Out West, Part Two

Tom McCall Waterfront Park, which runs along the Willamette River downtown, was one destination on our second day in Portland, Oregon. It is an attractive, peaceful spot, though also a bit rugged looking in places. This is a working port, you know.  The Park has several festivals and concerts (Beck was there but we missed him) throughout the year, while hordes of joggers and cyclists and ducks can be seen at any moment.  Plenty of the homeless, as well, though no one was aggressive.  We wound our way around the River, walking over great ancient bridges and laughing at a guy who was swimming (clad only in trunks) down in the Willamette.  How cold is that water, sir? How filthy? He was carefree and relaxed, even doing the backstroke.  It was another of those great "city" type moments of The Bizarre. Those so common in places like NYC.  Another was the old man playing a trumpet, horribly, by the entrance of a Ross store, for no apparent reason.

When you've had your urban fix, Washington Park is a nice escape.  There are hiking trails, an archery course, a Japanese garden, and the International Rose Test Garden, which has well over five hundred varieties.   It was very chill; we visited it twice.  The second time we met a Brazilian man and his American wife, selling ice cream made with all natural ingredients.  They were very friendly and the man was quite talkative, sharing his tales of life in several states and countries.  He was a knowledgeable film buff as well, always a pleasure for me to encounter.

Later in the week we made the six to seven hour drive East to Boise, Idaho.  My wife has a college chum who lives there.  She and her husband had tired of South Florida ("You don't say...") and gambled on this new spot.  Most of the drive over is in Oregon. It was probably the most scenic Interstate route I've taken.  Mountains, rivers, canyons, amazing.  Once you make it to the Gem State, you notice how brown everything is.  You are now essentially in the desert.  Our friends have a lovely suburban home they share with three very different cats and a dog.  We tried to barbecue the first night but the windy conditions made it very difficult.  We had our shish kebobs roasted in the oven instead.  It was excellent.  We divvied up those Voodoo donuts for dessert.

Early the next morning we witnessed the Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic at Ann Morrison Park.   It was a crisp, bright A.M. as we watched the balloons inflate and hover high above us as the announcer, who had one of those "heyyyyy" radio voices, gave some backstory of them and their sponsors.  That famous Remax balloon was there, as were Darth Vader, Yoda, and Road Runner (those guys did not leave the ground on the day we were there for some reason).  There was also "Tick Tock" which had the face of a clock on each side: one happy, one demented. No, we were also not among those leaving the ground, but it was fun to watch just the same.

 

After a while we walked away from the fields, on the joggers' path.  One of the entrants began descending; they ended up on the path.  No one was hurt. Watching them deflate was nearly as interesting as the preparation skyward.

For breakfast we hit a place downtown called BACON.  Truly says it all.  Best breakfast I've had in some time.  I indulged and had an omelette that was smothered in biscuit gravy.  Good thing we did a lot of walking later that day (stops included the Capital building and a depot). Before our meal, five shot glasses, a "flight", if you will, were brought out for us to sample.  The maple rosemary was my personal favorite.

In our wanderings we happened upon the Basque section of downtown, of particular interest to us as my wife's father and stepmother own a chateau in Baigorry, France.  Scroll back to my 2010 entries for a document of that fabulous trip. This street in Boise had several restaurants and a cool mural around the corner.

We also walked through what is known as "Freak Alley", an area with buildings covered with disturbing artwork that runs the gamut of silly to horrifying.  All of it was fascinating.  One had a depiction of a mushroom cloud in its background while a twinkie and a cockroach walked away hand in hand, wrly smiling.

For the finale: Hot springs and the drive back to Portland, with a stop at a waterfall.