Portland wears an enormous smile on its face. I was greeted with a break in the clouds, allowing the grass to shine with some sunlight while the damp smell of the rain was still lingering.

Waking up from a nap at 8 am, the last minutes of sun beckons us to head into downtown Portland from Kenton. We saw the night lights appear from afar and grabbed a bite in a sandwich shop. Walking around at night, I was surprised to see Powell’s bookstore still open and couldn’t resist indulging in the massive collections. I didn’t want to leave the store, but there was more to see.

Downtown is some kind of public art gallery. I had only the 18.5mm lens with me, which was nice for night-time pictures, but I found it hard to capture the vibe. Without a wide-angle lens, my camera saw details, while Portland was much decorated with life-sized art.

People come to Portland for donuts and craft beer, but I was much more interested in the bikes and street art. Biking around the city one afternoon, I found tranquility and bliss. I appreciated the sun, and felt happier on two wheels than I had ever felt. We crashed a TEDx event, walked through the Japanese garden and discovered some cool stores on our way. Cool, friendly, relaxed. Portland definitely didn’t disappoint.

Till next time! I wish I didn’t have to get back in my car and drive back to Canada.