2014-12-27

【Aiden in English】

        It doesn't sound normal for winter to be lenient in the Greater Philadelphia Area, especially at the end of December. Today, the weather was crazy, with temperatures over 60^oF/15^oC. Dad thought that staying indoors was a waste of perfect weather. So he decided to take me to Fairmount Park in the City of Brotherly Love. 

        Fairmount Park is vast and spans miles. Located outside the heart of Philadelphia, it has pure and fresh air, which is a perfect way to cool off (even though it's winter). Like Central Park in New York and Millennium Park in Chicago, Fairmount Park is Philadelphia's most important urban park. 

        One of the best places to go in Fairmount Park is the Schuylkill River. There is a path leading to the water that is about a mile long, offering a nice view. This would be a double win for me to stroll, exercise, and have a great time. The long walk began at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The path next to the river started way before that, but it was the only suitable parking spot in the area. Without much dilly-dallying, Dad and I started the walk. 

        There were a ton of bicyclists on the path. They zoomed past Dad and me, trying not to get run over. We didn't realize the walk distance was too long until about ten minutes later, when the Schuylkill River came into view. The river lazily flowed as if it didn't have a care. Canadian Geese landed in the water, occasionally dipping their heads under. The path then turned and placed us right next to the water, but what wasn't cool was that, at times, there were no barriers between the platform and the water, which was supposed to keep us away from the edge.

        I don't think that the only thing to see was a river. Along the path were statues honoring Philadelphians who contributed to society. As we continued, we noticed this path was too long, so we decided to make a U-turn and walk back. However, we had no idea that the Schuylkill River had another surprise in store for us. After walking back to the car, Dad spotted a small balcony next to the entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and we walked over to it. There, we saw a wonder of the Schuylkill River with a waterfall. The waterfall appeared small, but it extended for a considerable distance. The white foam of pollution could be seen, which spoiled it, though. It bubbled at the foot of the waterfall; without it, the scene would have been a beautiful sight. 

        Nice weather in the winter is brutal to come by, and Dad and I indeed made the most of today’s weather.

【紅霞譯】

        在美東大費城“兄弟之愛”地區，冬天和暖聽起來並非正常氣候，尤其時下臨近十二月底。可今天偏巧就這麼離譜，氣溫狂飆超過華氏60度/攝氏15度，爸爸覺得呆在屋裡愧對老天爺恩賜，因此決定帶我出遊費城的費爾蒙“美山”公園。

        費爾蒙公園面積很大，方圓足有幾里地，再加上本身偏離市中心，景色自然空氣新鮮，有利於修心養性（即使現在正值冬季）。如同紐約“新紫杉樹之地”的中央公園、芝加哥“野洋蔥”的千禧公園，費爾蒙公園堪稱費城最重要的市區公園。

        水為萬物之源，斯庫基爾“暗”河無疑是費爾蒙公園首屈一指的標誌性景點，河邊有條蹊徑長約一英里左右，沿途風光迤邐秀美。對我來說，溜達一趟不僅能夠活絡筋骨，而且還會盡飽眼福，可謂一舉兩得。徒步行走需從費城藝術博物館開始，雖說蹊徑遠離博物館，但因為只有博物館附近才好停車，所以我和爸爸不再猶豫，甩開腳步向前走去。

        蹊徑上有很多人騎自行車，他們在我倆之間隨意穿梭，我們儘量躲閃，避免彼此碰到一起。俗話說得好，望山走倒馬！斯庫基爾河近在眼前，想不到我們硬要走上十分鐘之久。河水正不着急不着慌地慢慢流淌，一副滿不在乎的樣子；成群的加拿大鵝浮在水面上，偶爾把腦袋浸入水下。蹊徑順着河岸彎來繞去，帶我們來到河水淹沒去路的地段，這可不是鬧着玩的，走道跟河水之間連個擋板都沒有，萬一掉進河裡多瘮得慌。

        千萬不要誤以為我們來此僅僅看到一條河，其實不然，沿途中立有不少為社會做出貢獻的費城人物雕塑，但我們越往前走越覺得路漫漫兮其修遠兮，再這麼繼續下去，不知猴年馬月方可走到盡頭，於是便當即立斷馬上打道回府，可不等走回車位，爸爸又發現費城藝術博物館入口處有一小陽台非同尋常，我們隨即登台遠望，斯庫基爾河奇貌一覽無餘，其中更有瀑布近掛前川。瀑布落差不大，但由污染造成的白沫往上翻騰，有點大煞風景，否則風景着實叫人稱道。

        冬季里難得遇到這麼一個風和日麗的日子，還好我和爸爸及時行樂，才沒有錯失良機。

Prometheus Strangling the Vulture (1943) against Cityscape

(城市景觀下1943年雕塑《普羅米修斯“先知”扼殺禿鷲》04-15-2001)

19^th-Century Boathouse Row @ the Schuylkill Riverside

(斯庫基爾河畔19世紀船屋排樓 08-11-2001)

Fairmount Water Works (費爾蒙水廠 08-11-2001)

Fairmount Dam, a Major Feat of 19^th-Century Engineering for Protection of Philadelphia's Freshwater Supply from Tidal Salt Water

(費爾蒙水壩·19世紀工程學的重大壯舉，得以保護費城的淡水供應免受潮汐鹹水的侵襲)

Philadelphia Museum of Art (費城藝術博物館)

Rocky Steps @ the on the East Terrace of Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Backdrop for Hollywood Rocky

(位於費城藝術博物館東露台的洛奇“力量”台階·電影《洛奇》拍攝地)

City Hall Viewed from the Fairmount Park

(從費爾蒙公園遠眺市府大廈 08-04-2008)

Overlook of Fairmount Waterworks

(俯視費爾蒙水廠 04-10-2010)

Washington Monument (華盛頓“農夫”紀念碑)

Sculpture of Social Consciousness

(雕像《社會意識》05-05-2012)

Fairmont Park, the World's Largest Landscaped Urban Park

(費爾蒙公園·世上最大的景觀城市公園 05-05-2012)

Chasing Canadian Geese (跟蹤加拿大鵝 05-05-2012)

Please Touch Museum, the Former Memorial Hall in Beaux-Arts (1876)

(開心觸摸博物館·原為建於1876年美術學院派風格的紀念堂 07-14-2013)

Goose Trail (鵝徑 12-27-2014)

City Avenue Bridge across the Schuylkill River

(橫跨斯庫基爾河的城市大道橋 12-27-2014)

Winterberry Holly Covered in Bright Red Berries

(冬青樹上掛滿了鮮紅的漿果 12-27-2014)

City Skyline Viewed from the Fairmount Park East

(從費爾蒙特公園東側眺望城市天際線)

City Skyline Viewed from the Fairmount Park West

(從費爾蒙特公園西側眺望城市天際線)

Crosslinks(相關博文):

USA(出遊美國)

6th Grade(初中一年級)