We arrived in Portland, Oregon last night (local time) after a 23 hour trip from London. My first impressions of this city are very positive. We’re on the Portland State University campus, which is it’s own – couple of square blocks – district about a 20 minute walk from the centre of down town. The rooms are large, clean and have lots of services.
Portland appears to have a very good public transport system. Buses are a common site and there’s a train/metro system. Furthermore, cycling seems to be actively encouraged through public notices. This morning I witnessed a cycling event over the bridges which must have had several thousand participants. Other than public transport, recycling appears to be taken as a core civic responsibility. I suppose, I get the feeling that Portland has an outlook that chimes with my European biases. Unfortunately, like many US cities I’ve visited, there seems to be a very visible population of homeless people. Again, my Euro-social-safteynet bias kicks in and I assume that the proportion of homeless people in Dublin/London/Berlin is lower.
There’s a food festival today, which I intend to attend. Portland is also noted for it’s numerous micro-breweries. In order to escape the effects of jet-lag, we partook in a sampling of the local Ale specialities last night. And as a food and beer lover I was impressed. Moreso by the beer than the food, however I’ve high expectations from the food festival today. It was recommended by some locals we got talking to in one of the Ale establishments. For what it’s worth, in the 15 hours or so that I’ve spent here I’ve only encountered friendly people.
Portland is one of my favourite places in the world – unlike many places in the UK it has public transport that works (and that they invest in), and is very friendly and seems genuinely multicultural. FWIW, if you have time, I recommend a visit to Oregon Zoo and the Japanese Gardens (this is from someone usually unimpressed with ‘gardens’). You should also check out the Saturday Market (which is also open on Sundays!) – usually great food and interesting things around there.
If you have time and want stray further afield the multinomah falls are amazing and the hydroelectic damn & fish ladder are interesting. Even further afield is the Oregon coast and somewhere like Astoria (which is where Goonies was filmed).
Fantastic, good to hear there’s food AND beer available.
Portland is famed for it’s use of bicycles, here’s a link to the event you encountered; http://bikeportland.org/photos/
ttfn