Portland

So my mom and I went to Portland to visit my brother. I tried very hard to stay on East Coast time, but all I really seem to have accomplished is to make myself tired in two time zones. So you’ll have to make up your own clever title.

I did, however, have a wonderful time. I love the Pacific Northwest. It is just so different from the East Coast and everything that I grew up with. I miss my brother quite a bit, so it was wonderful to see him. And I like his girlfriend, so I was pleased to get to spend time with her.

Three things I learned about Portland:
1) The people are really nice and helpful. Almost creepily so, although they seemed sincere about it. It started at the airport when a guy insisted on helping me find the correct baggage claim, and continued for the whole trip.

2) Oregonians don’t speed. They are all very law abiding, possibly because the roads around Portland are confusing. I was going to a place on Tualatin Rd (or possibly Tualatin Drive) and I kept having to turn right to stay on the same road.

3) Nothing is pronounced the way I think I should be. See Willamette and Tualatin for starters.

As for touristy stuff, well, Powell’s City of Books is one of the coolest places I have ever been. It really does cover a full block! I could have spent an entire day there, I think, wandering the aisles in some sort of book-induced ecstasy. Alas, I didn’t have a whole day, but I had a good time while I was there.

We also visited the traditional Japanese garden. If I lived in Portland, I think I would buy an annual pass to this place. It was so lovely and tranquil and peaceful. I actually felt more connected to the rhythms of nature while I was there. The breeze blows, the trees sway, the water drips and pools and flows. Here are some Koi who live in the garden:

Also, if you ever visit Portland I highly recommend you take an afternoon and go up the old Columbia River Scenic Highway. It runs along the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge, and it is spectacular. There’s one beautiful waterfall after another every couple of miles. We drove up to the top of Larch Mountain, and my mom very bravely hiked up to a scenic point at the very top. She has bad knees, so it was a struggle for her. It was totally worth it, because you could see for miles – Mount Hood, Mount St. Helens, even Mount Rainier, way off in the distance. We finished up at Multnomah Falls, which is the most spectacular falls of them all. Then we went up past Bonneville Dam and over the very high Bridge of the Gods at Cascade Locks. My brother was NOT a fan of the bridge, but I thought it was very cool.

A view of the river from Vista House:

As I read up on the city before my trip, I kept reading that Portland was a city of restaurants, and we certainly ate at some good ones. I think Mother’s Bistro downtown was my favorite. I also discovered a new favorite drink – strawberry lemonade. Experiments at recreating this drink will begin this weekend. Mostly though, it was just nice to hang out with my brother, and even to spend a good chunk of time with my mom. By yesterday she’d had enough of me and my quirks, and I’d had enough of her and her quirks, but it was a good trip.