings. Peek through delicate iron gates at the well-kept gardens. Watch closely for the French attention to detail that has made France synonymous with good taste. You will see it in the design of a doorway or arch and in the little fountains and quaint balconies. No matter where you look, you will find everyday objects transformed into works by art.

　　Spend some time in a quiet park relaxing on an old bench. Lie on your back on the green grass. When you need refreshment, try coffee and dessert at a sidewalk cafe. Start a conversation with a Parisian. This isn’t always easy, though. With such a large international population living in Paris, true natives are hard to find these days.

　　As evening comes to Paris, charm rises with the mist over the riverfront. You may hear music from an outdoor concert nearby: classical, jazz, opera or chansons, those French folk songs. Parisians love their music. The starry sky is their auditorium. You can also hear concerts in the castles and churches. In Paris the music never ends.

　　Don’t miss the highlight of Paris evening: eating out. Parisians are proud of their cooking. And rightly so; it’s world famous. Gourmet dining is one of the extremely necessary joys of living. You need a special guidebook to help you choose one of the hundreds of excellent restaurants. The capital of France boasts every regional specialty, cheese and wine the country has to offer. If you don’t know what to order, ask for the suggested menu. The cook likes to display his best dishes there. Remember, you haven’t tasted the true flavor of France until you’ve dined at a French restaurant in Paris.

　　After your gourmet dinner, take a walking tour of the floodlit monuments. Go to the most famous landmark of Paris: Notre Dame Cathedral. Stand in the square in front of the cathedral. Here, you are standing in the center of France. All distances are measured from the front of Notre Dame Cathedral. Every road in France leads to her front door. All French kings and leaders have journeyed here to give honor to the memory of the important occasions and give thanks. Notre Dame is the heart of Paris and the heart of France.

　　Your visit in Paris has only just begun. You’ve just started to discover the charm of this old city. May the rest of your journey be unforgettable. When it is time to leave, you will go unwillingly. You will say with the French, “A bientot, Paris, a bientot!”

　　啊,美丽的巴黎!几个世纪来,这个城市受到了整个世界的崇拜。巴黎的诱惑与魅力吸引了所有到此游玩的人。

　　你在哪里可以找到巴黎对你自己的吸引力呢?是否是在历任的法国统治者们在美化他所钟爱的城市所留下來的遗产里?还是在那些著名的城堡、皇宫雕像和纪念碑,如艾菲尔铁塔之中呢?你能否在世界一流的博物馆,如卢浮宫中找着呢?或许巴黎的诱惑力在于巴黎人的特殊品味和风格中吧。

　　当你到巴黎游玩时,別把时间全都花在看博物馆和纪念碑上面。它们当然很值得你花时间,但今天先忘掉它们。首先来四处看看,并体验一下巴黎的生活,你会发现它的迷人之处。

　　沿着塞纳河漫步,浏览艺术家们丰富多彩的绘画,透过那些精致的铁门,向内偷窥那些精心管理的花园。仔细看看法国人对于细节的留心。这使得法国成为“好品味”的同义词。你可以在门廊或拱门以及小喷泉和古怪有趣的走廊的设计上看见。不管你往哪里看,你都可以发现日常物品已经变成了艺术品。

　　花些时间,在一个安静的公园里面的旧板凳上轻松地休息。 躺在青草地上。想吃点心的时候,尝尝路边咖啡店的咖啡及点心。 找一个巴黎人展开一段会话,但这也不太容易。有这么大的国际人口居住在此地,在这个年头要找到一个真正当地的巴黎人是很难的。

　　到了傍晚时分,随着码头上的雾气升起,巴黎的诱惑力也随之而来。 你也许会听到附近室外音乐会所演奏的乐曲——古典、爵士、歌剧或是小调,即法国的民歌。 巴黎人热爱自己的音乐,繁星点缀的天空,就是他们演奏的大礼堂。你也可以在皇宫或教堂里聆听音乐会。 在巴黎,音乐是不会停止的。

　　別错过了巴黎夜晚的高潮:下馆子。巴黎人对其烹饪非常骄傲,理当如此,因为它驰名世界。美食本来就是与生活享乐不可分割的。为了帮你从几百家绝佳的餐厅中作选择,你需要一本特別的指南。法国的首都以各地的特色风味、乳酪和酒著称于世。如果你不知道要叫什么,可以要“推荐菜单”来看。大厨喜欢在此将他最拿手的菜作一番橱窗展示。请记住,在你尚未在巴黎的法国餐厅里吃过饭之前,都不算尝过法国真正的风味。

　　在你的美食晚餐之后,可以到被聚光灯照耀的纪念碑走一趟。去一趟巴黎最有名的标志:圣母院。站在教堂前面的广场,在这里,你即处于法国的正中心。所有的距离皆是以圣母院前门开始计算,法国的每一条路都通往它的前门,所有的法国国王或统治者都曾经旅游到此来纪念重要的节日或感恩。圣母院是巴黎的中心,也是法国的中心。

　　你的巴黎之旅才刚刚开始呢。你才刚刚开始发现这个古老城市的魅力。希望你剩余的旅程将令你难以忘怀。当你该起程回家时,你会依依不舍,然后用法文说道:“后会有期,巴黎!”

　　(文/孙淑敏；英语通高三版2004-2005学年第12期；版权归英语辅导报社所有，独家网络合作伙伴新浪教育，未经许可，不得以任何形式进行转载。)