Tabitha, Mariel, Joy, and I all decided to spend our Thanksgiving break doing an exorbitant amount of driving. After a bit of a rocky start getting on the road which included a cop stop, the rest of the way to Seattle went pretty smoothly. Of course, we had to stop and oogle snow.
It was interesting traveling with a group of people who aren't from around here. They get excited about the little things. Like black people. And snow.
So, Seattle consisted of getting to our hotel (I <3 Travelocity's Secret Hotels!), and then driving randomly about the city absorbing the nighttime, fog-ridden sights. We stopped at Uwajimaya, which is way cooler than the one in PDX. Bigger all around with greater selection of "fresh" fruits and veggies and bookstore. We stalked some colored arches and drove up many hills. In the morning, we visited Pike's Market, at which I had delicious breakfast pastries and bought too much art.
Then our drive to Portland began. They wanted to stop along the way and see the capital city (Olympia). We wandered about the main building and then drove around looking for food. After resuming our journey, it was expressed that to see Mt. St. Helens would be of interest. And so, after typing that very thing into the GPS, we veered off the main highway on a detour that would take us three hours out of our way with no glimpse of the deformed mountain.
 |
| We approached the capital building... |
 |
| Pretty lights |
 |
| It looks like a geometric abstract art piece. |
When we finally reached Portland, it was on 84 West. Trying to juggle family and friends was a tad stressful. We met up with another Americorps girl and ate at a horrifyingly Portland restaurant; all vegetarian and live. Not my thing. Been a bit sick since. And after that took a quick tour of the city. Our intent was to go to Voodoo, but the line was a bit long. Instead, we drove around a tad and I showed them the echo circle, Pioneer Square, the South Park Blocks, and the lookout point by the Steel Bridge. Seeing my family was nice, but all too short and we got up far too early the next morning. Skipping Voodoo yet again, we visited the Ace Hotel until Powell's opened. An hour there and Max joined us.
It was really good to see him. I was still having trouble adjusting to being in Portland again. We were being a bit too touristy and.....surface value-y for me too feel at home. But with Max being there, it really felt like home again and reminded me why I love it.
That aside, we visited Scrap and another restore before checking out the Saturday Market and eating at the People's Republic of Sandwich. Then, saying goodbye to Max and Portland, we headed out onto open road again. We'd dallied long enough for the sun to come out and Tabitha got her long-awaited view of not only Mt. St. Helens, but a beautiful view of Mt. Hood as well. :) A two-minute stop at Multnomah Falls told us the Vista House was no go due to construction. However, we got onto the second scenic byway and saw the other overlook. Not quite as good but still a beautiful view. After that, home was smooth and uneventful sailing.
Overall, the trip was a whirlwind. It felt very long, but not long at all. It got pretty tense at parts, but I think we all managed to have a good time. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment