FAMILY TIME IN PORTLAND

Carol writes:   From the moment we arrived on the outskirts of Portland, Oregon, we had the feeling that Portland was where all the baby boomer hippies must have come to live out their lives.  The ambience and social vibes we experienced were definitely different.  Portland’s progressive politics and hippie residents were like a flashback to the Age of Aquarius.

The 60s scene from our youth was on full display at Saturday’s Portland Farmers Market, 

where there were almost as many flower stands as food vendors.  While surrounded by a profusion of fresh produce, the music certainly invited us to sit and listen while enjoying a great cup of coffee and a cranberry scone.

Our campground was located in tiny Troutdale, a small bedroom community 12 miles east of Portland, at the confluence of the Sandy and Columbia Rivers.

While daughter Megan visited us for 4 days, Troutdale was a perfect gateway for fun excursions up the Columbia River Gorge.

At Megan’s suggestion, on the first day we headed up the Columbia Gorge to a series of wineries.  The first stop was our favorite—The Gorge White House—where we delighted in samples of hard cider made out of Oregon’s diverse bounty of fresh fruit.  Megan and Mom took over the selection of hard ciders accompanied by a snack food pairing,

under the watchful eye of Mt. Hood in the distance.

The White House also offered pick-it-yourself blueberries and raspberries; we couldn’t resist…

This cloudless sunny day was just perfect for precious family photographs with a slumbering  volcano in the Cascade section of the Ring of Fire off in the distance.

The only hard part about refilling our “wine cellar” was limiting our choices.

A Sunday brunch cruise on the Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler out of Cascade Locks was a unique way to experience the history and natural beauty of the Columbia River, the fourth largest river in the United States.

The setting was classy and the food was delicious.

As the sternwheeler maneuvered under the Bridge of the Gods,

and up to the impressive Bonneville Dam,

we were treated to unique viewpoints.

After the cruise, we drove to the Bonneville Dam

for a closer look at this marvel of hydroelectric power.

We got an up-close look at the fish-friendly engineering of fish ladders that were designed to protect seasonal runs of salmon along the Columbia River.

The powerhouse of the largest producer of hydroelectric power in North America was a pristine marvel of mechanical ingenuity.

We rounded out our Sunday excursion at the Vista House viewpoint 733 feet above the Columbia River.

For our third day’s excursion, the Galus Family decided on a trip into Portland.  First stop was the iconic Portland Japanese Garden, a haven of cool tranquil beauty perched high above the downtown.

Authentic Japanese landscaping along with lovely koi ponds completed the picture.

We actually found the next door International Rose Test Garden, overlooking the Portland skyline, to be a bit more interesting…

Portland, the City of Roses, had just concluded the annual Rose Festival, and the roses were showing their most exquisite side.

Every color imaginable, and all in between, were on display.  This lavender one especially caught my eye.

A visit to the world’s largest book store at Powell’s City of Books 

and an excellent meal at a Thai restaurant downtown rounded out a fun-filled family day for all…

By the 4th of July, a Portland summer had kicked into gear.  All trees and flowers were leafy and in full-bloom.  Grapes were still small and green; however, the promise of a bountiful harvest that would produce great Oregon wine was clearly in the forecast.

At Portland’s location halfway between the North Pole and the Equator, daylight hours were long, so we had lots of time to explore.  We experimented by riding the MAX Light Rail all the way into Portland from where we were camped.  

The MAX was smooth, very cheap and efficient!  We couldn’t agree more with Portland’s reputation of having one of the best public mass transit systems in the country!

Portland was one of those 2-week stopovers where I was actually a little sad on leaving, but our ambitious travel schedule dictated we must.    

Portland was the fifth city where daughter Megan caught up with us on the trail (also:  Santa Fe, Charleston, Amarillo, and Reno).  I will always remember Portland fondly as the place where we had another great session of family time with our Megan Rose.

“…and love will steer the stars”

Aquarius, The 5th Dimension