This is the 4th in a series of posts covering my trip to the US Pacific Northwest in 2022, adapting emails originally sent to friends. I use NOW to refer to any updates since I did the trip.
Before I left town a lot of people wished me a great trip. I don't do great trips, I do interesting trips. I push myself and challenge myself to react to unexpected problems, which was a theme for much of the day.
I had partial insomnia at night due to that one guy but fell back to sleep. I got up, visited Rachel the Pig at Pike Place Market, the took the Harbor Steps (wide concrete steps wight seating areas, water fountains of sorts, etc) down to the waterfront, which I wandered around for a few minutes before returning to the hostel via the Steps. I checked out before having breakfast and spilling orange juice on myself. I walk to Seattle Center including International Fountain (same decorations as yesterday) before waiting near the Space Needle and Museum of Pop Culture (MoPop) for the Flixbus to Portland. There were no signs marking the stop. Around the time the bus was 25 minutes late I checked with taxi drivers in case I had somehow missed it. One of them assured me it was still coming. Soon after I saw a white coach style with no markings on the side drive up. I checked and it was indeed the Flixbus.
He announced an ETA for the next stop (International District) that had already passed and one for SeaTac Airport that I knew he couldn't make on time, but he actually slightly beat the Tacoma ETA. Normally I like to seat at the front but too many objects were on the front window to take good photos so i sat one seat to the back and occasionally took front photos for reference. At the Tacoma stop by Tacoma Dome Station a guy with a probably disability that caused him to be in persistent motion took that front seat. The motion was a bit distracting though he did settle down a bit as the trip went on. The only other stop was Portland, which the bus arrived at a little ahead, at Union Station.
The walk to the hostel wasn't too bad; some places you can't go straight all the way to 18th due to a freeway below, but at that area the freeway actually passed above the street. I checked in at the hostel. Stuck with upper bunk this time. I got help because power wasn't turning on for battery chargers, then walked to McDonald's; take out only again likely due to the virus. I walked to Providence Park MAX Station where I bought a daypass. I had to let a Red MAX light rail pass by because I briefly forgot where I had put the pass but after took a Blue MAX light rail (all MAX light rails and regular buses today TriMet Transit) to downtown,
I realized my bus stop was further away than expected so I dashed to where the hourly 96 bus stops. I took it to Tualatin Park & Ride (I think it might actually be in Tigard not Tualatin). I got a bit turned around but finally found the Barnes & Noble I returned to the Park & Ride and took a 76 bus to Tigard Transit Center.
[NOW: The Park & Ride and the part of Bridgeport Village that had the Barnes & Noble seem to be in Tualatin, though Tigard Transit Center is definitely in Tigard.]
My bus wasn't scheduled to arrive for a bit (and transit times on signs were wrong; Google times proved to be more accurate) so I wandered nearby and also took photos of the transit centre's WES light rail station. The 78 bus arrived. Noticing that the bus skipped announcing some stops, I asked the driver to let me know when we reached my stop. He felt he had already passed it so I got off at a stop in Lake Oswego and went back. Asking directions I learned that he had not reached it. So I took a route that was better from where I now was, to Booktique. There was a shortcut to the stop I was supposed to get off at but a couple people I asked proved to be non-local so I took a less direct route to that stop. i did spot the other end of the shortcut en route to the stop. I took another 78 bus to Oswego Transit Center. Was briefly confused trying to find my next destination, another Booktique by two things: when the 300s become the 400s the odds and evens change sides. And the store was up a staircase, not at ground level. After that I visited Millennium Park; in one corner you can see Salmon Bay. Before finding the bay I drank a lot of water at a fountain,. Returning to the transit center, I walked to the nearby Safeway, but they wanted too much for pop.
I took a 78 bus (I learned that the bus did announce that one stop) to Portland Community College, Sylvania Campus; I think that's in Portland proper. After a long wait I took a 44 bus to Annie Bloom Books. I was in an interesting narrow market corridor. A 45 bus arrived just as I was leaving the store. I would have liked to have explored the area more, but the long waits and misdirection soured me on lingering. I got off further away from my destination, the Portland Aerial Tram than I expected, though part of the route I look took proved to be underneath the tram on a bridge, which was a first for me. For the first time since I got off the Blue MAX I was finally somewhere familiar. That Barnes & Noble, the two Booktiques, and Annie Bloom being new to me, though I have some familiarity with Tigard Transit Center. The tram is good for nice aerial views of the city, though being part of a hospital system you do have to wear a mask, which is hard if you have a touch sensitivity. Mine broke but I was given a new one. At the top the driver saw me taking photos and recommended a viewing area I hadn't been too before, happily not a mask area. i took some photos there before returning to the lower end. A guy was arguing with security. After he left I asked them to pass along my thanks to that one driver for the suggestion. The guy who replied seemed relived to have some good news to deliver.
I walked to a nearby Orange/Yellow MAX station at a bridge (Marquam?); Orange is the south end colour, Yellow the north). I got off downtown and visited Mill Ends Park, the world's smallest park, located in the middle of a crosswalk. New since the last time I was there was a marker. I think a lot of people think at first that the larger park by the waterfront is Mill Ends. There is a plant that I could probably step over if I was so inclined. I walked to the nearby Salmon Street Springs (water jets) and then took a Red line MAX light rail back to Providence Park MAX station. I got takeout at McDonald's then walked to Powell's Books, a bookstore so large it takes up a full block. The top floor/Pearl Room has vintage typewriters this time. I bought I book on Superman's creator, Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster. I walked to Fred Myers and bought a six pack of beer. I hate to admit it because I usually prefer Canadian beer, but the local beer I bought, Pub Beer is as good as any Canadian beer. The truth hurts but I can't lie; it really is a very tasty beer. I drank it at the Secret Garden area (drinking area outside) of this hostel, Northwest Portland Hostel. Happily given I was last year five years ago, the WiFi password must be unchanged because I connected automatically.
[NOW: The MAX station I got on was South Waterfront/S Moody and the bridge was Tilikum Crossing. At that stop it’s an Orange line but it was a Yellow line downtown.]
No comments:
Post a Comment