Portland is one of the most progressive cities we’ve ever been to – in a good way – honestly, if it wasn’t for the rainy weather two-thirds of the year, the population would probably be three times as large as it is.
We came back to Portland in July after a five year absence to see what had changed, and what hadn’t.
The good news is that most of the things we loved about Portland are still true, including the ambiance of the Pearl and the city’s strong progressive streak.
Portland is a hard place to get a picture of. During our first visit, we tried but ultimately failed to come up with that “money” shot – this time around, we were a little luckier. The reason for this difficulty? There’s a freeway along the eastern bank of the Willamette River, which otherwise would be a natural place to snap a shot of the city’s skyline (Portland’s downtown snuggles up to the western bank of the river). And try snapping a shot through the windshield going over one of the bridges.
Like its skyline, Portland’s culture is hard to get in a single snapshot. The city is surprising on a number of levels – if you’re a regular watcher of Fred Armisen’s fantastic show Portlandia, you’ll understand this better.
A couple snapshots:
–The friendly guy who started up a conversation with us on the light rail, talking about the benefits, medical and otherwise, of legalized marijuana use.
–The gay couple who opened a drinking chocolate bar together a couple years ago who know everything there is to know about international chocolates
–The waiter serving meals in bright green Crocs in one of the city’s newest (and oldest) districts.
–The fur store that was run out of town in a few short months.
Portland is also a hotbed of liberalism, and guess what? It’s one of the most livable, welcoming, foot-traffic friendly US cities we’ve ever been to. It’s a city that works.
One of the best aspects of Portland for us is the city’s welcoming attitude toward gay and lesbian couples. We’ve now been there five times, and never once did we feel unwelcome as a gay couple. The Pearl District, in particular, is filled with gay couples, and is one of those rare places where you feel like you can let your guard down for a little while. We made a point this trip of walking around holding hands.
Over the next few days, we’ll report back on how to get around the city, places to eat, things to do, Portland’s parks and gardens, Portland’s Green attributes, public art, and places to stay.
Click here to visit the Portland, Oregon section of Purple Roofs