Into the Clouds

Sitting in row 17 on a 757 flight has its advantages, the most notable of which is the fact that you’re two rows behind an exit row – the very door they use to disembark the plane. So, getting off was a breeze. The flight itself was perfectly uneventful, just the sort you want to have. But the highlight? Completely jaw-dropping storm clouds just before we landed in Portland. It’s a viewpoint I rarely get to have (although some accuse me of having my head in the clouds at times) so when I have the opportunity to relish a window seat, I must look like a kid whose nose is pressed to the glass outside a candy store.

My photos do not do the clouds justice, but it was a cellphone camera so forgive it its shortcomings. There were layers upon layers of clouds in all shapes and sizes that formed pockets and valleys, opening in spots to the ground below. It was fascinating, mesmerizing, beautiful. I’ve been on lots of flights over the years but nothing compares to the wonder I felt gazing at these. My only regret is that I could not capture them pictorially the way they really looked.

Once I arrived in Portland, Karen and I hopped on the light rail and took that into downtown – the path it took slowly revealing the city as each suburb arrives and fades in turn. Next, we found our hotel for the night – Ace Hotel – a hip, modern, unpretentious stay. The bed: a mattress on a platform; the toilet: sequestered away behind a sliding wooden door; the entertainment: a turntable with a modest selection of old vinyl records; the walls: painted with flip-book style imagery of a diver doing an underwater turn in a pool; the shower: spacious and airy, boasting tile to the half-way point and finishing with a large pane of glass. In a word: cool.

After getting settled in the hotel, we set out on foot to locate something for dinner. As it was getting quite late, our options were somewhat limited, even for a downtown area. A few blocks away we saw a sign that beckoned and seemed encouraging – Jake’s Famous Crawfish. Run by McCormick & Schmick’s, Jake’s is considered one of the top ten seafood restaurants in the nation and has been a downtown Portland landmark for more than 110 years (source: Jake’s website). Unfortunately I can’t vouch for that specifically because Karen and I shared a delicious shrimp appetizer and a tantalizing piece of chocolate truffle cake with raspberry puree. But, even that was memorable and I would definitely go back on a future trip to Portland. Plus, the place was packed despite the late hour, so that’s always a good sign.

When we finished dinner, we walked off our food by visiting Powell’s Books – the largest independent used and new bookstore in the world. I had always wanted to visit one but, for whatever reason, never had the chance before. As we approached it, all I saw was the main entrance and I was confused because it looked quite small. Then, as we entered, I realized the joke was on me. Filling an entire city block (both storeys!) it featured color-coded rooms and an unimaginable collection of books and book-related products. Truly, it was mind-boggling – I immediately felt a mix of jubilation and overwhelm. It was hard to know where to start. So we did what anyone might do in our shoes: we alternatively wandered and tested the clerks with obscure trivia about the location of specific books. And they knew every time.

If you’re ever in the area, I would recommend all three of our Portland destinations – Ace Hotel, Jake’s Famous Crawfish and Powell’s.