Now that I’m settled into my new home, I’ve resumed my travels and my most recent excursion was to a strange and wondrous place. While I was there, I ate exotic food, met interesting people, saw curious artifacts, and learned some fascinating history. I have been to Portland Oregon.
In another life (with another bank balance) I traveled to major cities such as New York and visited common tourist attractions and major arts venues. Those were great experiences and I’m glad I had them, but my current situation has forced me to change and adapt and fortunately I met a travel companion who knows how to have fun in all kinds of places.
We chose Portland because it was easy to get to and affordable, but nothing prepared me for eclectic experience we enjoyed.
We began with the Skeleton Key Odditorium and stepped into another world, a world of mystery, history and a quirky blend of fact and fiction. Human beings have always been fascinated by the idea of a world that lies beyond our own, seeking answers from beyond the grave, or in the spirit world, seeking power over life and death. The Odditorium was an interesting glimpse into that strange and sometimes perilous journey.
On to Powell’s Books aka literary heaven for lengthy browsing and a light snack.
From there we went to Portland Living Room Theatre and saw Spinal Tap, a movie that has been on my must see list for years and that turned out to be much funnier than I had expected. Days later, I’m still giggling and repeating its one-liners.
From the supernatural of the Odditorium, we went to Paxton Gate which sells fun and fascinating bits of art from the natural world; fossils, insects, minerals, plants, and taxidermy are artfully displayed in a riot of color and textures. We had a wonderful time browsing and marveling.
A quick dinner was followed by a trip to another movie theater (Cinema 21 – times & tickets) to see It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley a documentary about a magnificently talented singer who was taken from the world much too soon. Powerful and poignant, but rather than making me feel sad, it made me feel reflective and positive. The movie contained some great lessons about resilience, love, creativity, and perseverance and the endurance of art.
We began our next day with breakfast from the Woodstock Cafeand I swooned over the Marionberry Farina “Pop Tart.”
My travel companion never tells me where we’re going so I was surprised to find myself at Ground Kontrol arcade. I made one attempt at video games as a teenager and never tried them again, but I was familiar with the electronic nostalgia of Pac Man, Tetris, etc. It turns out that I still don’t have a knack for video games, but I was surprised and delighted to find that I have an affinity for pinball. We spent more than an hour playing and giggling and refreshed ourselves with a beverage from the bar.
Mary’s Club was just up the street and provided delightful grown-up entertainment. The talented and charming dancer who incorporated a bit of humor into her act proudly informed us that the club is family owned and has been in operation for more than seventy years. She pointed out the artwork on the walls that charted some of the club’s history.
The atmosphere was low-key and friendly, and the other patrons were polite and respectful. We had a pleasant hour there before heading back to the Royal Sonesta, a comfortable hotel with whimsical décor and a spectacular lobby.
Portland is full of lovely neighborhoods with wonderful food and shops. We enjoyed a sampler plate at Mirisata, a Sri Lankan restaurant with comfortable outdoor seating.
Dessert took place at Pinolo Gelato. Dairy and I don’t get along as well as we used to, but they had some spectacular dairy-free flavors that tingled my tastebuds and left me wanting more.
It was a nice way to pass the time before heading to Revolution Hall to see Femi Kuti. A great venue and an amazing concert experience. Kuti’s music was new to me, but I got the sense that the people in the audience were longtime fans.
Kuti’s energy was astonishing and seemed to electrify the audience, they were jumping about, waving their arms, and singing at the top of their voices. It was one of the most joyful, exuberant, life-affirming things I have ever experienced.
Joyful, exuberant, and life-affirming sums up this trip for me. Portland has something for everyone wrapped in smiles and delivered at a relaxed, easy pace that reminds you to slow down and enjoy life.
In these dark days it’s easy to despair and to feel like retreating from a world that now seems hostile and frightening. But there is still a lot of good out there and cities like Portland are a wonderful reminder of that goodness.
Thank you for reading
Eileen Blake
