My kids actually didn't do this (so they are a little right)... Portland (The Journey and Downtown)

So while my 2 oldest were in Ohio, and my 2 youngest were in Colorado, I was participating in a really cool adventure of my own.

It was a game really... a game called "Can your best friend still be your best friend after 28 hours in a car together and a week all up in each others business?"

Happily the answer is yes.

And it was fun.

It all started because we wanted 2 people from work to go to the AIRS Conference. And the conference was in Portland. Which meant Marcus could just stay at home. And save United Way money. So we decided to drive instead of fly and hang out a few extra days after the conference.

The conference was nice I guess, but doing stuff with Marcus was my favorite. We mostly enjoy doing the same things and have a high tolerance for each other's quirkiness (weird stuff we accidentally say and moods no one else would put up with)...so that makes it easier.

The Journey

So...interesting. Marcus can put both of his feet on the dashboard while driving.

Yes, this has safety written all over it.

And I hope his feet are clean. 

Although its a dashboard so I'm not sure it matters.

We listened to music, talked, slept (not the person driving) and listened to books on tape (at accelerated speeds...which I found odd and he found necessary. This is where my naps became very useful. He could listen to the books he really likes and the hyper speed reading didn't give me headaches. Win all around!). 

The drive is either really beautiful or really dull and ugly.

Again. This is where my naps became very useful.

When we got close to Portland, we stopped at Multnomah Falls. It was so green and so gorgeous!

And yes that is a picture of a random person at the base of the falls.

The picture of us together I hated.

Because for some reason I looked like I'd been sitting in a car for 13 hours.

And then we stopped for dinner before he dropped me off at the hotel and he headed home.

The Original Pancake House!

Totally a dive, but totally good.

Exploring Downtown

So the conference was in a hotel downtown, so during breaks and in the evenings, we had a chance to explore a little. He got to show me things he remembered from being a kid in the area,things he loved. And we ventured out a little as well and looked for new things and new places.

This? Well this is the best...and one of the first things we did. Its a tram up to a higher point in the city...and you can see Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Hood. They look really different from one another. Because one is kind of a peak, and the other one looks like the top was blown off of it.

Pioneer Courthouse Square

Well at least I know how far it is!

This is a statue of Portlandia...who we found out was born the exact same day as Marcus.

We ventured a little further out, too, into some adjoining neighborhoods. We went to the Pearl District where we explored a very large bookstore (sadly no pictures). And I found a place he had never been before but was willing to go and check out. It is an area called Nob Hill. It was full of super quaint streets with interesting little independent stores (including a little place called "A-lot O Gelato" that we stopped and grabbed a treat at). And we were so taken by the whole ambience that we walked and wandered up and around the streets looking at really cool houses and buildings.

We started up a conversation with two ladies sitting on the steps outside this beautiful Victorian. It now houses classes for addicts of all kinds...and they wanted to know if we were there because we were addicts as well. Uh...no. But since its a public building, we got to go inside and check it out anyway.

This is an old firehouse. 

And a stop we made sure to include was this little place with the line out the door...VooDoo Donuts. They are known for their tasty but never typical hole-in-the-center-of-a-circle confections. We bought a dozen and took it back to West Linn to share with his family. There were toppings like Cocoa Puffs and Bubblegum.  All of their employees had random piercings and fierce tattoos. And abnormal hair coloring. Totally quirky. Totally cool.

I'm trying to think under what circumstances one would feel the need to purchase this...

We were good with a dozen. And yes, they made it to their destination.