Portland

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I’m not sure why, but instead of heading straight up to Seattle I decided to spend a couple of nights in Portland, Oregon. I’ve heard from a few people that it’s amazing this time of year and the people are friendly. Turns out they were right.

I arrived on Sunday night around 8pm after a 24 hour train ride from San Francisco. I spent the journey sat next to a guy called Elijah who was from Seattle and had been hitchhiking his way around California for the past month and was on his way home now that his money had ran out. I was really impressed at his outlook on life, he works solidly at whatever work he can find for a few months, then travels as much as he can until the money runs out.

The hostel I stayed in was quite small but well run and a lot cleaner than most of the hostels I’ve used. Every night they get the leftover Pizza from the restaurant a couple of blocks away which saved me paying for dinner.

I really only had one day to experience Portland, and unfortunately the weather was very Newcastle like (damp), so the photos haven’t come out very well. I spent the morning wondering around Washington Park which had loads of little trails running through it along with a rose garden and a Japanese garden. I really enjoyed it, the colours of the trees, where truly amazing. In the afternoon I headed for downtown, to a bookstore called Powell’s which is the other thing Portland is famous for. It takes up an entire block and is 3 storeys high; it’s bigger than most libraries. I spent a couple of hours browsing around there and headed back to the hostel. I thought there was a pub quiz in the evening, but it turns I had got my days mixed up and I was a day early so instead I just hung around the hostel talking to a few Americans comparing the differences and stereotypes between Europeans and Americans, turns out everyone’s wrong about everyone.

I’m currently on my last train ride to Seattle which is only about 4 hours long. it’s election day so I’m hoping that the hostel I’m staying in will be showing the coverage of the results tonight, if not I’ll have to find a bar or something. I was a little bit surprised how much of an event it really is, there is a real buzz in the air. I was in a bar when one of the debates was on and there where people sat round watching it as though it where a sports match or something. I can’t really imagine that happening in Britain. Hopefully it’ll be a big turning point for the country.

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Photos

view from the train
misty fields

Washington Park
Does this freak anyone else out?

Washington Park
the colours of this place where amazing