【推荐1】In this list, you can find some of the best parks in London.

Chiswick Gardens

Chiswick Gardens arguably inspired England’s most influential cultural export, second perhaps to the Beatles. In the 1720s, architect and designer William Kent experimented at Chiswick, inventing what became known as the English landscape garden. He made the garden less formal, introducing a far more natural feel – sweeping grassland and lakes, classical temples and monuments. The style soon became the model for public parks across the globe. And it all started here.

Website: chiswickhouseandgardens. org. uk

Opening times: open daily, 7 a.m. — dusk

Osterley Park

The essential dignity of this old country estate does not seem to be affected by the modern world. The stillness of its lake is occasionally broken by a line of passing swans. A cycle-friendly trail circles the park, perfect for children (bike hire available) – and if you don’t mind paying, the beautiful gardens are a must.

Website: nationaltrust. org. uk

Opening times: open daily, 7 a.m.—7: 30 p.m.

Richmond Park

Deer have been wandering around this rare grassland habitat since at least 1637, when Charles I enclosed it. It’s London’s largest nature reserve. Away from the roads and cycle tracks, few places in London feel so open and wild. The landscape isn’t all left to the deer: the Isabella Plantation is a sizeable woodland garden full of flowers that look their best in mid-spring.

Website: royalparks.org. uk

Opening times: open 24 hours, except Nov and Feb

Victoria Park

Regular winner of the nation’s most popular park awards, this park continues to attract new generations to its enormous band of devoted fans. The park is simply amazing for young people. A playground features the best slides in town and a host of other original swinging and climbing equipment. Meanwhile, older kids get top-grade music festivals, a mouth-watering Sunday market and an excellent cafe in each of its two parts. And that’s without mentioning the lakes, gardens and everything else!

Website: towerhamlets .gov. uk

Opening times: open daily, 7 a.m. — dusk

How have you been? I’m having a good time on my holiday in Shangri-La. It is the name of a city in Yunnan, China. I decided to come here because I wanted to experience the real Shangri-La for myself, even if it’s different from the paradise we read about in the book. So far, I really like it here.

On Monday, I left Lhasa at noon, and after changing flights once, I reached Shangri-La at eight in the evening. That night, I was so tired that I had a quick bite to eat and then crashed at the hotel.

Yesterday, I went to the Potatso National Park. The park covers such a wide area that the ticket for the park includes a bus tour, as it is the only way to see all the major sites in one day. Just to give you an idea of how large the place is, imagine a park that spans across vast forests, wetlands, lakes, meadows, and several villages! On the bus, I made friends with the passengers around me, and they said that I had definitely picked the right season to visit the park. The autumn scenery, they said, would be absolutely picture-perfect.

On top of its beautiful scenery, the park is also famous for its rich biological diversity. Did you know that Potatso makes up less than one percent of China’s total land area, but it contains more than 20 percent of the country’s plant and animal species? I even saw two black-necked cranes (鹤) at the picturesque Bita Lake! Bita Lake is absolutely my favorite place in Potatso. Just imagine, a beautiful lake, blue skies, majestic mountains, and golden trees all around me. Spending time there can be an amazing experience, which gives me a good rest.

Tomorrow, I am going hiking at the Tiger Leaping Gorge. Fingers crossed that there will be good weather! Anyway, I need to get some sleep now since tomorrow’s going to be a long day, but I’ll tell you all about it when I get back!

Love,

Chris