A city with character

Like Seattle, Portland receives a lot of rain for 9 months of the year, and is apparently very grey and depressing.  In the summer, however, and right now, it seems to make up for those dark days!  This is a city with serious character in the summer.  By sheer chance, I have stumbled across street/free concerts everyday I have been here.

Last night I was in a park and was told about a concert in the rose garden auditorium. It turned out to be an Argentinian band playing salsa, and everyone was dancing.  When I got back to the hostel, there was a small gig going on there by a guy who played sax and recited poetry.  Today, it was a marching band.  This place is great.  There are also farmers markets everywhere selling produce and food.  Unfortunately I am on a tight budget, so have to do most of my cooking back at the hostel, but I treat myself to the odd organic burrito!

So the city is pretty crazy, but I did manage to find some incredible serenity at the Japanese gardens.  They have been described as the best Japanese gardens outside of Japan, and it was one of the best ways I have spent $10!  They were so beautiful and peaceful, and I could have just laid down for the whole day. 

Japanese gardens must consist of water, plants and stone - there are plays on this however, as gravel was sometimes used as water.  Every angle is meant to give you a different view and views are sometimes framed by features.  Anyway, they were beautiful.

The gardens were created after the Second World War as a way of soothing Japanese and American relationships - there are a lot of Japanese ethnics on the West Coast.  When the creator of the gardens was asked what the below garden symbolised, he said: "True beauty can only be discovered by the one who completes the incomplete".  Your guess is as good as mine!

Anyway, having a good time in Portland.  Tonight I have been invited to supper by a cyclist I met a couple of days ago.  I am also going to visit the Chinese gardens!  Finally, I have found out that on Sunday morning, there is the annual Bridge Pedal, when all the city centre is closed for a cycle ride involving over 30 000 people!  I will have to get involved.