Solo Trip to Portland

Friday, September 17-Sunday, September 19: Cousins, Art Museum, College Friend, Rose Garden

I took myself on a solo trip to Portland this weekend thanks to a great price on Southwest during the airline's 50th anniversary fare sale. I stayed with my cousins W & M, who live down near Beaverton. The light rail MAX was a very convenient mode of travel on Friday afternoon to get from the airport to the Transit Center near their house and also all day Saturday as I spent time in downtown PDX and then Washington Park.

I enjoyed dinner and puzzling with my cousins on Friday along with breakfast on Saturday. The overnight rain had mostly let up by the time W dropped me off at the MAX so that I could go to the Portland Art Museum on Saturday morning, but I was still well-equipped with a rain jacket, gloves, and umbrella. I spent about two hours in the museum, seeing parts of the permanent collection as well as some contemporary special exhibitions. Below are some of the works that particularly made an impression on me for various reasons.

After purchasing a number of cards at the Museum Gift Shop, I set off to meet my college friend C at Cheryl's on 12th for lunch. We haven't seen each other for nearly 8 years but always connected via holiday cards. I'm so glad we were able to meet up in person to catch up on everything that's been happening! The covered outdoor seating was a perfect spot to protect us from the ongoing showers and light breeze, and the sun was out by the time we were leaving, which provided a perfect setting for me to visit the Rose Garden in Washington Park.

I took MAX a few stops and then boarded the free shuttle at the zoo to travel to the Rose Garden. The route wound all around the area, giving me glimpses of some very large homes that are nestled in and around the park. Pricey real estate here, for sure! I then spent nearly two hours strolling through the roses and admiring the blooms, which were still quite impressive although they're nearing the end of their season. I particularly enjoyed the interplay of raindrops lingering on the petals of some of the flowers, as shown in several pictures below.

I decided to walk back to the MAX station via a walking trail in the Park and then had just one stop to travel to meet up with my cousin M at the Transit Center. The evening was spent puzzling with M before dinner and then lots of chatting with both W & M during the meal.

On Sunday morning, I repeated my YouTube Zumba + yoga workout in the downstairs guest area and then joined W for breakfast and coffee before she drove me to the airport. Such a lovely trip and definitely a destination to put on our recurring plans, especially since it's a quick flight and in the same time zone!