We drove down to Portland early Saturday morning and made excellent time. It was a pleasant drive, not too much rain, a little bit of sun, no traffic. We found the hotel without a hitch, checked in early, and did a little exploring. After a couple hours at Powell's and some half assed shopping elsewhere, we stopped at a tavern for a couple beers and a plate of gorgonzola fries. Then we stumbled back to the hotel, I took a nap, and we went to a night of plays. After the plays, one of the playwrights -- my former teacher and all around excellent writer -- took Jer and I out for a beer and we talked about the plays, life, and everything. By 1am, I was asleep.
The next morning I went for an early morning photo walk along the Willamette River. The sun came out and lit up all the bridges. Freezing cold, but pretty.
Portland reminded me of Bizarro Seattle. The public transit was much better and there was a Carl's Jr across from our hotel, but I didn't get that Seattle vibe I like so much. Portland just seemed so much more spread out and the homeless people were far more aggressive. Maybe that soured it.
It comforted me in one small way at least; I'm glad I'm not a sucker for any ol' Pacific Northwest city. Portland was nice, but we didn't click.
I highly recommend the Portland Big Deal (do a Google search, you'll find it) if you're planning a trip anytime soon. We stayed in the Hilton smack dab in the middle of downtown, king bed, no smoking, $119 pre-tax, free parking, plus coupons. Parking is normally $18 per day. It was awesome. I can't say enough good things about the Big Deal.
Until next time...
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