Tuesday, May 1, 2012

PORTLAND, OREGON - April 2012


Day 1 arrival at Portland International Airport.  Killer deal with Advantage car rental via Travelocity.  No hassles.  One week rate for a full size car was about $123.  Dinner @ Jakes Seafood.  Dungeness crab claw entree.  Just claw meat sections drenched in butter. Yum.

Day 2  Drive to Columbia river Gorge, Vista house, waterfalls, hiking, bird photography.  Lunch at Multnoma Falls.  Stayed at Best Western Plus Columbia River Inn with hot tub.  Dinner nearby at Skamania Lodge.  Wine: local Willamette Valley Pinot noir from Argyle. 

Day 3 Bonneville Dam tour.  Chinook salmon running up the fish ladder right now.  Followed by fish hatchery tour..  Saw 11 foot sturgeon named Herman.   Bought Mt St Helens park pass ($5).  Drove back to Portland.  Checked into Hotel Monaco.  Lunch at DeShuttes Brewery.  Pear & chevre pizza plus their IPA.  Powell's bookstore next door afterwards.  One of the worlds largest bookstores.  Dinner at Ringside Seafood. Superb.  Wine: local Willamette Valley Pinot Gris tasted more like a White Burgundy.

Day 4:  Lan Su Chinese Scholars Garden. Similar to the one in Staten Island.  Superb craftsmanship and garden.  Lunch at the tea house on the grounds.  Not the predictable greasy banquet food we have come to see in every strip mall.   unique teas, rice noodles with mushrooms and smoked firebird ( turkey ) and green tea pumpkin seeds.   Afternoon at the Portland Art Museum.  Dinner at Greek / Cretian place:  Eleni’s.   Lamb wrapped in phyllo dough.  Wine: a Santorini white.

Day 5 breakfast at Voodoo Donuts for a Bacon donut.  Drive two hours to Mt. St. Helens Hummocks Trail.  Very unusual hike around the debris field from the eruption 32 years ago. Vegetation has mostly grown back.  Very healthy area now.  Herds of Elk in the area and tons of birds.  Did not see the summit due to clouds.   Drive back to Portland.  Dinner at Ringside Steakhouse. Wine: Rosso de Montalcino was an excellent value.

Day 6 Departure.  Breakfast at Morningstar Cafe.  Eggs with boar sausage.