After a long absence from spouting off about whatever, I find myself compelled to write about one of the great visit experiences I have known. I have been dithering about, hoping I might stumble upon a new mindset for myself. In pursuit of this undefined, new place, I planned a trip to Portland, Oregon. Lucky for me, several friends were on hand to gentle me through a sweet weekend.
Several months ago I arranged airfare so that I would be forced to embark on a visit to the dreamed of new location. To be fair, a chunk of my family is located on the west coast somewhere between Southern California and Southern Alaska, so Oregon is hardly a stretch. It is the one part of the coast unvisited by me, making it irresistible as unknown territory. Also, several important friends have talked up the region and I already know how to pronounce Willamette Valley and Couch Street, surely portents of belonging in the City of Roses. Who can resist a possibly errant city slogan, "Keep Portland Weird"?
City 'founders' (the European types who showed up first with a thirst for real estate and pre-lottery fundraising ambitions) Francis Pettygrove and Asa Lovejoy each wished to name the new city after his respective home town. In 1845, this controversy was settled with a coin toss which Pettygrove won in a series of two out of three tosses (he haled from Portland, ME). The coin used for this decision, now known as the Portland Penny is on display in the headquarters of the Oregon Historical Society, a place worthy of more time than I allotted for my visit (note that much of this bit is borrowed from Wikipedia!).
Upon arrival, a good friend scooped me up at the Airport and whisked me off to Fourth of July Celebrations in neighborhood Portland to rival anything across America. On offer were pulled pork, lamb burgers, salads of every type, beer and wine, children at their best and, might I mention, a few fireworks! Pyrotechnics drove the day's agenda, but conversation won my interest until darkness descended and these lovely Portlanders included me with no requirements. Hours later the fireworks were still lighting the sky and my favorite memory of a hands-on celebration for Independence Day is now of the Portland variety. I still am timid around things that go boom, but I almost felt I could light something.
Three hours into my trip and I was smitten!
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