People ask me why I go to these places, and all I can say is because I’ve never been there before. That’s my honest answer. It’s odd for me to see why people don’t seem to understand that answer. When it comes to my style of traveling, curiosity is all it takes and purpose for getting to places usually come afterwards.

Traveling on train is like finding the best seat in cinema. Usually, Amtrak has lounge car where you can sit down in front of big windows and enjoy the scenery (and charge your phones!). Sitting in the lounge car gives you impression the world outside the train is kaleidoscopic view of people’s lives. Watching barnyards, schools, houses, and playgrounds passing by the widows exposes me to many stories of people. As I sit here on Amtrak seat, I watch the lives lived by farmers, families, friends, and old men outside the train. Everything passes like 16mm film projected on silk screen. I watch, experience, and meditate upon scenes unfolding in front of my eyes and live with them through wide train windows. This is the reason why traveling—particularly on train—is especially interesting for anyone to realize and understand the quality in other people’s lives. You become the audience in front seat of people’s cinema, and live with the moment in each scene.

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Taking Seattle bound Coast Starlight Amtrak from Emeryville at night.
It’s about 6 hours journey to reach Portland, OR.

People chilling at lounge car.

A view of California-Oregon wilderness around dawn.

Portland is kind of city that I won’t grow tired of even if I get stuck for a week or two. The city has exclusive and unique vibe with a charm which not many other cities possess. Similarly to northern towns in California like Fairfax, Petaluma, Sebastopol, and Calistoga, Portland is a city that coexists with nature. Local businesses take higher respect over exploding franchises, and food is great anywhere and everywhere you go.

What depart Portland from otherwise landlocked community are: a) breathtakingly beautiful appeal of Columbia River Gorge and its infinite selection of hiking trails that draw all kind of people from around the world, and b) progressive minded yet community
focused young professionals, and c) great beer.

Particularly to point B, Portland is very unique from Silicon Valley towns while startup companies and gaming industries are definitely reaching their hands over to Pacific Northwest; it is true people in this city seem to care more about building better community for people of Portland. This aspect, I thought is the important ingredient that keeps Portland in perfect balance of sustainable economy. During my visit, I have stumbled upon highly-regarded local chains like Barista (coffee), McMenamins (pubs), and Stumptown Coffee. What brought me to happy surprise is its tremendous beer brewing culture! I have made a “good” decision by signing up for BrewCycle tour to experience variety of beers at several local pubs including daily special Deschutes IPA off nitro tap.

I am growing to believe there are more free-spirited people in Oregon than California. I dig the down to earth attitude and sincerity that local Portlanders shown to this small soul. For example, the lady at the rental car shop near the airport spent good half an hour trying to show me how to get to Multnomah Falls and return to the shop on the map. People waiting in line behind me didn’t mind the wait either – everyone smiling and chatting with the other person in line. Nobody honks at you or trying to rush you out like you get used to in horrendous LA traffic or gridlock hell of SF.

I want conclude this is mainly because of Oregon’s richness and vicinity to force of nature. Just like how people get mellow out in Guam (where I used to live) people living in the cradle of nature know how to get around life through community bonding and mutual respect. I really like this kind of stuff. It is quite unfortunate this kind of pure human interaction is very rare to find in most major cities all around the world.

Taking a day out to Columbia River Gorge was perhaps the best thing I’ve done in quite a while. Merely 40 minute drive out from Portland I was already in the middle of wilderness surrounded by pine trees and lung cleansing fresh air.

Multnomah Falls (that I can never pronounce right) was my first stop of the day, and as said by numerous travelers and guidebooks it is one of the most breathtaking sites in the Pacific Northwest.

Multnomah Falls is nature’s miracle that delivers consistent 620 feet of sheer beauty and marks as the second tallest waterfall in North America. The waterfall splits in two parts with higher part spreads longer in 542 feet and lower part in 69 feet. Stone bridge that links the trails at the midpoint of split is perhaps one of the most photographed sites on USA.

If you visit Multnomah Falls and interested to do the scenic hiking, I highly recommend taking the 5.5 mile loop along Larch Mountain towards Wahkeena Springs and down to Wahkeena Falls.

You can complete the full loop in 1-3 hours depending on your speed and this trail gives you abundance of opportunity to witness multiple beautiful waterfalls. Optionally, you can also add extra 3.2 mile round trip hike to Devil’s Rest from Wahkeena Trail junction if you are so inclined (trail colored in orange is the loop and yellow is the extra hike) though the viewpoint from the summit is surrounded by trees and not so grand. There is a hidden path that leads to the small spot where you can get the panoramic view of Columbia River.

Hiking alone can be somewhat lonesome experience, but occasionally you will run into other group hikers and the adventure can turn into something interactive. This is what happened to me while I made half-stranded hike to Devil’s Rest at breaking point on Wahkeena Trail: I ran into two local hikers from Beaverton who was also trying to reach the summit. We all reached the point where it was supposedly the vista point of the trail now flourished by overgrown trees; slightly disappointed, we searched for alternative paths to get the view. Jonathan and Linda spoke with other local hiker and discovered a secret path that goes off the trail to the edge of scenic cliff.

This is the beautiful view of Columbia River Gorge overlooking from viewpoint near Devil’s Rest.

Fairy Falls.

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Second half of the trail turned into decline after the junction to Fairy Falls, which made the remainder of hike quite easy. Wahkeena Falls at the end of the hike was perfect finale for the loop, and its powerful stream of water was somewhat contrary to much elongated Multnomah Falls. I felt my small life gets consumed by the roaring sound of streaming water.

Jonathan and Linda. Two hikers that I shared the path with.

Leaving Multnomah Falls area, I took Historic Columbia River Highway up to Crown Point to soak in the famous vista point on top of the cliff.

Crown Point house on the top of cliff.

Going back to the city after a long day of adventure in the wild…

Portland as city has variety of interesting things to offer. If food is the main point of interest, you are at the right place and most likely at the right time.

Jonathan and Linda from the hike recommended me few must visit local spots that I dare not to miss it. Salt & Straw was one of the Linda’s recommendations for Portland’s best organically crafted ice cream. I forgot to take pictures, but Salted Caramel + Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar with cracked peppers ice creams were convincing enough to justify the long wait in the line that stretched out for few blocks outside of the shop. Friendly service and endless offer to sample different flavors while waiting in line made the whole experience just great.

Another must stop was infamous Voodoo Doughnuts joints that essentially exist like moles on face of Portland and draw all types of people (drunks, tourists, outcasts, drunks) and dispense dozens of pink boxes containing hard to believe variety of original doughnuts. They were all delicious, only except I had no idea what I was chewing on.

Gaudy neon sign above Voodoo Doughnuts.

A guy from Iowa who apparently just moved here with his guitar and chihuahua. Singing a blues about wheat field and him home.

To conclude my short trip to Portland, on the last day I hiked around Washington City Park in the west side of the city. The park was serene and so peaceful. I saw group of family practicing morning tai-chi, jogging around the greenery, and couples enjoying the scent of roses in the garden.

Even an easy stroll around the park was enough to give me vivid impression this city was constructed inside the forceful nature and people root here inherently “know” how to coexist with the gift of this planet in non-forcible ways. Most urbanized cities do the opposite – they complement nature by artificially introducing them and going against the nature’s law – but because Portland is geographically located in the middle of woods and attached to Columbia River the balance to sustain its existence seem to be quite essential. Suddenly, I remember two lines drawn on the pillar of building in Old Town area about 4-5 feet above ground which BrewCycle tour guide described to us as the level of water that flooded Portland in 1894 and again on 1996. Portland, at least my impression, was the city that has quality of good old spirit and new progressive mind. It’s a really cool city.

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Some other places that I visited and tips for visit:

McMenamins Pub – Great burgers and own brews. The one I visited on 23^rd street in Nob Hill (Rams Head) has interesting vaudeville theater vibe that you may find in Georges Méliès’ “A Trip to the Moon.”

Barista – Great coffee and inviting cozy ambiance. You can find several shops all around Portland.

Kale – A big shout out to Shogi Club members that I ran into on Saturday evening when I dined here. Such a nice people and thanks for a bottle of stout! Japanese-style curry rice and oven roasted doria was phenomenal. One of the best Japanese comfort food spots to eat anywhere in the States.

Samui Thai Kitchen – I had a pretty good Khao Soi here on the last day of trip. Food was cooked thoroughly and quite authentic! Good spot to change up the flavor. Located in Hawthorne District about 20 minute bus ride from East of SW Portland area.

Hostelling International Portland (NW) – I stayed at this HI branch on NW Portland which was conveniently located near Nob Hill.
It was also best option if you are traveling by Amtrak as it locates only 13 blocks away from Union Station. Truth to be told. I was running late on my return train and had to run back and forth from Union Station to grab my storage items…and guess what, I still made it in 15 minutes total!

MAX (Metropolitan Area Express) – Train and bus system in Portland is much efficient than, say San Francisco. With $5 one-day pass you can hop on and hop off anytime everywhere in the city. I would consider getting weekly pass when I visit the city next time for longer term.