What’s the Vibe?

Look carefully; you can glimpse Mount Hood

Waiting for the pink hop-on hop-off trolley in Portland, Oregon, I initiated a conversation with another visitor. She was from New Jersey and confessed to having traveled extensively. Curious, I asked for her opinion of Portland.

It has some beauty. But I’ve seen beautiful.

Yes, I thought. I too have seen beautiful. Portland has pockets of beauty, but nothing wowed me. Am I becoming inured to modest attractions? Had views of the coast really beautied me out?

There was a time I traveled to see the sights. Now I prefer to stroll the streets, lounge on cafe patios, peruse shops, watch the people, and catch the vibe, the character, the uniqueness of a region. You know. When you’re in Paris, you feel French. In London, English. In Rye, Sussex village. Chicago, architecture. My hometown of Moline, Illinois, Midwest river, farm industry.

Ventura, California, impressed me as a family beach town. Solvang, a charming nod to Denmark. But Portland? My cousin who lives there admitted that Covid stripped Portland of its uniqueness. So, I asked the Portland families, what is Portland food? Attractions?

The consensus:

• Food trucks

• The International Rose Test Garden in Washington Park

• Powell’s City of Books.

• Waterfalls

  
  

Mike and I pursued all four.

Food trucks were easy to find in many locations, a half dozen or so trucks angled in lots, offering a variety of cuisines. We enjoyed gyros sitting under the cover of a patio attached to a bar. The system allows the bar to limit itself to beverages while offering a full menu outside. The setting was Portlandia. The meat was tender, the pita soft, and the tzatziki flavorful, but I’ve had Greek gyros.

Being a sucker for gardens, we hopped off the trolley at the rose garden covering several acres on a hillside in Washington Park. We enjoyed 45 minutes strolling the miles of paths striping the acres of colorful and varied blooms. As with most of today’s roses, I missed the sweet fragrance of the red blossoms outside my childhood home engulfing you as you walked out the back door. So much for selective breeding. And although the gardens are beautiful, they are designed for scientists to test breeds and not arranged for a Sunday stroll.

We have seen beautiful. We have seen Japanese gardens. So we opted out of the adjacent Japanese Garden. If I lived in the area or had more time, I would visit it.

Occupying a city block in a four-story building in the Pearl District, Powell's City of Books is probably the best-known bookshop in Portland, offering both used and new books. Formerly industrial, the neighborhood is now upscale, including a Goodwill Boutique. Who knew?

Unlike The Book Loft of German Village in Columbus, Ohio, a maze of rooms and shelving where Baby Sis and a friend nearly suffered nervous breakdowns, it is easy to get disoriented but not completely lost in the acres of shelves at Powell's. I needed directions twice while in the store. There was confusion when Mike and I tried to meet at the entrance until a phone call revealed there are two entrances. For me, the confusion was worth the hour-plus of browsing.

Portland waterfalls deserve their own blog post. But then, I have seen waterfalls.

Portland. The city streets are clean. A limited rail system alleviates some of the heavy auto traffic. Like too many cities in the world, Portland has a conspicuous problem with homelessness, bedraggled people dragging mounds of goods in discarded strollers or wagons. Bikes overloaded with items useful for living on the street. Tent communities providing shelter in parks. As my heart breaks for these people, I am confused about what any city or country can do about it.

The owner of the Airbnb assured me that winter weather is moderate. The cool, mildly humid, climate of summer and the morning layer of mist which burns off during the day are favorable for lush plant life. Rolling hills break up the landscape and, if you are lucky, you can catch a view of Mount Hood. If you are really lucky, you can detect Mount St. Helens. The people are friendly. There are interesting sights and cultural events. I could live there.

Perhaps that is the vibe: a lovely place to live.