Here in Eugene, there aren't many opportunities to walk in the city. Yes, the city...or downtown is very walkable. But, there aren't too many places to just walk to, or interesting routes to take to the places we go.
In DC , we'd walk all the time, to home, to dinner, to shows, from work. And it was almost always interesting and fun. See. See. See. So much to see, observe, appreciate, and be fascinated by. We have started to miss that deeply in the last few weeks and really crave the stimulus and diversity that older, bigger cities have.
In the midst of our complaining and comparing, I needed to go to Portland for an Oregon Wild board meeting. I took the Amtrak Thruway bus to Union Station in Portland, and then it was a 2.1 mile walk to where they board meeting was to be held. While, Portland isn't even half as fascinating as DC, there was still fun things to see and observe and photograph and appreciate. And, it was wonderful to walk again to get somewhere.
Portland was filled with the muted sounds of the morning hours. A fluffy grey blanket folded over the city's structures. I came upon the walled Lan Su Chinese Garden. Having already been inside before, I just peered in from the outside. Its walls, permeated by beautiful leak windows, revealed secret views of the garden. The peace and tranquility of the garden seeps out and into your senses. With that calm, I approached the Burnside Bridge. Standing on it, I looked upon a cobbled road below, carved with tram tracks. Deserted on a Saturday morning, the tracks, the sole car, the departing tram, and the solitary person strolling were the picture of serenity. I continued on, looking across at the Steel Bridge. A vivid contrast of newer construction against cobbled roads and walled gardens. Soon, on the other side of the river, I found a new neighbourhood to explore...
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| Through the Leak Windows, into Lan Su Garden |
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| Cobbled Street with Tram Tracks |
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| Steel Bridge |
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| Exploring a new neighbourhood |
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| Exploring a new neighbourhood |
