While I was finding myself last spring, I took a solo trip to Portland. I love traveling alone. Nothing but endless mounds of me time stuffed chockablock with things only I want to do. I devoured Powell's (even better than I'd imagined and I'd imagined great) and took in the peace of the Japanese Garden. Downtown is so wonderful that I could've spent all my time there, but I ventured out to the 'burbs and found them good. I stayed at The Benson Hotel, a pretty swanky place, and wore a scarf named in its honor whenever weather permitted.Portland had been on my mind so long. I'd been considering it as A Possibly Better Place Where I Won't Rip Out My Hair from Everyday Living. I really enjoyed the city, one where actual thought goes into planning and development. Three things mark a favorable city: good grocery stores, a sexy central library, and healthy appreciation for yarn and crafting. Portland's got all three, but I worried that if I lived there I'd go nuts with the rain and the lack of sun (though neither was a factor during my trip). And do you know how you land some place and feel like you've come home? That happened to me with New York City, San Francisco, and Barbados. But I didn't get that feeling in Portland. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Admired its fundamental intelligence and was wowed by its devotion to making stuff (I could walk to two yarn stores from my hotel). Felt like I wanted to camp out in Powell's forever. Found the people friendly enough. Just didn't feel that I could fold myself into it all. But any time you say Let's take a trip to Portland, I'll go.
Japanese Garden
Downtown
3 comments:
i've only been to portland once, but i loved it too. in fact i was just saying to my husband that i want to go back. i remember our trip so vividly. thanks for the great photos!
Oh, isn't Powells to die for? And rumor has it that there's a knittery shop right around the corner!
Sachi, oh yes, two, actually. Knit/Purl is great and right down the street.
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