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Road Trip Through America Day Two
Day Two of our road trip through America featured a lot of driving. We finished Washington and Oregon and tried to get through as much of Idaho as possible. The first and one of the only lookouts we found in Oregon was on the top of a mountain, overlooking beautifully sculpted fields and farms. As we continued the drive we noticed the mountains creeping on the right side of the car. The snow capped blue giants in the distance looked stunning against the dark fields. Our last photo stop was in a small town after a long bout of mountain driving. We were just in time for the sunset and…
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Art and Graffiti – Portland’s Art District
The art and graffiti in Portland’s Art District is outstanding. There are large pieces scaling the length of a building, to overlapping graffiti, to paintings hanging outside stores. Some of the art uses paint, but others use objects to add texture to the pieces. The mermaid piece has old CD’s that make up her sparkling tail. One student even used an alley for their thesis, trying to make every inch of Portland beautiful. They allow people to interact with the pieces in the alley, and decide what they would like to see in their city. The art district is stunning, and walking the ten blocks was one of my favourite…
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Portland’s Art District – Part One
Portland’s Art District was my favourite stop in the city. We first drove past on our way to The Kennedy School and knew we had to go back. The street is ten blocks of street art, adorable shops and incredible restaurants and bars. We didn’t explore much of the food scene but did try to find as much art as possible. This was not difficult. The buildings were covered with sensational artwork. Even the graffiti was stunning – bright, bold and beautiful. One alley was redesigned as someone’s thesis, trying to make every inch of the city appealing. Downtown Portland is interesting but not what you imagine when you think of the…
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Multnomah Falls
Multnomah Falls is the main stop on the Columbia River drive. This 620 foot mammoth waterfall is breathtaking from every angle. The Native American lore behind the falls states that it was created to win the heart of a young princess who wanted a private place to bathe. From the road you can only see the top of the falls, as you move closer you notice a thicker bottom tier that only adds to the beauty. There is a trail all the way up to the top of the falls – we opted out of the walk – but there is a stop at the Benson bridge. The Benson bridge was…
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Bridal Veil Falls
Bridal Veil Falls was my favourite waterfall. Everything in Oregon is so lush and green, that the white from the falls was dazzling. The walk from the car is ten minutes through thick trees along a trail. From the top of the hill you can hear the stream but cannot see it until you get around to the front. Since we were there in early May, and during the week, it was quiet. The waterfall is thicker than the others on this drive, and flows down from Larch Mountain to make its way to the Columbia River. There is also another hike, a loop around the forest, that you can do…
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Latourell Falls
Latourell Falls is the first waterfall along the Columbia River Gorge and it is a stunning first stop. When you get your first glimpse, through the bright green foliage, it looks tiny but by the time you reach the bottom of the cliff you are the small one. Standing at 224 feet, this waterfall packs a punch, even if the stream is small. The bright yellow lichen covering the side of the cliff, and almost neon moss around the base, make the falls outstanding. You don’t even realize how much time has passed while watching the water flow. It is incredible how close they are to these stunning waterfalls. Latourell Falls definitely…
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Historic Columbia River Highway
In early April a friend and I took a trip to Portland, Oregon. We had no real plan so my family took us to the Historic Columbia River Highway, to see the gorgeous waterfalls. The first stage of the journey was the stunning lookout at the Portland’s Women Forum of the Columbia River and the gorge. The cascading mountains along the water, even on a grey day, was breathtaking. Everything is already so green from the mild winter, and the trees lining the hills were beautiful. The second stop was the the Vista House at Crown Point. I saw the building at the first lookout and was immediately drawn to…
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Portland Pt. 2
The architecture in Portland is outstanding. All the old buildings, stone streets and large trees makes Portland beautiful. Walking the streets and looking around was the best way to spend time, we barely went into any stores. Although we did find our way into Nordstrom Rack, where I got a Marc Jacobs coat for 140 bucks, 200 dollars less then the regular price – unreal. Anyway, here are some photos of the stunning buildings, enjoy!
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Portland
When my parents came into town last week, we took a quick trip down to Portland. The city was a lot different then I was expecting, but it was too short a trip to really get a feel of the town. The buildings were higher, and there were roads and bridges high above the water. It felt more boxed in, crowded and removed from nature. The architecture is stunning, all the old buildings and stone streets were beautiful and the transit system is incredible. We had just enough time to explore the depths of Powells, drink too much beer at a Brewery and get lost in the wrong part of…
