San Juan Island & Portland
The past few days have been filled with more incredible adventures as we explored San Juan Island (the second largest and most populous of the San Juan Islands) and Portland, Oregon. The drive to each destination was uneventful, even with a no advance car reservation policy for the ferry in Anacortes (could you even imagine such a thing on the east coast?!), and the weather has been lovely -- sunny and warm, with no clouds or rain in sight. Here are the highlights, but be forewarned that there isn't as much humor in this blog -- hey, maybe it's all the driving or maybe I am just tired. You be the judge!
SAN JUAN ISLAND
If you love the outdoors, this is the place for you -- plenty of sailing, kayaking, hiking, biking, diving and whale-watching. And, if you choose to be a little less active, San Juan has some of the most beautiful vistas imaginable. The highlights include island exploration, whale watching and swimming, with a little history thrown in for good measure.
WHALE WATCHING
We booked a sunset whale watching cruise with the hopes of having a better experience than last year! To refresh your memory, last year's Maine trip consisted of tons of people, seasickness (both me and Peytin), cold, rain and one lone humpback whale that managed to redeem the entire experience by giving us a few good lobtails and, consequently, some great pictures. By contrast, this time we had amazing weather, good health, a small boat and a large pod of about ten orca whales to follow! To watch these animals move and play in the water -- breaching, spyhopping and lobtailing -- was simply spectacular!!! The downside to so much activity was that I often had my camera lens trained on one pod member, only to miss the other pod member's tricks and vice versa. Oh well, we will always have the memories!
PIG WAR?!
I missed this little bit of American history in school, but maybe the Pig War rings a bell for some of you?! In 1859, an American settler on San Juan Island shoots and kills a pig belonging to the British Hudson's Bay Company. The shooting ignites a long-simmering dispute between the United States and Great Britain over ownership of the San Juans. Within two months, more than 400 American troops, dispatched to protect the settler from arrest, faced off against some 2,000 British soldiers, sailors and marines. But no shots were fired, and small detachments from each nation remained until 1872, when Kaiser Wilhelm I, acting as arbitrator, awarded the islands to the United States. Today, the British and American camps -- on opposite ends of the island -- make up the San Juan Island National Historic Park.
TRAVEL TIP
A hotel amenity I look for when traveling with the girls is a pool. It is always a nice way to start or end the day and provides a fun release when much of the trip is so active / busy.
CLOSING THOUGHT
After having had the opportunity to visit a number of islands along the east, and now west, coast, I will say that there is something truly special about Martha's Vineyard. From the diversity of the terrain, to the diversity of activities, to the diversity of the people, it's truly a unique place.
And, for anyone who may be a stickler for proper grammar, I used "a unique" rather than "an unique" for the following reason: when a "u" word is pronounced as though it begins with a "y" (yoo nique), it's treated more like the consonant sound of the y. So, a university, an umbrella, a usual day, an unusual day.
PORTLAND
We bid a fond farewell to the Evergreen State and headed south along I-5 to Portland. Along the way, I was pleased to learn that I-5 has a speed limit of 70 mph and to discover a few outlet malls (hey, it's a good way to stretch your legs)! And, here's a clue that your child is growing up -- when you purchase the same ballet flats, just in different sizes -- wow!
Portland is a great city with many hipsters (think Williamsburg or, heck, any other part of Brooklyn!), great food, an easy layout, and an outdoor scene that is a sight to behold -- Mount Hood, hiking trails, cycling, scenic byways, waterfalls, etc.! Here are a few highlights:
MOUNT HOOD SCENIC LOOP
No trip to Portland would be complete without a drive along the Mount Hood Scenic Loop, a 146-mile loop that takes you past breathtaking views of Mt. Hood, the Columbia River, numerous waterfalls and various vista points. If you're doing the math, yes, that is a lot of driving after having completed the drive from Anacortes to Portland and having to soon undertake the drive to Crater Lake but, hey, the adrenaline was flowing! That said, I was smart enough to realize that we needed to extend our stay in Portland by one day so that I could enjoy some much-needed rest time and tasty food (not to mention the family-friendly happy hour that takes place every evening at Kimpton hotels -- priceless!) Of course, this created a domino effect with our other hotel reservations, but it all worked out in the end.
MIRROR LAKE
About 50 miles into our scenic drive, I came across a number of cars parked along the roadside and thought, hey, this must be a point of interest. So, a quick Google search revealed that it was a hiking trail to Mirror Lake, offering stunning views of Mount Hood with dazzling lake reflections of Mount Hood's peak rising above the lake. Oh, to be curious and naive! Two hours, 3 miles, an 800 foot elevation gain, one fall (me), one slip (Peytin) and some lost snacks along the way, we arrived safely back to our car with the following pictures to show for our efforts. Not quite the mirror effect we had hoped for (something about the wind), but it's always fun to be spontaneous ... I think!
IF YOU HAVE SEEN ONE ZOO, YOU HAVE SEEN THEM ALL
Besides, what could possibly top our visit to Woodland Park Zoo?! So, we decided to spend our final day in Portland, enjoying nature and the food scene (yes, food figured prominently during this portion of the trip although, my little foodie, Peytin, says that the food in Portland is good, but not like the food you get in New York!) The best part of our exploration was discovering Washington Park, an oasis of green space just minutes from downtown Portland, that counts the International Rose Test Garden as one of its main attractions. What a fragrant and beautiful place!
Oh, and I rode a seesaw for the first time in years -- wow, what a workout!
Okay, that's all for now. We arrived safely at our next destination -- Crater Lake National Park -- so stay tuned for the next blog that will focus on national parks! Enjoy your holiday and be safe!