Portland -- May/June 2025
Exploring the city of Portland -- June 3, 2025
It was now time to explore the city. Unfortunately, we started the drive in rush hour, so it was stop and go traffic. Our first stop was parking in Washington Park in the Veterans Parking Lot; it was a pay lot. We did later see pull offs in the park that would have been free to park in. This was near, so we started in the Veterans Memorial, which is the cool circular walkway in the pictures below.
Then we went through, at least some, of the Hoyt Arboretum. From the Arboretum, we went to the Hoyt Visitor Center to visit the restroom and catch the free shuttle. It took a while to come and to get the live tracking to work, but Travis got it work and then it came. We rode to the Rose Garden on the other side of the park. The shuttle was in the park and along some residential streets; it went up and down hills.
The International Rose Test Garden had hundreds of different roses with specimens of the test/experimental winners from each year. I don't remember the earliest year, but it looks like it opened in 1917, so maybe then. Here are some of our favorites and wider shots.
After the garden, we walked a trail back instead of taking the shuttle. Travis managed to make the full hike uphill (I think). The kids found a cool tree.
We drove closer to the Williamette River and north to park in the 33 NW Davis St/Naito & Davis parking garage. It has an hourly and full day rate, just like the one in Washington Park. Take your garage entry ticket, pay in the elevator bay when you are ready to leave, and then you have 20 minutes to exit the garage, scanning the now paid ticket on the way out.
We were starved by this point so started searching for food. We decided on Shanghai's Best in Pine Street Market. We shared some Pan Fried Port Dumplings and Shao Mai (steamed dumpling filled with glutinous rice and pork). Everyone like something -- Joel and I liked the dumplings better, and Travis and Owen liked the Shao Mai better. Joel and I were not a big fan of the glutinous rice flavor. There was wifi, so we scoped out the menu and a stop at Voodoo donuts. It was a short distance to it, and we waited in line, which was not too long. My only food picture the Butterfingering that I got. It was a cake chocolate donut, vanilla frosting, and Butterfinger on top; very good! Everyone else got more economical donuts and enjoyed them too.
Chinatown, though under construction. Our next stop was Powell's City of Books, the original (we saw one later at the airport); it was huge with tons of books -- new and previously owned. Joel, with his Texas A&M shirt on, was approached by two former Aggies. At the Rose Garden, he met a class of '78 Army Cadet that he talked to for a while and a quick exchange in Powell books with some ladies.
Our last stop was the Portland sign.
We also planned the Blueback submarine too, but the kids were not that interested and tired out. Travis and I recently toured a submarine, so we skipped it. I told Travis that I was not in love with the city of Portland. I like Austin, TX, so I expected to like Portland too. They are both "Keep <city name> weird" cities. I guess too weird for me -- hehe.
Still lots of traffic, we stopped at a grocery store for dinner and dessert for tonight and plane snacks for tomorrow. The grocery store was Fred Meyer; it was like Walmart with a garden center, clothes, and housewares too, but had Kroger branded groceries.
At the hotel, we had pack all that camping stuff back into the suitcases to return home. The old queen air mattress swap for the new full air mattress saved 8 lbs in the checked luggage (based on the scale when you check it), but we could not this time zip the 25" without using the expansion. At home, I used the expansion for the initial zip but then could close the expansion after it was zipped. The new air mattress was lighter but had a large filling system that made a big bulge. I had the strap that went around the suitcase, so that helped the expand part to not shift as much.
The next morning we drove to the Avis return and parked in the previously instructed place. Check out was quick; I noted the mileage if they needed it before going in that she took down. It was dizzily again today. We waited inside for the Lyft and were taken to the airport. This Lyft driver was also very friendly and talkative. We heard about his daughter who went to UT, which he called the Harvard of the south, and then also did two masters. She is working in DC now and just getting engaged. He called her a "twit" or some other strange nickname, but was obviously very proud of her.
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