Not a warzone
Flights and hotel were already booked before all this nonsense about Portland
being a warzone, but it wouldn't have had any bearing anyways. The only fire I saw during my stay was
a wood fire outside of town. Portland is a pretty affluent area, of course with a handful of rough
spots like any other larger city, and the protests were isolated to a city block by the Willamette.
I think we would all benefit from refraining from exaggeration when it comes to
domestic issues. Yes, there are some problems in the city (not that I am at all familiar enough to
really comment, much less make any sort of suggestion), but nothing worth the expense of sending in
federal troops to address them. The US Pacific Northwest is a gorgeous part of the country, and I'm
glad to have finally seen a bit of it for myself!
In The City
I spent five days in Portland, checking out the city, as well as a few nature spots in the surrounding area. The first day, after landing and checking into the hotel, my party immediately went to check out the Aerial Tram. Part sight-seeing attraction, part commuting service, the little silver pods running up and down the cables instantly captivated us?
At the top, I grabbed a shot of the city. Portland is a beautiful blend of urban structures, nestled in a cradle of greenery!
Trying to be practical and save some money, we actually committed to taking the Tri-Met public transit system for getting around town. It seemed an intimidating prospect to tackle the robust routes and schedules. However, simply selecting the bus option on Google Maps made it all such a breeze! The app holds your hand, giving you multiple options for stops, times, and walking distances; no need for maps or timetables here. Furthermore, pricing is hassle-free: once you ride the bus for the second time, the rest of the day's fare is covered, all for only $5. You can get a virtual pass on your phone, tie it to your credit/debit card, or pick up a physical Hop card.
Take a Hike
Next, we went out to Bridal Veil Falls, about a 45 minute drive east. This was
the only day we rented a car, and I'm honestly so glad for that! The streets in Portland are not the
the most intuitive, and for running around town, cycling and public transit seem to be the better
choice.
Bridal Veil Falls offered excellent natural views! It's in the Columbia River
Gorge area, and the green valley, covered in the rainy mist, made for a magical mood! We hiked over to
the falls, passing towering trees and fluffy ferns. If I could, I'd hike here every weekend!
Beach Episode
Next, we traveled west to Cannon Beach, which features Haystack Rock (a 235 ft seastack very near to the coast), and had been named one of the 100 most beautiful places on Earth in 2013, by NatGeo (at least according to Wikipedia).
The little beach town was so cute, too! There's no way I could afford to live there, though, haha!
Definitely Want to Return!
Back in the city, we visited all sorts of wonderful shops, including
Powell's City of Books, the
largest independent bookstore in the world (I picked up a copy of Wyrd Sisters by Terry
Pratchett, and The Shutterbug, a great camera shop with
enthusiastic and knowledge staff (I picked up some Portra 800)!
So many great food spots, too! We had Moroccan dishes in Chinatown, Pho and
Bahn Mi by the bars downtown, and Ethiopian food near Mississippi Ave. Having the mountains and valleys
as backdrops everywhere you go makes each outing feel like an adventure, and I really think Portland
nails the mix of urban features and vital greenery! I really, really hope that I can make it back up
there again and explore even more. Until then, I have some fantastic memories!
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