Destinations

Mt Rainier Self Drive One Day Tour

Posted on September 2, 2011
Mt Rainier - First view of the morning

The first time I ever visited Seattle I only had three days in the city. On one of those days, I decided to book a full day tour and travel south of the city to visit an area around a mountain by the name of Mt Rainier. Needless to say, I fell in love with the area and knew it was somewhere I would return to. Having some spare time while in Seattle again I decided to rent a car and go exploring around Mt Rainier.

Planning To Visit Mt Rainier

Even though I had previously taken a bus tour to the area, it was not a great assistance in planning day for myself. By driving myself, I was hoping to explore some areas that the tours did not stop for. However, as it turns out Mt Rainier National Park has an extensive amount of hikes and walks.

I spent some time trying not to get overwhelmed by choice and started with choosing which direction I would approach from. It helped to exclude some options, but left me with Silver Falls Trail, Comet Falls Trail and visiting the area known as Paradise. At the end of all the planning, I only visited the area near Paradise but found some other great areas along the way.

The First Sighting

As I headed south from Seattle, I was very happy to see a fairly clear day ahead. It is especially useful as you get close to Mt Rainier on a clear day you get a beautiful view of the peak.

Mt Rainier - First view of the morning

As it turns out this would be almost the best view of Mt Rainier today. By the time I reached the entrance to the National Park, there was a significant cloud cover. Thankfully this did not in anyway impact the rest of the day.

Alder Lake

One interesting spot I came across along the way is a location I had photographed on my last visit. The waterway is known as Alder Lake, and on my last visit to the area, the lake was almost empty. Today it was in stark contrast to my last visit, with a reasonable amount of water.

Mt Rainier - Alder Lake

There was one more stop before arriving at Mt Rainier National Park. It is a picnic area that is on the shore of Alder Lake which does create a beautiful scene. It is far from a busy day in the area, and I think this will make it a great day to be exploring this area.

Mt Rainier - Alder Lake from Picnic Area

Kautz Creek

My first stop inside Mt Rainier National Park was at a creek known as Kautz Creek. At the moment this is a fairly small stream what has a brown/copper colour to it. It used to be a much larger river, but due to some heavy rainfall in 2006, there were some changes. The rain washed debris down the creek and at a small narrow part the creek dammed up. The result was the water got pushed in another direction which carved out a new path for the creek.

Mt Rainier - Kautz Creek

Carter Falls

Although I had taken some time to plan the day a little bit, the first hike I decided on was unplanned. I spotted a sign for a waterfall by the name of Carter Falls, which is on the Paradise River.

The hike starts with the need to cross the Nisqually River, at present a very wide bed of rocks and silt. Which is followed by crossing the river itself on a reclaimed bridge. The bridge to cross the rapidly flowing water is quite creative using material from the surrounding area I imagine.

Mt Rainier - Bridge over Nisqually River

The Nisqually River is right next to the road and is quite easy to pass. The next 1.8km (1.1miles) is a reasonable hike to get the heart pumping. The walk is mostly uphill taking you from an elevation of 2960 feet to 3660 feet, an elevation gain of 700 feet (213 metres).

Two aspects make this hike very much worth the effort. First, the falls themselves are quite spectacular, although difficult to photograph clearly. You hear the roar of the water coming over the falls well before you can see them. The second is the absolute peace and tranquillity, the only noises that you can hear are nature and the water.

Mt Rainier - Carter Falls Mt Rainier - Carter Falls Pathway

More Waterfalls

The following two stops were both waterfalls and both much easier to access than Carter Falls. They are both very close to the roadway and well worth stopping for.

Christine Falls

Christine Falls is a spot that I visited the last time I was in the area, but that was fun to make the stop again. These falls are in three tiers, which it is tough to capture in the one photo and pass directly under the roadway.

Mt Rainier - Christine Falls

Narada Falls

The second waterfall I stopped at is Narada Falls. It is very close to the road, but it is tough to see the falls properly from the parking. The photo below is from a view point directly opposite the falls access by walking to the right of the falls in the picture. It is a slow walk but as you can see worth the time.

Mt Rainier - Narada Falls

Roadside Stops

One thing that I have found very beneficial is the number of accessible roadside stops. They very from vast areas to just enough space for a couple of cars. But they allow you to stop along the way and capture some photos of different areas. The views here would be even more spectacular without the clouds that have moved in today.

Mt Rainier - View South

Paradise

The primary destination today was the area known as Paradise. It is also the highest point on Mt Rainier that you can drive a car to located at an elevation of 5,400 feet. I have previously visited this area as part of the tour I was on last time but knew there was plenty more here to explore.

There are a large number of hiking tracks that all start from this area, which all cross back and forth going up the mountain. In the end, I decided on heading to a point where you have a closer view of one of the Glaciers. Coincidently the particular location I was heading to is named Glacier View.

Mt Rainier - Near Paradise Visitors Center

Skyline Trail

I decided to set off up the Skyline Trail, which starts directly behind the visitors centre. As it turns out the hike from the Paradise Visitors Centre to Glacier View covers some 2.4km (1.5 miles). You go from an elevation of 5,400 feet up to 6,300 feet, gaining some 900 feet (275 metres) of elevation.

The walk turned out to be a lot more demanding than I had anticipated. It turns out walking 2.4km becomes much more challenging when you are gaining so much elevation. Especially when you are already at such a high altitude. There was also another hazard I had not counted on, and that is that even coming into Autumn there is still snow covering vast areas of the mountainside. All of this did make the hike a little more challenging than anticipated. But the result is most definitely worth the effort.

Mr Rainier - Snow still plentiful Mt Rainier - Waterfall above Nisqually Glacier Mt Rainier - Nisqually Glacier

There is also an added extra to the view from here that I had not anticipated. That is the view of Mt Adams to the south.

Mt Rainier - View to the south of Mt Adams

Heading Back To Seattle

I did end up spending more time at Mt Rainier than planned. Although, I am still heading down off the mountain in daylight, which is a significant benefit. I had not expected to get another photograph of Mt Rainier today, but it turned out that I timed it just right.

I captured the below image from almost the same position as the photo I shared at the beginning of the post. There is just a thin layer of cloud forming over the peak of Mount Rainer. It was only minutes later that the peak was again covered in thick cloud.

Mt Rainier - Cloud Halo

Destinations

Gorge Cruise In Victoria, Canada

Posted on August 28, 2011
Victoria - City from Harbour

It was Benjamin Franklin that said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” While I don’t see any day as a complete failure, the days I go to explore with a plan tend to turn out much better. Every time I fail to plan my day I end up wasting parts of it on either finding what to do or discovering things I could have learned earlier.

Bug Zoo

The first stop today was an excellent example of this. After leaving the hotel without a plan, I decided to find the Bug Zoo that sounded interesting. However, on the search for it, I discovered it is likely something much more focused for children. As it turns out this information, I could have easily learned by reading their website.

Rogers Chocolates

Recently I have been trying to avoid chocolate and other such sweet treats. As such, I had passed Rogers chocolates but decided not to visit. But then the other day on a tour bus as we passed the location the guide mentioned that it was a business that started locally. With the added benefit that they are said to be some excellent chocolate. As such I could not pass up the chance to at least buy a little bit to try.

Victoria - Rogers Chocolates

Royal British Columbia Museum

Moving along I decided to make a stop at the Royal British Columbia Museum. There is a great range of exhibits here that very much highlight the history of British Columbia. One of the exhibits shows a great range of artefacts and information about the local First Nations People. While another exhibit showcases Victoria’s past in a replica display.

Other displays also include a showcase of the life and works of a locally born artist and writer. Then there is also a showcase of local animal life, from bugs to bears and everything in between. I took a little look at all the areas in the museum, even though some were not as interesting.

To enter the museum it costs $22 for an adult for one day (updated May 2017). However, there are a couple of different ticket options including multi-day visits and IMAX movies. I spent a few hours looking around, and many of the exhibits are quite good with plenty of information.

I did get some photos, but nothing much to share as the lighting is rather dim. I did get one picture from outside that works though of a building and totem pole that is on display.

Victoria - Royal British Columbia Museum

Victoria Harbour Gorge Cruise

For the afternoon I decided to take the Victoria Harbour Ferry Gorge Cruise. The cruise takes around 75 minutes and travels up the Gorge Waterway on one of the Electric Duffy boats. The Duffy boats hold 12 people plus the driver and are quite cute little boats.

Victoria - Harbour Ferry

The area along the Gorge Waterway is a beautiful area, and there is excellent commentary from the captain of the boat. There were a few interesting spots along the tour that I was able to capture some photos.

Victoria - Seals near Pier in Gorge

Above – Seals just laying about on a log below a pier.

Victoria - Island in Gorge

Above – A small island in the Gorge Waterway with some interesting clouds above.

Victoria - Change in Water Level under Tillicum Bridge

Above – At this point where the Gorge narrows there is a small difference in the height of the water depending on the tide. As such the water flows quite fast in this area at times.

Victoria - City from Harbour

Above – Part of the city skyline and some the Sea Planes that operate from Victoria Harbour.

Today is my last day in Victoria before taking the ferry back to Seattle tomorrow morning. I feel that I have managed to visit many of the main attraction in the middle of Victoria. Plus also a couple of the ones on the Hop-On Hop-Off bus route. But there is still more that I could visit in the future a little further outside the city.

One of the biggest challenges came in not planning ahead for something like renting a car. When I looked into this, I found many places did not have practical hours for what I wanted. Or even some were sold out due to being a weekend. So something to keep in mind for the future is planning things like car rental in advance.

Destinations

Exploring More Of Victoria, Canada

Posted on August 28, 2011
Victoria - Cruise ships at Ogden Point - Norwegian Pearl, Sapphire Princess, & Holland America Line MS Oosterdam

Last night was not an early night for me. I attended a local couch surfing event here in Victoria, BC and got to know some locals. As a result, this morning was not an early start, but I still managed to be out of the hotel before 10 am.

Victoria Big Bus

Yesterday I did an awful lot of walking, and I was feeling a little sore. So today I wanted something a little easier on the legs, or at least for a part of the day. I decided to make use of the Hop-On Hop-Off bus operated by Big Bus here in Victoria. A two-day pass costs CAD $46 and currently includes 22 different stops taking roughly 1.5 hours. (Updated May 2017)

There were a couple of reasons I liked the idea of the Hop-On Hop-Off tour here. The first was for the commentary along the way. The second was the option to get on or off at any of the stops as I wanted. Finally, it was a much better value option than a one-off tour.

Victoria - Big Bus Hop-On-Hop-Off

Oak Bay Marina

The first stop that interested me was Oak Bay Marina. While it was a beautiful spot, it was more so the view that caught my attention. You can see the snow capped mountain in the photo below. That is Mt Baker, located in Washington State and I am told that today it is a rather clear view, which is not all that common.

Victoria - A view to Mt Baker in Washington State

China Town

The next stop I decided to get off at was China Town. The area in Victoria, BC that is known as China Town is quite small but is the first China Town to be established in Canada. An interesting part of the area is the two stone lions that sit on either side of the entrance way to the area. The rumour is that if an honest politician walks in front of these lions, they will come to life. I don’t want to make any assumptions, but they were still stone when I was here.

Victoria - Stone Lion at Entrance to ChinatownVictoria - Globe in pool you can spin

Christ Church Cathedral

Christ Church Cathedral is located on Quadra St and Courtney St. The first part of the cathedral to be completed was the nave in 1929. However, there was still work being completed as late as 1991. By physical dimensions of the nave and towers, Christ Church Cathedral is one of the largest in Canada.

Victoria - Christ Church Cathedral

The interior of the cathedral is immense with high ceilings and large stained glass windows. As you enter the church, it is like you are transported to a different world. The silence envelopes you compared to the noise of the outside world.

Victoria - Christ Church Cathedral Stained Glass

One of the main things that caught my eye was the beautiful pipe organ above the entrance with the stained glass windows behind it.

Victoria - Christ Church Cathedral Organ

Cruise Ship Spotting

To finish the afternoon, I made my way to the cruise ship terminal, or at least a good viewing position. Three ships were coming into port this evening, and all were scheduled for 6 – 7 pm. The three ships included Norwegian Pearl, Sapphire Princess and MS Oosterdam. Coincidently, this is also the order in which they docked.

Victoria - Cruise ships at Ogden Point - Norwegian Pearl, Sapphire Princess, & Holland America Line MS Oosterdam

Being here this evening and seeing the cruise ship coming into port does get me a little excited for my cruise. The date is coming up fast with only about ten days until I will be boarding the MS Volendam in Vancouver.

To finish off the evening, I joined with come of the Couch Surfers I met last night. We headed out to get a drink and to see some live music at a local venue here. I am not sure what I will get to tomorrow, but I have the second day of the Hop-On Hop-Off pass to help get me around if needed.

Destinations

Exploring The City Of Victoria, Canada

Posted on August 27, 2011
Victoria - View from Hotel Restaurant for Breakfast

Today is my first full day in Victoria, BC, Canada. The smallest city that I will be visiting on the land portion of this trip. Even with this being the case it seems to be the place I have walked more than any other on this trip. I am not one that dislikes walking, but it does sure see you feeling worn out by the end of the day.

Breakfast With A View

I started the day with a rather decent breakfast at the hotel restaurant. I had attempted to find another option for breakfast that was gluten free. However, those efforts did not succeed as most places offered somewhat limited options that did not include something with gluten.

So I end up with the big breakfast that seemed to include a bit of everything at the hotel. There was pancakes, eggs, bacon, ham, berries, ice cream and fruit. A good way to start the day is with a full stomach.

Victoria - Hotel Breakfast

The restaurant has just about one of the best views in Victoria. Looking out over the city towards where the cruise ships dock. Today in port is the Sea Princess. What do you think about the view?

Victoria - View from Hotel Restaurant for Breakfast

Legislative Assembly Building

The first stop for me today was a visit to the Legislative Assembly Building, located just opposite the Inner Harbour area. The building was constructed over three years between 1893 and 1896. A significant portion of the building uses exposed natural products to showcase local supplies.

Victoria - Legislative Building

One of the features that very much caught my eye was the extensive use of stained glass. I have included one such window in the image below, as there is far too many to share them all.

Victoria - Legislative Building Stained Glass Window

Victoria Inner Harbour To Ogden Point

Next for the day was a walk I wanted to do. But this could have been part of the cause for the aforementioned feeling of tiredness after walking so much. With this particular walk from starting from the hotel to the end of the breakwater some 3.5km alone. With this not being all the walking for the day either.

After leaving the Legislative Building, I continued around the waterfront past Fisherman’s Wharf. Before continuing to Ogden Point and a walk out along the breakwater. The breakwater is a great spot to watch the cruise ships when they are coming in or leaving.

Victoria - Ogden Point Breakwater

There is also a fantastic view here across the Straight of Juan de Fuca. The land on the other side of the straight is in Washington, USA and the Mountain range is the Olympic Mountains.

Victoria - Strait of Juan De Fuca with Olympic Mountains

Mile Zero Monument

I continued the walk along the waterfront with the above view to my right most of the way. The next stop though was at the Mile ‘0’ monument. The monument marks the start of the Trans-Canada Highway or Highway 1.

The main route of the Trans-Canada Highway spans some 4990 miles. With my 1 mile walk back to the hotel it means I only have 4989 miles to go to reach the western side of Canada. Even though the monument designates this as Mile ‘0’ the highway has been posted as kilometres since 1977 when Canada went Metric.

Victoria - Transcanada Highway Mile 0

Craigdarroch Castle

Next up was a visit to Vancouver Island’s only castle. Craigdarroch Castle is not, in fact, all that old with construction being completed in 1890. The exterior of the castle is all from a grey stone with the roof a striking red. The interior is finished with a lot of ornate carved timber, both in the staircase and the panelling on the walls. There are also some rather beautiful stained glass windows, and some stunning views from the upper floors.

Victoria - Craigdarroch Castle Victoria - Craigdarroch Castle Stained Glass Window Victoria - Craigdarroch Castle Top Floor View

Couch Surfing

In the evening I had planned to attend a Couch Surfing meeting that was happening nearby tonight. A great little get together with some dozen or so people attending. Most of the attendees were locals, but there were also a couple of other travellers in the mix as well. I enjoyed the conversation and meeting some new people but probably end up staying much later than I planned.

Finally, it was time to get back to the hotel, for a good nights sleep. I walked well more than 15km today, which I am not used to and ready for bed. However, will leave you with one more picture I captured in the wild today.

Victoria - Peacock

Destinations

Travelling From Portland – Victoria

Posted on August 26, 2011
Victoria - Sunset

Today I am departing from Portland with the final destination for this afternoon being Victoria in Canada. Along the way, I will be stopping off in Seattle to transfer from train to ferry.

Portland To Seattle

The first stage of travel today takes me Portland to Seattle. The stage will be via train and leaves Portland around 8.30am. I left the hotel around 7 am, giving myself 90 minutes to get breakfast and make the train station. I only had about 10-15 minutes to spare, but end up being one of the first to board.

The trains around this area of the country are quite good, and something I have enjoyed using a few times. However, I was a little disappointed to end up with a seat facing the same side of the train again. So there was no much of a view in the end or nothing different to the other day anyway.

Seattle

The train arrived in Seattle right on time, which is personally what I was hoping would happen. The train journey took around three and a half hours. Which gave me almost exactly two and a half hours to make it to the ferry terminal for the trip to Victoria.

I took the time to get some lunch while finding my way from the train station to Pier 69 where the ferry departs. The distance was only around 2.5km so not a long walk at all in the time I had. In the end, I arrived at the pier around 1.30 pm, so about an hour until boarding.

Seattle To Victoria

The ferry trip ends up being a little bit of a disappointment for me. The first half of the trip passes through a rather beautiful area known as the Puget Sound. However, from the inside of the ferry, it is rather difficult to appreciate or even take photos through the windows covered in the water spray. But as we all know it is more about the destination than how you get there.

Victoria, BC, Canada

The ferry arrived in Victoria around 5.45 pm. It only took around 15 minutes to disembark and pass through baggage claim and customs. Then it was off to find the hotel which was a short walk of around 10 minutes.

Selecting a hotel in Victoria was not easy when I left it until quite late to book. But in the end, this is a rather good hotel and glad that I selected it. Even though it is not right in downtown, it is close to the Inner Harbour, restaurants and some stores.

I found a restaurant close to the hotel for dinner by the name of Bard & Banker. The meal I enjoyed was a lamb and rosemary sausage with cheddar mash potatoes and some greens. I made a choice for the restaurant based on their gluten free menu. While I ordered a meal to this and tried the gluten free beer, I think I can skip the beer in future.

I took a walk around the Inner Harbour on the way back to the hotel and got a couple of photos. I will be trying to make it back down here for sunset on another day while I am here in Victoria.

Victoria - Sunset Victoria - Empress Hotel by Night Victoria - Legislative Building by Night

Destinations

Exploring Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge

Posted on August 24, 2011
Columbia River Gorge

Today got off to a much earlier start than I have been used to over the past few days. Since arriving in Las Vegas it just seems that I have been going with late starts. However, the one thing that I have learned while travelling is that tours don’t start late. If you are not on time for the early starts you just miss the bus and that is something I did not want to do today.

Columbia River Gorge Tour

The tour that I had chosen today was with Grayline of Portland to visit Multnomah Falls and Columbia River Gorge. Well, it was not so much a choice as much about the only tour I could easily book. So many of the tours seem to require you to give out credit card numbers over the phone. However, to be honest I am glad this was the tour that I was able to book, as you will see below.

The Perfect Day

The last two days have been very overcast days with plenty of cloud coverage. Today, on the other hand, was the complete opposite with clear blue skies and the sun shining down. Which of course is the perfect weather to get some great photos.

Vista House

The first stop today was at a place named Vista House, which is located 800 feet above the Columbia River Gorge. A smallish eight-sided building but in a spectacular location especially on a clear day like today.

Columbia River Gorge - Vista House

From this location, you also get a fantastic view of the Columbia River Valley in both directions. Pictured below is the view to the west, which is the direction the tour is headed to visit some waterfalls.

Columbia River Gorge

Latourell Falls

The first of four waterfalls that we would see today is Latourell Falls. The waterfall is just a short walk from the road, but may not be the most impressive part of this spot. The landscape that surrounds the waterfall is almost more impressive. Latourell Falls drop a distance of 249 feet or 76 meters surrounded by a landscape created by volcanic activity.

Columbia River Gorge - Latourell Falls

Shepperd’s Dell

The next waterfall we stopped at was Shepperd’s Dell. Well that is the name of the canyon that the waterfall is in anyway. The waterfall is split into two sections, the upper section is a 13m drop and the lower a 15m drop. They are both pictured in order below.

Columbia River Gorge - Shepperds Dell Upper Falls Columbia River Gorge - Shepperds Dell Lower Falls

Multnomah Falls

The next stop was at Multnomah Falls, the primary stop for the day as the name of the tour implies. Which is the largest and most impressive waterfall for today. The waterfall is split into two drops again, like Shepperd’s Dell, only much more dramatic.

The area around here is well suited to hiking, but there is not the time for that today with the tour. I did have time to walk up to the foot bridge. But the pictures are much better from down below. The total drop of the falls over both sections is 620 feet or 189m (the top drop is 524 feet or 165m).

Columbia River Gorge - Multnomah Falls Columbia River Gorge - Multnomah Falls Lower

Horsetail Falls

There was one final waterfall that was not on the tour, but close enough for a passing look. The waterfall was Horsetail Falls which I managed to get a photo from the window of the bus as we passed.

Columbia River Gorge - Horsetail Falls

Bonneville Fish Hatchery

There were still a few more things to see on the tour after the waterfalls. The first was the Bonneville Fish Hatchery. From here there were some wonderful views across the Columbia River.

Columbia River Gorge - Bonneville Fish Hatchery

Bonneville Dam

Not far from the hatchery is the Bonneville Dam. Our visit was timed quite well as there was a good show with all of the dam gates open to some degree.

Columbia River Gorge - Bonneville Dam

Due to the way the fish breed, there is also a special feature at the Bonneville Dam. There is a fish ladder that allows for the fish to move from below the dam wall to above the dam wall. Which is an important part of their breeding and life cycle the tour guide told us.

Columbia River Gorge - Bonneville Dam Fish Ladder

Back In Portland

Portland is a city known for their independent breweries, so I thought I would look to give another one a try today. I had spotted one yesterday, so managed to find my way back there today. Located on the corner of NW 11th Ave and NW Davis St is Deschutes Brewery. They are making use of what appears to be an old warehouse or industrial building on the corner.

Portland - Deschutes Brewery

There was a little disappointment in the menu, as I had been hoping to have a steak for lunch today. But the menu was rather lacking in this department. The waiter worked was going through the menu, and when I asked if there were gluten free options, there was a few.

I end up ordering their brewery burger, which is meat, lettuce, tomato and onion with a ranch sauce on gluten free bread. Served along with what looked like hand cut chips. I did give one of the beers a try, a gluten-free golden ale. But I just think beer is not my thing, I am still to find one that grabs me enough to try again.

Great Day

The tour today end up being a great choice and very happy to see the area around the Columbia River Valley. I think it is an area that I would very much like to return one day in the future.

For the rest of the afternoon, I will like take a look at some of the unique bridges around Portland. But will likely include that at a later time, with tomorrow being a travel day heading from Portland to Victoria, BC. The last picture I will leave you with is of Mount St Helens. I think this image was from the hotel.

Portland - Mount St Helens

Destinations

Exploring Portland, Oregon Day Tour

Posted on August 23, 2011
Portland - Japanese Garden Stepping Stones

Today got off to a much better start than yesterday, and it was the result of doing a little research and planning. Today I would be on the Hop-On Hop-Off sightseeing bus around Portland operated by Gray Line.

Hop-On Hop-Off Tour

When I was looking to book the tour I have for tomorrow I found that you could combine it with a 2-day pass for the Hop-On Hop-Off Bus. Normally the Columbia River Valley Tour is $56, and the Hop-On Hop-Off 2-day bus pass is $39. However, getting the two together is $86, saving around $9. The main reason for getting the Hop-On Hop-Off pass was to take some of the thinking and walking out of the day.

Full Loop

I started the day with a full circle on the Hop-On Hop-Off bus to see where everything was and hear the full commentary. There were a few photos that I managed to capture along the way. After a break for lunch, I returned to the bus and made a couple of stops along the way including the Japanese Gardens and the International Rost Test Garden.

Portland - Benson Bubbler

Above – Benson Bubblers which are unique to Downtown Portland where there are said to be 52 in place.

Portland - Washington Park Entrance, Lewis And Clarke Memorial

Above – The entrance to Washington Park. The Japanese Gardens and International Rose Test Garden are located within this park.

Portland - South Park Blocks

Above – One of some parks that create breaks between areas of the city. There are at least two such parkways that stretch over some blocks.

Portland - Salmon Street Springs Fountain

Above – Salmon Street Springs located in Tom McCall Waterfront Park.

Portland - Washington Park World Forestry Center Portland - Bronze Beavers Statue on Fountain

Above – An old engine and log car at the World Forestry Centre.

Japanese Gardens

The Japanese Gardens were the first place I choose to explore in a little more depth. They are significantly bigger than the Chinese Gardens which I visited yesterday. They are also located in a much better location that is more peaceful and tranquil, away from the noise of Downtown. Which also means you need to explicitly make an effort to visit the gardens.

Portland - Japanese Garden Waterfall

You would think that with the additional space, there might be a lot of open space. However, it does not seem to be the case; space is very well used. From almost everywhere I visited you could hear the sound of running water, with from a waterfall or water feature.

Portland - Japanese Garden Water Feature

The location of Japanese Gardens and surrounding area are just green. The trees in the garden the ground cover and even foliage in the tops of the trees are all green. The combination of so much water and plenty of shade encourage a lot of moss to grow in some areas.

Portland - Japanese Garden Stepping Stones

Given the time and the inclination, I am sure I could easily find myself sitting and relaxing here all day. However, the bigger challenge is doing so with the number of people visiting. For the most part, it is still a peaceful and beautiful place; there are still many people that do not consider where they are. Spending a lot of time walking loudly and talking as they pass through.

Portland - Japanese Garden Entrance

International Rose Test Garden

As you descend back down towards Portland from the Japanese Garden, you come to the International Rose Test Garden. The garden is home to more than 7,000 rose bushes with around 550 different varieties. The International Rose Test Garden is the oldest continuously operating public rose test garden in the United States.

Even though they say, the peak flowering season for the garden is during the month of June. Even now in August, there was plenty of colours and blooms to see. A spot well worth visiting both for some amazing views and to see some of the beautiful roses.

 

Portland - View from International Rose Test Garden Portland - Red Rose, International Rose Test Garden Portland - Pink and White Rose, International Rose Test Garden

A Little Shopping

The last thing for me to do today was a little shopping. I had a couple of things I thought about needing and figured this would be the best time to find them over the next week or so.

The first on the list was a camera store. I needed to find a new neck strap for the camera as the one I had was getting a little loose. Although it had not come undone yet, it kept creeping down a little, and I did not want to risk the camera falling to the ground. Thankfully I can say I found the solution in the first shop, a much stronger and more comfortable strap.

The second thing I wanted was a hat. I had found the sun a little distracting at times and just wanted something to cover my eyes a little.

Destinations

Portland, Oregon – Exploring The Chinese Garden

Posted on August 22, 2011
Portland - Rock Bottom Bewery

Since leaving Las Vegas two days ago, I have effectively been in Transit. Unfortunately, not due to any transport problem but the result of some unfortunate last minute planning on my part. For me to fly direct from Las Vegas to Portland would have been rather expensive. It would have been such an expensive prospect, that is was cheaper to fly to Seattle, stay overnight and catch the train yesterday. So today turns out to be my first full day in Portland and that explains the missing blog post for yesterday.

Portland Shopping

There seems to be a whole lot of options in Portland for shopping. The shopping centres are also nothing small. Near to the hotel, I am staying in is Llyod Centre which covers multiple city blocks. It was good to find something close by this morning, after a rather chilly change in the weather. Yesterday when I arrived it was around 31 degrees Celsius and this morning that was not even close to the forecast high. Needless to say, I was not expecting the cool weather and went looking for a lightweight jacket before getting the day started.

Getting Around Portland

I have found out the best way to get around Portland is by public Transport. It is a little tricky to figure out, but there is a free zone that you can travel in without the need for payment. To travel outside this zone will cost just $4.75 at the time of writing for a day pass. So if you are moving around a little, it is not that expensive at all. So the trip from my hotel to downtown was in the free zone and took just 15 minutes.

Powell’s City of Books

I arrived in downtown at Morrison & 10th and my first stop for the morning was Powell’s City of Books. They claim to be the largest bookstore in the world. The claim to my knowledge has not been disputed to date and by the size of the store could very much be true. The store takes up an entire city block on Burnside Street between 10th & 11th Ave in Portland. Covering some 1.6 acres of retail floor space. There is even a second building just across the road for other categories of books, which cannot fit in the main store.

Exploring Downtown Portland

I headed bac towards the Downtown District and came across Pioneer Square. They were holding a weekly farmers market here which was interesting to see. The market is run at different locations around the city on different days of the week. There seemed to be a strong showing of organic producers, which seemed to be very popular. For the first time on this trip, I also discovered some stalls offering baked goods that were gluten free. So picked up some Banana Bread for breakfast in the morning.

Local Favourites

Some different things came up in the guidebook when I was looking for things around Portland. One of the first that caught my eye as a must do was Stumptown Coffee. I must say that I am not a coffee drinker, but when it is one of the top recommendations, you have got to make the trip. I got a latte and must say it was not bad, but honestly, have nothing to compare it to.

Some of the other suggestions were mostly in the way of local brewery or brew house bars. Even though I am also not a beer drinker, I am sure that I can find my way to at least one for lunch later today, maybe another tomorrow. Also, a suggestion was Voodoo Donuts, which I am sure I would have enjoyed. But alas every time I was nearby there was a line along the block, and I wanted to explore not stand in line.

Portland Classic Chinese Garden

After my stop for coffee, I realised it was not far to the Portland Classic Chinese Garden. It seemed like a great place to just take a walk and escape from the city for a little while. The garden is a beautiful space, with gardens, waterways and pathways to just explore the tranquillity. There were plenty of people also enjoying the gardens, just sitting or walking through and a couple of individuals even sketching.

Portland - Chinese Garden Portland - Chinese Garden Portland - Chinese Garden Portland - Chinese Garden

Portland Parks

When you are walking around Portland, you start to notice just how many parks and green spaces there are. Along with the parks, you will find that many of the streets lined with trees. One of the parks I found is called North Park Blocks, which is a series of six city blocks between NW 8th Ave & Park Ave, starting at Burnside Street. It is a beautiful green area with trees and grass that you rarely find so close to the centre of a city.

Rock Bottom Brewery

I decided to take another suggestion from the guidebook for lunch and found my way to Rock Bottom Brewery. Located on SW 2nd Ave and SW Morrison Street, they brew their beers on site and offer a full-service restaurant. I doubt I could fully appreciate the experience not being a beer drinker. However, I still gave their White Ale a try and found it to be quite a nice taste, and had some chips and guacamole to eat.

Portland - Rock Bottom Bewery

 

A Great Day In Portland

Today has been a beautiful day exploring Portland, and even though it was a little chilly this morning the afternoon turned warm. It was a great opportunity to try a small frozen yoghurt place I spotted earlier in Pioneer Place. I stopped in at Chef Fresh Yogurt and enjoyed a mix of two flavours, Mango Tango and Raspberry & Pomegranate with a Kiwi Lime Sauce. It didn’t only taste great but does take the edge of the heat just a little.

I set about finding my way back to the hotel with the Light Rail. Unlike the ride this morning it was now peak hour, and the carriage was quite full. But never the less it served the purpose, and I got where I needed to go without and extra walking. There had already been quite a substantial amount of walking from all that I got to see today.

Destinations

Exploring The Las Vegas Strip In A Day

Posted on August 20, 2011
Las Vegas - Fashion Show Mall

Today is my second and last day in Las Vegas for this trip. Yesterday gave me an excellent opportunity to see quite some things that I missed on my last trip. I also managed to fit one extra thing in today as well that I missed last time.

Wholefoods

Yesterday was a big day and went until quite late in the evening. So this morning was a rather late start, but that did not matter I had nothing too specific that had to be done. I decided to start with lunch, yep that is how late the start is and figured a good place for that would be Wholefoods.

It seemed like it could be a good walk, but soon realised it was much further than I remember. I end up waiting for the next bus heading that direction, which did not take long at all. The walk would have been doable, but is around 4km and with the heat in Las Vegas, far from a pleasant walk.

For those who have not had the opportunity to visit a Wholefoods, it is quite an experience. Especially if you like organic, or have any special dietary requirements, you would like them. The store is the size of a supermarket but with a focus on organic and special requirements. For lunch, I got a vegetable fried rice, sweet potato wedges, and broccoli and cheddar soup.

Visiting Casinos

After an enjoyable lunch and a look around some of the other nearby stores, I caught the bus to the other end of the Las Vegas Strip. I started with a walk through Encore and Wynn Casinos. They seem to be two of the high end classy and maybe even more expensive casinos here.

Las Vegas - Wynn Las Vegas - Encore

Fashion Show Mall

The other feature at this end of the strip is a large shopping centre called Fashion Show Mall. Here there are over 250 shops, with a good mix of stores. If you are looking for shopping that is not mixed into a casino than I would suggest heading here. Although there are some other options off the strip, this might be the better option if you are looking to stay on the strip.

Las Vegas - Fashion Show Mall

Treasure Island & Mirage

Next on my list was a visit to Treasure Island and Mirage casinos. I had hoped that I would time this right to coincide with the time of the free shows that are here.

At Treasure Island, there is a pirate show. The show includes two ships in a small man-made lakes with around a dozen performers. Only running a couple of times a day and I had not managed to time it right in the past. I am glad that I was able to see this as it is quite a good show and runs for around 20 minutes with a little pyrotechnics involved.

Las Vegas - Treasure Island Pirate Ship

The other show I wanted to see if at the Mirage. The show is much shorter around five minutes in length and is very much focused on the pyrotechnics. Worth stopping for but something you only need to see once.

Las Vegas - Mirage Casino Volcano

Venetian & Palazzo

The final two stops that I wanted to make this evening were at the Venetian and Palazzo casinos. The Venetian is very much themed on Venice, with the Grand Canal and gondolas. But I found it also to be one of them that least created a realistic illusion for me.

Las Vegas - Venetian Casino Entrance Las Vegas - Palazzo Casino

Couch Surfing

Although tonight was my last in Last Vegas for this trip, I did take another chance to meet some more Couch Surfers. The last two days have seen me meet more Couch Surfers than other times. That is without attending an actual meeting or gathering. Tomorrow I will be heading to Seattle for an overnight stop. With the following day being a short trip wouth again to spend a few days in Portland, Oregon.

Destinations

First Day Back In Las Vegas Day

Posted on August 19, 2011
Las Vegas MGM & Excalibur

Would you look at that I am back in Las Vegas again? Honestly, I don’t know if I needed to come again, but here we are.  There are a couple of good things to come out of this second visit to Las Vegas. I have been able to meet some more new people through Couch Surfing. Plus I have also been able to explore some of the area’s that I missed out on last time.

Meeting New People

In many other cities on my last trip, I made use of Couch Surfing to meet locals and travellers. Well, I have been full use of that here today again. When I arrived earlier today I put a message out looking for people interested in exploring Las Vegas. I end up having dinner with some guys from Australia, of all places right. Before meeting up with three other people that expanded to over 12 before midnight.

We spent around 12 hours exploring a decent portion of the Las Vegas Strip. I met people from Australia, Singapore, Germany, Spain, USA, Brazil and maybe another one or two countries this evening. Not a bad way to spend a bit of time and getting in some social time.

Explore the whole Las Vegas Strip

When I last visited Las Vegas I made use of visiting the two big attractions nearby. The Hoover Dam, and The Grand Canyon (not close but accessible). Plus I was also focused on attending a seminar over a number of days. Which meant I did not have a chance to get from top to bottom of the strip through all of the casinos.

Hooters Casino Hotel

I started the day heading just off the southern end of the strip to Hooters Casino Hotel. The main reason behind this visit was to get the $200 free slot play they were offering. Kind of a waste of time though as it last all of 30 seconds on the $5 promo slots. Not to worry I walked back to the strip taking a look through Tropicana on the way.

Heading North Along The Strip

I headed north visiting each of the casinos along the way. Starting with Mandalay Bay where there are a few interesting features, but not all of them are free, especially the good ones it seems.

I continued on through Luxor, Excaliber, New York New York, Monte Carlo, Aria, The Cosmopolitan, Bellagio, and Caesars Palace. From here I turned back to the other side and headed back through Planet Hollywood and MGM Grand.

Las Vegas - Luxor Casino

Above is Luxor with a very Ancient Egyptian Theme. Below is New york New york where I am staying on this visit.

Las Vegas - New York New York

Even though tonight has been a rather late night, I hope to be up and about early in the morning. I will be looking to explore the casinos further north along the strip. Of course, I will update tomorrow with my progress. But what I want to do is a much bigger comprehensive post of all my exploring here this time.

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