Oregon coast - Astoria and Cannon Beach

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Off to the beach today. First stop Astoria, on the mouth of the Columbia river. It's one of those small American towns stuck in a time warp - ca 1950s. Lots of films were shot here - Kindergarten Cop and Free Willy were the ones we remember. There is a long waterfront, with jetties sticking out into the sea, canneries and maritime suppliers smelling of salt water and fish and small streets with old fashioned shops stuck in a bygone era, including the worlds's smallest JC Penney. We wander around and agree on an early clam chowder lunch, which is made freshly for us and takes us back to long forgotten family holidays in Massachusetts. We sit over lunch and look around for the guy on the witness protection program, as this must be the sort of town you would get sent to if you had informed on The Mob.

After that, it's on to Cannon Beach, a scenic and slightly twee little town with a great expanse of golden sandy beach. The one downside is that it's really quite cold and windy - oh, and David eventually has to accept that you can't wear your walking boots when walking through sand, and is obliged to take them off. The sand is warm but the ocean is freezing! People huddled in anoraks on the sand determined to enjoy themselves remind David of Rhyl in August.

Then we head back to Portland for a last burst of retail therapy. The traffic is dreadful, in part because a US all stars team is playing the Bayern Munich team (well, second team, if we're honest) in town. Urban Outfitters proves a disappointment to Hannah, but the Keen shop proves a great find for David who buys walking boots, sandals and a pair of shoes. All shopped out, we drive home, then walk a few blocks to Clay's Smokehouse for a huge meal of beef brisket (Sara and David), mixed grill (James) and salmon salad (Hannah). Duly stuffed we walk home - or limp in Sara's case as unseen mosquitoes have attacked her, biting heels, hand and arm and leaving her with huge painful, itchy swellings.

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