by Fe2O3Girl 7 Replies latest jw friends
There was an article in the travel section of the Guardian yesterday on Portland Oregon. It sounds idyllic. Any JWD posters from there? Is it as good as it sounds?
http://travel.guardian.co.uk/countries/story/0,,1862945,00.html
http://www.portland.com/portland/index.cfm?objectID=5E893295-C09F-22F2-195F99FCBB7A8DC3
I just read the article in The Guardian, and yup, that's pretty much Portland! I'm a Portlander born and raised. With exception to 11 years in Seattle, I'm back.
People here are really nice. The drivers are mostly polite. Drivers in the US, on the average, are no where near as skilled as they are in the U.K.
We seldom have harsh weather - avg 13 days above 90 (this year we've had 22) and usually about the same below freezing. Although snow has become a real rarity. Skiing on Mt. Hood is only 90 minutes away in winter. The ocean is 90 minutes the opposit direction.
The Pacific NW is awesome country.
I just moved here this weekend, although I have been to Portland countless times during my life. Portland is great if you like laid-back people and mild weather. If you are ultra conservative in politics you would not like it here. Everyone else thinks its great! Sherry
I am from Portland, Oregon. It is as beautiful and nice as depicted. The quality of life is very good. However, in recent years, traffic has become unbearable, as so many people have moved in to the area. The road system has not been expanded enough to keep up. The west side around Beaverton-Hillsboro, Tualatin, and the south area around Tigard and over to Lake Oswego are my favorites. We lived in Aloha for a while, which is sandwiched in between Beaverton and Hillsboro. We eventually moved north of Portalnd to St. Helens, where we lived for about ten years. I highly recommend it as a place to visit or live.
Jim Whitney
I love Portland. Please don't move here.
Just kidding.
Sorta.
hehe
Up until the 70s there were signs on the highways, real signs that said things like "Enjoy your visit, please don't stay." Bumper stickers said "Don't Californicate Oregon" and even Gov. Tom McCall said once in a speech, "Visit but for heaven's sake don't stay." Mostly it's just a joke, except to some old-timers and natives. Yeah, traffic is getting dense in certain areas, but it's still tolerable, and on most clear days you get nice views of mountains 100 miles away.
Thanks for your replies! Is the public transport system really good?
Are any of you Cascadians?
Don't worry, I have no plans to emigrate. Maybe I'll visit one day....
Rachel
Hi Rachael (Fe203Girl),
Yes, the public transportation system is very good. It stretches from as far east as Gresham, and as far west as Hillsboro, and they were talking of extending north and south rail lines. It is inexpensive and convenient to use, well maintained, and clean (no grafetti). The company I worked for when I was there built the Portland transit system called Max.
Odrade is correct about the signs and bumper stickers. There was a large famous billboard sign on Interstate 5, going north into Oregon from California, that stated, "Don't Californiacate Oregon." By the mid-1990s, the anti-California feelings subsided as Californians took over the majorty of the population around the Portland area.
In America, California is to the United States as the United States is to the rest of the world. California is loved and hated at the same time and for the same reasons. Oregonians especially have a real love-hate relationship with Californians.
Jim Whitney
Checking in as requested
I spend a good amount of time with Brenda and Odrade, haven't had the pleasure of meeting Amazing yet. We also claim Lowkey Lowsmith, newboy, Gretchen and a few others. Point being that Portland rocks and so do it's 'postates!
