How to Find Peace and Silence in Western Cities如何在西部城市寻求安宁

达科塔·金

If your ears need a break from constant noise， head to these serenely quiet spots.如果你的耳朵需要远离纷扰不断的噪声，那就前往这些静谧之地吧！

One of the major advantages of living in the West is that its quiet by comparison with the East. Were lucky to enjoy lower noise pollution levels， especially in the Rockies and farther from the California coast. East of the Californian coastal cities， past the mountains， background noise hovers low， between 21 and 26 decibels.

与生活在东部相比，生活在西部的一大好处就在于那份安宁。我们是幸运的，因为这里的噪声污染较小，尤其是落基山脉和离加利福尼亚海岸更远的腹地。在加利福尼亚海岸各城市以东，越过山脉，背景噪声很低，在21到26分贝之间波动。

Still， in our cities， we often struggle to find peace and quiet. For those who work on the Las Vegas Strip or in Hollywood， afternoons may be filled with the background noise of honking cars and street vendors instead of calm and focus. And loud urban noise has an effect on our health， resulting in hearing loss， stress and lack of sleep; heart disease， high blood pressure， and low birth weight; and physical， emotional， and cognitive problems. Seeking out quiet and protecting others quiet is the goal of new anti-noise activists.

但是，在城市里，我們往往很难找到平静与安宁。在拉斯维加斯大道或好莱坞工作的人，每个下午都会淹没在汽车喇叭声和街头摊贩带来的背景噪声中，无法达到内心的平静与专注。喧闹的城市噪声会影响我们的健康，导致以下问题：听觉受损、精神压力和睡眠不足;心脏病、高血压、低出生体重;各种身体、情绪和认知问题。新一代抗噪声活动人士的目标是寻求安宁并保护其他人的安宁。

Finding that precious quiet in the city can mean going deep into a garden， or finding yourself at the top of a hill by a church. Wherever you head for quiet， the trip will improve your health. So instead of putting your noise-canceling earbuds in， escape to our favorite urban nooks and hideaways for maximum aural isolation.

要在城市中找到难得的静谧，你可以置身花园深处，或登上教堂旁边的小山。无论在哪里寻找安宁，旅途总对健康有益。所以，不必佩戴消音耳塞，来我们所青睐的城市“谧境”吧，让耳朵逃离喧嚣、尽享安宁。

Descanso Gardens， La Ca?ada Flintridge， CA

Camellia lovers can marvel at their favorite flower in relative silence at this 150-acre botanical garden just 20 minutes from Downtown Los Angeles. The varied topography at this hilly former estate， purchased by Los Angeles County from Los Angeles Daily News owner E. Manchester Boddy， allows you to own your own little piece of paradise. To find your peace and quiet， head to the most unpopulated areas. Stroll amongst ancient ferns and oaks， then hike up the hill to see the stately， snow-covered San Gabriel mountains. Pause in silence at the amphitheater to imagine the weddings and celebrations past. Grab a book and sit inside the Lakeside Lookouts open-air house， or park yourself in the Adirondack chairs1 facing the serenely green lake and close your eyes for a moment.

德斯康索花园，加利福尼亚州拉肯纳达石岭

德斯康索花园是一座占地150英亩的植物园，距洛杉矶市中心仅20分钟车程。在这里，山茶花爱好者可以在赏花的同时，享受相对的宁静。这里曾是《洛杉矶每日新闻》老板E.曼彻斯特·博迪的地产，后由洛杉矶县政府买下。园内属丘陵地貌，地形多变，能够为你营造出属于自己的一处小小天堂。要想寻找平静与安宁，就去人最少的地方。漫步在古老的蕨类植物和橡树间，然后徒步上山，一览白雪皑皑、威严雄伟的圣盖博山脉。或者静静地站在露天剧场，遥想过去在这里举行过的婚礼和庆典。又或拿上一本书，坐在湖边观景台的露天小屋内，或慵懒地坐在户外靠椅上，面对宁静的绿色湖面，闭上眼睛，休息片刻。

Boise River Greenbelt， Boise， ID

If youre lucky enough to work near the Greenbelt， its your perfect pre-work， post-work， lunch break spot to unwind amongst maple trees and the soothing sounds of the Boise River. Though joggers and cyclists use the 46-mile， mostly-flat path， youll find a lot of quiet to yourself as you stroll its length. Mostly paved except for a 1.5-mile section from Barber Park downstream， this pleasant trail offers views of geese， birds， and ducks， as well as access to a dozen parks it connects to， so your options for perambulating quietly are endless.

博伊西河绿地，爱达荷州博伊西

如果你足够幸运，能在博伊西河绿地附近工作，这里将是你上班前、午休时和下班后的绝佳去处。走在枫树林中，聆听着博伊西河舒缓的水声，放松而惬意。这条46英里长的步道多为平路，尽管道上有很多慢跑和骑行的人，但当你沿着它悠然漫步时，你会发现属于自己的宁静。除了从巴伯公园往下游的1.5英里路段外，大部分绿道的路面都铺砌完好。走在这条宜人的小径上，你可以看到成群的大雁、小鸟和野鸭，还有与十多个公园的连通道，为你闲适漫步、寻找内心宁静提供了无限的选择。

Japanese Friendship Garden， San Diego， CA

This serene garden， a symbol of the sister city bond between Yokohama and San Jose， is the perfect place to contemplate koi over a quiet cup of Sencha. Though the garden etiquette specifically requests quiet voices and no shouting， come early still to find peace in the 12 acres of meticulously-maintained bamboo and black pine groves. Skip the crowds of the Cherry Blossom Festival and come on a weekday morning to lie underneath a lusciously-blooming pink canopy， reading a book or writing in your journal. Stone lanterns and bronze statues dot the lush landscape， and numerous benches and sitting locations allow for pauses to take in the natural beauty.

日本友好园，加利福尼亚州圣迭戈

这座宁静的花园象征着横滨与圣荷西之间“姐妹城市”的情谊，也是边悠然地喝着一杯煎茶、边观赏锦鲤的绝佳之地。园内有一片片得到精心照护的竹林和黑松林，占地12英亩。虽然依照游园的具体规定，人们要轻声轻语，不可大声喧哗，但最好还是早点来，在黑松林里找到那份宁静。避开樱花节的人潮，选一个工作日的早晨来到这里。樱花开得正盛，好似粉色华盖，躺在树下，看看书、写写日记。石灯笼和铜像点缀着郁郁葱葱的风景，数不清的长凳和就坐之处，可以让你停下脚步，领略自然美景。

Central Library at the Los Angeles Public Library， Los Angeles， CA

Youll be pleasantly surprised at the calm of the second floor of this main library downtown， where a museum-like hush falls over viewers as they stand in awe of the murals by Dean Cornwell2. Take a gander around the library to find your perfect spot. Ride the escalator up and admire the colorful floral and bird sculptures in the atrium. Stop into the Getty Gallery or the First Floor Galleries to view interesting exhibits on writers and artists. Hunt for ghosts of Ghostbusters past， if you dare. All areas except the childrens areas should be fairly quiet， but if youre really looking to find your own space， head down one， two， three and even four levels subterranean， where youll find scholars quietly researching in the history and genealogy section.

洛杉磯公共图书馆中央图书馆，加利福尼亚州洛杉矶

市中心中央图书馆二楼就像博物馆一般静谧，人们心怀敬畏地站在迪安·康韦尔的壁画前欣赏时也都安安静静，这种氛围定会令你惊喜。在图书馆内闲步，找一个舒适的座位，或者乘自动扶梯而上，去欣赏中庭五彩缤纷的花鸟雕塑，抑或驻足盖蒂画廊或一楼画廊，观赏和作家、艺术家有关的有趣展品。如果你胆子够大，还可去捉拿旧版《捉鬼敢死队》中的鬼怪。除了儿童区，其他区域应该都比较安静，但如果你真的想找一个属于自己的空间，可以往地下一、二、三层甚至地下四层走，在这里，你会发现许多学者在历史和族谱区安静地做着研究。