Blue sky was easing its way over Portland by the time I made it out the hostel, and I was pleased to feel the warmth of the radiating sunlight on me after so many months of very weak aubade. Using the same method from Seattle, I started from the west and slowly headed east, trotting up and down each and every avenue between Alder Street in the north to Market Street in the south. The first highlight on my trip were these very special trees. It took some researching, but they're Ginkgo biloba (Ginkgo or Maidenhair trees). They're a living fossil, having first been discovered 270 million years ago. It's a Chinese tree by native origin but is well distributed. Here, the leaves are starting to blanket the ground. One of their most recognisable features, and what led me to finding out what it actually was, are the leaves; they have fan shaped leaves like nothing else I've seen.
On first inspection, I got the feeling Portland was doing its very best to cling onto it's history whilst simultaneously trying to keep the city up to date in transport, infrastructure, and energy efficiency. The transport system here is widespread and whilst a day pass is $5, there's a free zone for the city centre. It's a system with a modern timetable, but if you wish, you can board the Vintage Tram which may cost a little more, but as the name reads, is vintage, both in physical shape and the costumes that the conductor wears. Further on my walk, I managed to capture the old and new in the same shot. A church from the late 1800s is in the foreground, whilst a skyscraper lingers behind, sporting a couple of wind turbines on its roof.
Portland is a much more greener city than Seattle I feel, not just because it's doing it's bit in renewable energy sector, but by the number of parks it maintains. Moreover, every avenue seems to accomodate a strip of land dedicated to trees; I later learnt that there had been a widespread tree growing scheme here in the 1970s. It's nice to see so much nature here in the city. I spent about half an hour eating my lunch amongst lush vegetation, and I wasn't the only one. Joining me to feast were Ravens and even a grey squirrel although he was a little more camera shy than the one I saw in Seattle. A Herringull watched me from a distance, and started to call out supposedly to his friends in the area advertising that there was a strange man in a red jacket making a mess. What he didn't know was that I was purposefully making crumbs so that he could enjoy the remains of my lunch when I departed. I wonder if he enjoyed Oat and Honey cereal bar crumbs?
My last supplement of evidence to show that Portland is serious about this 'green' image is this skyscraper. Alone, with what must be an all year round superb view, is this tree; it's rooftop gardening being taken to the next level.
The walk continued, in and out each avenue, and soon I was in the heart of the CBD, with big names staring at me, such as Nordstrom and Banana Republic. (Well, they're big over here!) I popped into Radioshack and enquired about laptop chargers. If mine doesn't arrive tomorrow, then I'm making a rapid yet unfortunate purchase. The salesman seemed to sympathise with my more than little understanding of electrical assessories, and recommended me to bring in the laptop to get the best buy. I will do this tomorrow, if the post doesn't knock up anything.
All along the pedestrian routes of the city are these little fountains, also known as the Benson Bubblers. They were created to promote temperance and they worked. Portland alcohol consumption has reduced 25% since the bubblers have been installed. I have to admit to having some fears over the sanitation side of things, and prefer to have my own water bottle, (or even better, my own Sprite bottle).
Before long, I had paraded up and down every avenue in the downtown district and slowly was headed for the river; the Willamette River. As the Sun was beginning to make it's western descent, it beamed down on a carpet of autumnal red.
At the water's edge, was a picturesque view of the Hawthorne Bridge, a champion bit of engineering itself, and from a large tree trunk that had capsised on the narrow strip of beach, I sat and watched as it let a vessel pass under it. It has a unique way of making the bridge high enough for boats; instead of separating in the middle, Hawthorne Bridge just lifts a segment of it, maintaining an 180 degree angle at all times.
There was just enough time to explore China Town- Portland Style. Unlike Seattle, which as I reported had a North/South divide of class, here in Portland there is more of a West/East divide. The affluent have accomodated the western strip, and those homeless and worse for wears have set up camp in the east. Quite literally in fact. Just inside of China Town is a space dedicated to those without a roof; cardboard is laid out on the floor, and old cloth is hooked up for shelter. The whole complex is a little surreal; for one minute, this felt like a 3rd world country. A site of dispair, and a poignant reminder to all who live with everything they desire. Suddenly, the laptop charger didn't seem that significant. China Town was smaller than Seattle's with less overall impact, I felt. There certainly seemed to be less segregation between the Chinese and the Americans. The town here also has an entrance, with this characteristically Chinese red arch.
I headed back towards the hostel, now a little foot-weary. Tomorrow would include another long 12 mile walk to Mount Tabor, so an early night for me. Hopefully the laptop charger comes!
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