This past weekend my girlfriend and I went to the great city of Portland, Oregon (aka Rip City) for a quick 2-day vacation. Unfortunately we didn't go at the optimum time because the city is apparently known for its roses (why one should always check Wikitravel before one goes anywhere!) as May and June are the times the roses bloom, but we did check out the awesome Japanese Garden and International Test Rose Garden in Washington Park. Quite a place, lots of walking and I could feel my lungs breathing in fresh air produced by much healthier-looking green growth than the dried out, choked-out weeds in SoCal.
I've gone to a lot of different cities now, and while it's true that they all start to look similar after awhile (all the airports, all the transportation systems, all the brick apartment complexes, and the request Zoo/ History Museum attachments for the kids), there's a neat twist to a lot of the different features, from the view of the river (Portland had a unique view from the Waterfront Park) and the architecture and surrounding area of the sports arenas. In that regard, Portland's Moda Center, where the Portland TrailBlazers play, has a great view of the downtown city and also has unique fountains that make realistic noises while erupting in different patterns even during the day with no visitors.... quite a dedication to a fan-friendly experience.
VooDoo Doughnuts.... Bacon on Doughnut, 2 of the worst things one can have nutritionally, but 2 of the best things aesthetically, very tempting and satisfying, but I probably won't have that combo ever again.
What will go down as the lasting image for me of Portland, however, is the homage paid to an old art that people overlook nowadays in the modern era of cell phones, data, and social media: bookstore. Portland is home to one of the biggest bookstores in the country, Powell's Books, and it certainly lived up to its reputation (my girlfriend raved about it before the trip and I can see why).....It's divided into several colored rooms (gold room, purple room) etc. to give a feel of a classroom or a fun and happening environment, and literally almost any book one can think of is available, plus games! The whole concept of having to buy a new book at full price is difficult for some consumers nowadays to stomach due to the lack of time, attention deficit disorder that most kids suffer, etc., but buying a used book for half price that someone else has only read once is pretty appealing.....it's still a book, the words haven't changed or anything. For the first time in a long time, I was able to get lost in a bookstore for several hours, staying indoors in a bookstore reading books on a Saturday afternoon/ rolled into night that I didn't regret at all. I went through several books I'd been interested in reading for awhile, like being able to skip into different worlds and different writing styles quickly and arbitrarily, all while feeling the freshness and possibility lying behind the cover of each book. I will admit though, I'm a bit of a sucker for any "New York times bestseller" or "prize winner," etc., but so many books had that designation it was a bit overwhelming and makes one wonder, how does one qualify as a "bestseller?" Something about reading a book in the corner of a bookstore uninterrupted by nature, technology, work (I was thankfully on vacation) is more appealing to me than even spending time outside on a gorgeous day, as that's only one scenery. In the bookstore, I can switch from different worlds and switch to almost any imaginable world I want to, even the real world (nonfiction books plentifully available). It allowed me to harken back to a past time, possibly a simpler time, with less distractions, just me and a book and the characters described therein, where I can enjoy reading about the conflicts and life stories of others without dealing with my own. Thank you, bookstores like Powell's Books, and I hope stores like you are always around.
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
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