The "Other" Portland! Rose and Japanese Gardens

Portland (the other one) is all that I expected and more. It's a funky, hipstery, eco-friendly, coffeehouse/brewery sporting, easy walking and SO friendly city. More traffic than I expected but pretty easy to get around. Great food and fun environment. Stayed in an Airbnb in an up-and-coming neighborhood for 3 days so had time to check things out. On Sunday, Sara, Lori D and I went up to Washington Park to check out the Rose and Japanese Gardens. Prepare yourself for nature! This is peak rose blooming season so it was a busy place (and hot!). It's in the 90's here, which everyone has commented on because it is 10-15ยบ above average. First we checked out the International Rose Test Garden which has over 10,000 rose bushes and over 650 varieties. I tried to capture of few of the fragrant blooms.








After a very sweaty and sunny 45 minutes, we wandered over the Portland Japanese Garden in the same area. It is 12 acres of shady, tranquil beauty and the largest traditional Japanese Garden outside of Japan. I'll let the photos speak for themselves.














Sigh.....perfection.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

I did it!!! Final blogpost!

Image
You all know what it's like to come home after a long trip. This was a LONG trip! I really didn't miss home that much because, really, what's the point. I knew I was going to be gone for over 8 weeks and I put my energy towards being truly present wherever I was. I'd say it was when I crossed the line into the midwest (with only 5 days left) that I let the thoughts of home sneak in. I am so happy to sleep in my own bed. Why do so many people have extra firm mattresses. You might as well sleep on the floor! I'm so happy to cook my own meal and to walk around barefoot! Sigh! 13,031 miles (a palindrome), 30 states, 25 National Parks, countless hairpin turns, crazy elevations, defying my fear of heights, a multitude of conversations with people from around the world, local brews and food and endless beauty. I am so incredibly fortunate to be able to take such a trip. I worked hard to save the money by working 2 jobs, took the summer off for the very first time, pla...
Read more

Vancouver - Part 1: Chinatown, Gastown, Granville Island and Stanley Park

Image
I already know I wish I had stayed longer but I did pack it in while I was in the Vancouver area. Here's a map of Vancouver to give you some perspective on the places I visited while there. First, I'm staying in an airbnb west of downtown but a quick ride by bus. After I checked in and chatted with the owners (who are so lovely and welcoming), I hopped onto the bus that took me to the edge of Chinatown so I could walk around the city. It was warm and sunny out (in the 80's) but seemed so much cooler because it has been SO HOT throughout my entire journey. I zigzagged around Chinatown and stumbled upon the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden. What a beautiful oasis inside a bustling city. It was the first garden of its kind outside of China with winding paths, rocks, water lilies, koi and turtles in the pond and pagodas nestled beside lush green plants. It so reminded me of my time in Taiwan. After the gardens, I continued to walk around Chinatown ...
Read more

Wow! Almost done! Michigan and Niagara Falls!

Image
Can you believe it? I'm almost done with this incredible adventure! After tonight, I have only one more night on the road. Wow! When I started, it felt so huge with over 8 weeks of travel and now I'm almost done. I am damned proud of myself, not just because I did this on my own but that I kept my energy and enthusiasm up the whole time. I only took 2 days off where I didn't drive or seek out adventures. I averaged over 230 miles a day! Yesterday I left Illinois and made my way up into Michigan to see the west coast. My good friend Jahn is from Michigan and she raves about this beautiful state. My first glimpse of Lake Michigan when coming around Indiana and up into St. Joseph was beautiful. It was a hot and hazy day but you still get an idea of how massive the lake is.  I then headed down to the beach to dip my toes in the lake.   I stopped at the classic carousel for a quick ride before heading down to the lake. It is so strange walking a hot...
Read more