International Rose Test Garden - One of nicknames Portland has earned is the City of Roses. Back around World War I the local government set up a rose test garden to preserve the European roses that might otherwise have been wiped out by the WW I bombings. This International Rose Test Garden was established in 1917 and is still in operation today. We met our friends CeCe and Brett who took us to see the garden’s over 7,000 varieties of rose bushes in full bloom. Best of all the cost to see the roses was and is FREE!
McMenamins – Our friends were the first to tell us of the McMenamins. What are they? Referred to as the “local zen hospitality guru”, McMenamins is a company established by two brothers who set out to preserve some deteriorating local landmarks and turn them into unique entertainment centers. Thanks to our Portland friends acting as our tour guides we visited a couple of them so far and both the Kennedy School (a former elementary school) and Edgefield (a former poor farm) were great places to see and roam about in. Oh, and they do make their own crafted beers as well.
Portland Saturday Market – We went to the Portland Saturday Market with our friends on Sunday. Yes, Sunday since the Portland Saturday Market is on both Saturday and Sunday. If you like handmade crafts, cart food, and people watching you need to make your way to downtown Portland and visit the market.The market extends to a riverside park where young children in swimsuits were happily playing in the spurting fountains. One could easily spend two hours seeing all there is to offer. Did I mention you can also sip on a few well crafted IPA’s while relaxing at the market?
There are many other things and places we want to see. One of these quirky places is Voodoo Doughnuts where the cleverly crafted and named pastries have evoked a cult like following. We tried to get us a Voodoo specialty however the line of thirty or more people out the door kept us from this task… we will make the attempt another day…
And of course there is also Mount Hood, the Columbia River, the Willamette River, the numerous waterfalls and trails in the area to explore. We are in the Fairview RV Park, a very nice full hookup park with our only complaints being the the staff refusing to convert our weekly stay to a monthly and the sites being bit too tight. But we were able to extend our stay for a week through July 17th so Sharon will be able to see her doctor for her post-op visit where she will get re-splinted and talk with a Physical Therapist. This will also allow us time to see the other sights in the city…
If you have to spend longer than planned someplace, Portland is certainly a good spot to be!
ReplyDeleteThat shirt has Catherine's name all over it.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about you, but I had a headache after spending time at the rose garden. I had to sniff every rose. My favorite was the Piaget rose (I think that is spelled right). It was as big around as my face and smelled so very good!!!
ReplyDeletelots of smelly things there...
DeleteWe loved the Rose Garden.
ReplyDeleteSharon looks so good! So glad seeing her out and about!
We tried to get into Voodoo Doughnuts several times one day....the line does not go down. Crazy!
Lots to see and do in the Portland area for sure. If you are up for a short drive there is a park called the Cascade Stream Watch about 25 miles east of where you are on Hwy 26. Nice place to walk beside a creek and enjoy the outdoors. Hope you find more places to enjoy during the unexpected extension of your visit.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/res/Education_in_BLM/Learning_Landscapes/For_Travelers/go/close_to_home/cascade_streamwatch.html
on the list...
DeleteI'm going to bookmark this page and use your suggestions the next time we get to Portland. And look, Sharon's still smiling. As we were walking along the edge of a cliff, I told Ron about your mishap. Unfortunately, it didn't stop him from looking over the edge.
ReplyDeleteGlad you saw things you liked in Portland and weren't disappointed. It's a great town with a lot of beautiful sites. If you have time, don't forget Multnomah Falls and the others just east of where you are staying. The Vista House has a great view of the area on a clear day. Just down the road is Bonneville Dam and the fish ladders.
ReplyDeleteDon't be too hard on the campground...if its a nice place in a popular area, they may not have a site available for a month anymore...I know we don't here where we're working for the summer! Its turning into a puzzle to try to fit folks into the time frame they want and the size site they need. Its a sign that you are staying in a very nice place :-). Best of luck on the surgery.
ReplyDeletenope they had a monthly available if we wanted to finish out our week then add a month... just wouldn't convert our weekly to a month stay, so I believe we are justified in being hard on them as they are not very accommodating considering our circumstances!
DeleteA tip we've heard from the locals but haven't taken advantage of yet - head to the VooDoo donuts on the east side - the one downtown will always have a line. Glad you are enjoying the city!
ReplyDeleteyep we heard that as well...
DeleteSo glad you are enjoying the Rose city. We always like to have breakfast at the Byways Cafe, then wander around the Pearl District. There is a Monet exhibit this summer at the Portland Art Museum and the Japanese Garden is a fascinating place (with safe trails). A trip to Powells bookstore downtown is also a must. Wish we could join you!
ReplyDeleteyou can always make a road trip :)
DeleteWow what a lot of great suggestions in your blog and in the comments about what to do in Portland. Love the name Voodoo donuts. Can't wait for you to get inside and tell us what's voodoo about it. Sharon you are looking good. Glad things are OK given what happened. Shame on the campground for being picky with someone who has had such an unfortunate set of circumstances. What happened to flexability?
ReplyDelete