Astoria , OR- Pt 1

On our way to Astoria for a few days we went over the Lewis and Carke Bridge at Longview which crosses the Columbia River.  In the middle of which is the border between Oregon and Washington State. 

Another 45 minutes on we arrived in Astoria.  It is a pretty town with a rich history of fishing and grop growing.  It is located along the Columbia River and near the Pacific Ocean.  It also has a very long bridge called the Columbia Bridge.  

A good way to enjoy the Astoria Riverfront is to travel on the Riverfront Trolley which came originally from San Antonio,Texas.  It is staffed by volunteers who really enjoy their roles and tell the stories of time past.  It travels the 3 miles along the river front and you can hop on and off.  It costs a whole $2 per person.  

Inside the tram.

We visited the Maritime Memorial to those who have lost their lives to the sea and passed many old buildings which in their heyday would have pocessed seafood and today are used for a variety of other products.  This building is now part of a brewery.

As buildings along the shoreline were built so that fishing boats could come straight into delivering their catch this also left the stock vunerable to stealing.  This building was constructed so that there was no access available from the water.

This building provides the smallest riverview.  It was worth that walk to the top to see just how wide the Coloumbia River is. 

In the early days there were some 30 canneries along the shoreline, the remnates of their presence are still visiable.

There are many pilings still evident along the shoreline.  They are referred to a International pilings as they placed there from ships from all over the world.

Along the shoreline there are hotels and resturants.  The Cannery Pier and Spar Hotel is built on the site of one of the largest canneries.

This Columbia fisihing riverboat was built in 1948, its 28 Ft in length and is named the Georgia Ann.  

Astoria is a pretty little town with painted houses known as painted ladies. It reminded us of Newfoundland, Canada with its Jellybean homes in St Johns.  

It is also very hilly just like St Johns.

More to follow.

Cheers, 
Ross and Beverley 

Portland - (Pt 4 )

Portland, OR largest city, sits on the Columbia and Willamette rivers, in the shadow of snow - capped Mountain Hood.  It is known for its parks, bridges and bicycle paths, as well as for its eco-friendliness and its microbreweries and coffeehouses. Washington Park encompasses sites from the formal Japanese Garden to Oregon Zoo and its railway.  The city is very arty.  These photos below are of Pioneer Couthouse Square., also known as Portland's living room.  It is a public square occupying a full 40,000 square foot city block in the centre of downtown Portland.  In its previous life it had been home to businesses etc.  Today it hosts all manner of entertainment for Oregonians.  There are lots of homeless people in Portland and interestingly none of whom use this area to camp.

Portland also suffers  heavy traffic and its a slow trip to get anywhere.  Some 120 people a day are moving permanently into Portland.

They pride themselves on being totoally dependent on renewable energy.  There are green trees everywhere.

While the city has lots of microbreweries sadly one of its oldest breweries, the Bridgeport Brew Pub closed down after 35 years.  Its owners had played a big part in helping the city of Portland to come of age.  This is its now vacant headquarters.  

The state is also into bioswale which is a new way of water management.   It takes water runoff and by the use of "green infrastructue" saves money and prevents the pollutants in the city's water runoff from ever reaching nearby streams.  

There are many areas throughout the city were these areas are planted.  The community is wedded to this idea and good for them.  To us they look like a load of weeds.  We would be looking for the roundup.  This park is fully bioswale.

They have tried wherever to preserve old buildings. The outside husk of the building is kept in its original state and business's can alter the inside.  This place we were told makes the best pizza in town. 

There is art to be seen in all sorts of places.

This is also the home of the Voodoo Donut.    It is known for eclectic decor and pink boxes featuring the company logo featuring voodoo priests.  No we did not try one.

We ventured out for Sunday brunch but we were too late so we had an early lunch at a local pub.

This is the largest BLT we have ever seen.

 No way could any normal person eat a whole sandwich however the bacon was great.

Cheers,

Ross and Beverley 

Portland - (Pt -3) - Lan Su Chinese Garden

We had the opportunity to visit the Chinese Gardens many of which we had seen in China when we vacationed there in 2005.  The story regarding these gardens in the centre of Portland Suzguu in China is the sister city of Portland.  The name Lan Su Chinese Garden represents the relationship between the two cities.  The Garden is sepated into different areas.  The area below is called the Scholar's Courtyard.  Its a quite place for reflection and inspiration.

This is the Knowing The Fish Pavilion.  The name comes from a converstaion between two philosophers.  

Walking along a sream and looking  at fish in it, one tells the other how happy he finds the fish to be.  The other replies, "You are not a fish, how can you know that the fish are happy?"  The first responds, " You are not me.  How do you know I don't know the fish are happy?"

There is a Tea House for those who want to experience some Chinese cuisine. 

There are pretty little areas throughout the Gardens.

With pretty flowers in oriental vases.

Lots of Bonsi.

Cheers,
Ross and Beverley 

Portland - Rose Garden - (Pt 2)

We visited the Portland Rose Gardens as part of our tour which has many varieties of roses.  At the commemcement of WW11 rose growers in Germany contacted US rose growers and asked if they could send cuttings over to the USA so that could be prseserved.  The volcanic soil which was fertilzed when the tentonic plate shifted econs ago occurred ensured that Oregan had the best soil avaiable for many grops and roses to grow.  They have a test rose bush are and undertake a lot of research into roses and are the largest exporter of roses and trees etc in the world. 

The gardens are well set out and its very easy to walk around and enjoy the perfume of the blooms.

 Yellow roses just like these were used  in as our wedding floweres. 

This rose won the award for the best rose of 2019.

Since 1912 the Royal Rosarians have served as the Offical Greeters and Ambassadors of Goodwill for the City of Portland.  This statue marks 100 years of service to the City of Portland.  Jesse Currey was the founder and first rose curator of the Internationak Rose Test garden.

We decided to try some mini donuts with cinnamon sugar.  They were delicious.

We were kept entertained by the most humanised squirrels we have ever seen.  They were feerless and very determined who were intent on finding every morsel of dropped donut to eat.  This fellow was sitting nest to Beverley's feet.

Cheers,
Ross and Beverley