Portland, Oregon-August 2009

I just love to travel and be on vacation and, once again, I had a great time in Oregon. There are quality restaurants, cultural sites, nature parks, and lots of artsy things to see. My favorite thing was that within an hour, give or take, you can be hiking at Multinomah Falls, Mt. Hood, and Mt. St. Helens, or just taking it easy at Cannon Beach or elsewhere on the coast. I felt like there was way too much to see in a week. I'll just have to go back!

My "base camp" was in Portland at the Red Lion, Janzen Beach (still not sure where the "beach" was...) on the Columbia River. A good hotel not a bad location if you will be renting a car. It is about 20 minutes to downtown Portland via car. Now that I'm more familiar with the area, next time I would stay at a neighborhood B&B. There are some cool hotels downtown but they are not for those traveling on a budget. If you opt to stay downtown, make sure the hotel has free parking. Every street has fee based parking usually with a 1hr limit. It's a bummer.


Highlights:

Washington Park: International Rose Test Garden/Japanese Garden/Hoyt Arboretum-I didn't go but there is also the Zoo, Forestry Center, Holocaust Memorial and other attractions in this nature-lovers haven. Tons of tall evergreens everywhere. All together, the area covers about 130 acres. There are plenty of walking paths and much of it is free. There is a fee for the Japanese Garden but it was a very peaceful stroll through this traditional garden. You may consider parking by the zoo and taking a bus to the top where the gardens are because parking can be tricky here.

Multinomah Falls-This is one of the tallest year round falls in the US. Mesmerizing liquid drops over 600ft from the top of the cliff. You can also follow it's path above the falls and into the mountains. There is a steep trail from the bottom of the falls to the top. I also continued hiking past the top of the falls to follow the stream bed upward. It is strenuous going up and you need good shoes for the way down as it's steep. If I saw one more person wearing flip flops on the way down, I was going to yell at them for their poor foot atire. This place gets packed so get there early.

Mt. Hood-We drove from Multinomah Falls, through the Columbia Gorge, and around Mt. Hood. You can spend days alone exploring the scenic beauty of this area and hiking opportunities are in abundance.

Mt. St. Helen's-It is amazing to see the destruction made by the eruption of Mt. St. Helens almost 30 years ago. However, new life is covering the mud and ash. Planted noble fir trees and wildflowers and grasses have covered most of the landscape. I was just able to make out the rim, crater, and cone from Johnston Ridge as it was rainy and cloudy that day. Don't forget to watch out for Bigfoot and stop at the gift shop where he stands tall.

Cannon Beach-At least stop there to see the "Haystack". It is one of the most well known geological features of the Pacific Northwest plus it is just plain beautiful and mysterious. The town itself is very touristy with expensive shops and galleries. I suggest checking out other beaches along the coast if you want to just relax or check out one of the many hiking trails. The coast is stunning and a must see. And make sure your gas tank is full! No gas station at Cannon Beach so we had to drive on and almost ran out.

Portland Classical Chinese Garden-Imagine gardens and ponds scattered with traditional Chinese-style buildings surrounded by 4 walls. It is a peaceful oasis in downtown Portland. If you have the chance to visit, make sure to have tea and a snack at the teahouse. The building is beautiful an you can challenge yourself by drinking a cup of fine tea the Chinese way!

Mother's Bistro and Bar-You must try this place for some gourmet, home-style cooking. I wish we had a chance to go back for dinner as their breakfast was phenomenal. My friend had the Stuffed Frittata and I had the Wild Salmon Hash. Check out their online menu.

Kennedy School-Those McMenamin brothers really have some great ideas having opened up several hotels and breweries around the vicinity of Portland. This particular jewel is an old school transformed into a hotel and brewery with banquet rooms, restaurants, a movie theater, and a great beer garden where I enjoyed sampling their fine assortment of micro brews. The food was good and our waiter was quite a character.

Portland Saturday Market: If you want a souvenir, don't get a "I heart Portland" t-shirt. Instead, go to the Saturday Market and pick out something unique from one of the 100+ local artists and craftspeople. You can get original artwork, jewelry, glassware, ceramics, clothing, etc. Most of the wares are hand crafted and some are even made from recycled materials. Oh, and tie dye doesn't appear to be dead in Portland! It also has a festive air with street performers and an impressive variety of healthy fair type food. I had a delicious falafel pita.

Recommended Books: 60 hikes in 60 Miles, Secret Portland

The Race to Mackinac-July 18, 2009

I have to say that Lake Michigan makes Chicago. It is the 3rd largest freshwater lake in the world and supplies our drinking water. It can be treacherous (as many ships sitting on the lake bed could tell you) with heavy seas from severe storms that sweep across her waters. Storms can create dangerous rip currents on the opposite side of the lake and can be deadly to swimmers. Severe storms don't only happen in the summer. A "November Gale" in 1913 produced 90 mph winds, waves over 35 feet high, and whiteout snow squalls. And in the winter, ice sheets migrate around the lake. "Lake effect" dumps tons of snow on the folks across the lake in Michigan and sometimes Chicago. But in the summer, Chicagoans enjoy gazing at her clear, deep, blue waters or boating, fishing, and swimming opportunities. It can also be a 10-20 degree reprieve from 90+ degree inland temperatures

There are many harbors and events around the lake and the summer months draw mariners from around the country. One such event that attracts hundreds of participants and spectators, is the annual Race to Mackinac. This year, 350 boats participated. This 333 mile freshwater race has been going on for 101 years. The trek from Chicago, IL to Mackinac Island, MI is one of the longest in the world.

Quirky weather in the Midwest? Of course! There were no storms but sailors were afflicted with calm winds on Sunday afternoon. One boat actually had to anchor for a few hours to keep from moving backwards! The race typically lasts around 48 hours (fastest boats) but due to the lack of wind, the first boat to cross the finish line was Monday after around 60 hours of sailing.

There are many opportunities to get yourself in a boat and out on the lake. Check the local park districts (Chicago, Evanston, Wilmette, Lake Bluff, etc.) and marinas for classes in sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, etc. The Discovery Center offers sailing lessons. There are architectural boat tours along the Chicago River that also do shoreline cruises. You can catch a lunch or dinner cruise off of Navy Pier too. See my link list to the right under "Chicago Area Stuff" for ideas. If anyone has any tours or classes that they enjoy, please let me know!

Creativity Fair at the Wild Tree Cafe-Evanston, IL

The Wild Tree Cafe in Evanston hosted several artists, including myself, at this summer's Creativity Fair. It was my very first public appearance showing my artwork. I appreciate the overwhelming turnout of my family and friends who stopped by to show their support. I also enjoyed speaking to all the passerby's who commented on my work or just came to look. Thanks to Ivy and the folks at Wild Tree for having us!

Moraine Hills St. Park-Bike Trails

Summer is finally here, sort of...Chicago has been unusually cool and rainy. Luckily I caught one of the few days in which the weather was decent to do a little riding at Moraine Hills State Park. The park is located in McHenry, IL about a 1 hr cruise northwest of Chicago.

Unlike most state parks, there is no camping here. There are however, several miles of scenic, hilly bike trails. There is a nice mix of open prairie and oak woodlands. You can also picnic or throw a line in at Lake Defiance. There is a concession stand there for worms and things. Also, a little further down the road you can ride or drive your vehicle to fish at McHenry Dam along the Fox River. Although, I'm not sure if I'd want to eat anything that came out of the Fox River anymore, but...maybe I'm just fussy :-).

There are people (mainly from Wisconsin) that call Chicagoans "flatlanders". Yes, because Wisconsin is so mountainous (ha ha)...Well the reason most of Illinois is flat and Chicago is only about 579 feet above sea level is glaciation. To put it simply, about 10,000 years ago, the last of the glaciers receded from this area. They literally carved and flattened the landscape leaving behind deposits of boulders, rock, and gravel as they receded. These deposits are called moraines and kames. That is how we have this wonderfully hilly area in an otherwise "flat as a board" landscape.

The Chicago Botanic Garden-Spring

Finally! The brown, muted, dismal remnants of winter have passed and everything is bursting forth with new life. A great place to view the arrival of spring is the Chicago Botanic Garden. It is the beginning of the season so not all of the gardens are in full swing. However, it is a pleasure to see the colorful spring flowers after months of snow and gray. There were very impressive displays of tulips, the magnolia trees were blooming, and I enjoyed the Japanese gardens filled with various flowers and conifers.

The Chicago Horticultural Society, who assisted in lakeshore and park improvements, was given 300 acres of land in 1963. For several years they worked on the Gardens and opened to the public in 1972. Today the Garden is 365 acres featuring 23 display gardens and 3 native habitats. They have held true to their mission which focuses on collections, education, and research. They also have several volunteer, community, and educational programs.

The Gardens are essentially islands surrounded by the Skokie Lagoon waterway. By damming up the Skokie river to control flooding, the lagoons were created in the 30's, I believe. Today many people canoe, kayak, and fish in these waters. There is an extensive bike trail that runs around it as well. Twice I road from Caldwell woods to the lagoons (as a child with my father and last year). It is about 12 miles each way. It is also $20 to get into the Gardens with a car but free if you ride in and lock up your bike. I suggest parking at the main recreation area of the Skokie Lagoons and ride your bike to the Gardens. Everyone needs to save some cash these days!

Day 10: Hampton Court Palace, London Night Life

It was back home the next day with my final day spent at Hampton Court Palace and the evening spent with Rupesh, my local guide.

I hopped on the train from Waterloo (London) station to Hampton Court. It took about 40 minutes. Once there, I wandered through the palace. It has 2 different architectural styles: Tudor and Baroque. You can see the transition, as they added wings throughout the centuries, while moving through the three main "squares" of the palace. I chuckled while standing inside the "Queens Closet". This was actually a parlor (twice the size of my apartment!) in which the queen's most trusted relations would have tea. There are many wonderful paintings and tapestries inside the palace as well. But again, no photography (I wouldn't have used a flash!). Sigh...

There are acres of gardens surrounding the palace with rose gardens, formal gardens, mazes, you name it. If only I was there in the summer (another sigh). I imagine it is quite spectacular. Check out their website for summer flower show dates. I bet they are wonderful.

I arrived back in London in time to meet Rupesh at Leicester Square. Our first stop was Waxy O'Connor's which was (still is) the coolest pub I've ever been in (and I've been to a few :-)). It is a maze of wood-carved finery with several floors and half floors, bars, and lofts to sit in including a room with a tree in the middle. How cool is that! If you enjoy good beer and conversation, this is the place as it wasn't too loud. Check out the virtual tour of this pub under my travel links. It's hard to put into words but stepping into the past comes to mind. Tell me about you favorite pubs.

After a few pints, we headed off to a swanky Indian restaurant where I had only my 2nd best meal of the entire trip (the first being when Rupesh took me to a Thai place at the beginning of my trip). The food was served tapas-style so I just had him pick whatever he thought was good while I sipped a Cobra. I have to say, everything was so delicious and tasty. It beat fish and chips any day!

Well I had to say "Ta Ta" to London but I'm sure I'll be back to check out other parts of England in the future. It was fun and challenging travelling alone to a foreign country. Some people thought I was odd to do so. But I really believe it is very important to get out and see the world if you have the opportunity. It will enrich your life and help you see things in a new way. You may have heard or seen these words before: Dream it, Plan it, Do it! I believe in these words. Give it a try!

Day 9: Back to London/The Globe Theater

I took the train from Bournemouth back to London and checked in at the Westminster Hotel. Didn't have the charm of a nice B&B but it was clean and in London, not the outskirts. There was also a nice view of a city garden. I'm not sure what they are called there but it is a fenced-in, private area with flowers and trees for the tenants of that specific building/property.

Being that it was my 2nd to last full day in England, I had to hit The Globe Theater. It is a must see for enthusiasts of the Elizabethan/Shakespearean age. This is a replica Globe built by hand with Elizabethan tools using documentation, drawings, and the archaeological remains of the Rose Theater. It took 10 years to complete and is the only structure, in London, that has and is licensed to have a thatched roof (it does have a hidden sprinkler system).

I'm typically not one for tours as I like to wander at my own pace but I am glad I decided to take one of the Globe. The guides were very animated, knowledgeable, and entertaining. I learned tons of "fun facts" about the theater-goers of Shakespeare's day. If you weren't able to afford a bench seat, you were standing on the main floor at the foot of the stage in the center of all the seats around you. Let's call it the pit. Apparently the pit was also the loo. Yes folks, that means the toilet. There was much drinking and rowdyness at these productions that lasted for several hours. If you had to go out of theater to relieve yourself, then you had to pay another admission fee to get back in. Well many people could barely afford to get in as it was and others didn't want to miss anything and there was this nice dirt floor...you get the picture.

Imagine the stench wafting around from the pit coupled with the fact that most people only bathed at Christmas and Easter (it's said the Queen bathed monthly). Additionally, people would chew on gloves of garlic to "ward of illness". Yuuuuck! No wonder Queen Elizabeth remained a virgin!