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Portland, Oregon is one of the oldest cities on the west coast of the United States. Walking around town -- it's a very walkable city -- you encounter excellent restaurants, interesting shopping, and gorgeous old, brick buildings that would have been replaced by skyscrapers had this been Seattle or San Francisco. Portland lies on the bank of the Willamette River, with the magnificient Willamette Falls less than an hour away by boat.
Waterfront District and Downtown
Portland's downtown has many charming buildings, although other neighborhoods, such as Pearl and Alphabet seem to be a bit more "happening."
Chinatown
Chinatown is quite small, encompassing only a few blocks. The area seems a bit shady. In the first photo below, a man is being arrested.
Saturday Market
This market is outstanding, with street performers and a wide array of interesting goods for sale, including food, clothes, housewares, and jewelry. The market is located on SW Naito Blvd, under the Burnside Bridge and in Ankeny Park. Despite the name, it's open on both Saturdays and Sundays.
Pearl District
This district, just north of Downtown, is one of the more upscale parts of the city center. Restaurants, shopping, galleries, condominiums, and lofts coexist side-by-side, filling old, brick warehouses and modern buildings.
Shopping
Cargo, a shop in the Pearl District, sells imports from all over the world.
Hunt and Gather is another interesting Pearl District shop, containing home furnishings and original artwork.
Alphabet District
This historic area, northwest of Downtown, is mostly residential (and it looks like a great place to live), with the exception of a couple streets including the bustling 23rd, a.k.a. Trendy-third, Ave.
Rams Head
A fixture of 23rd Ave is the Rams Head pub, built in 1912. A mural on the wall depicts people drinking alcohol from coffee cups during Prohibition. Another shows a turn-of-the-20th-century dance hall. A third, inexplicably, shows a man threading spaghetti through his nose.
Willamette River and Falls
Portland Skyline
Willamette Falls
This is the largest waterfall in the Pacific Northwest, stretching 1500 ft wide and 40 ft tall.
Bridges
River Industry
Industry on the Willamette River includes paper production, hydroelectric power (the world's first major long distance hydroelectric power plant is here), and grain transport (surprisingly, this is the 3rd largest grain exporting region in the world).
Houseboats
The first of the houseboats below appeared in the movie Hear No Evil, See No Evil.
