After sending off Mama Hong, we moved to Portland, Oregon. Portland was our home for the next two months while I studied for my next actuarial exam. We were really surprised by how much Portland had to offer. Within an hour’s distance, we could surf in the ocean, hike trails in the Columbia River Gorge, visit vineyards for wining and dining, and ski at a year-round resort on top of Mount Hood. When hungry, we could stop by local food cart pods that offered a wide variety of ethnic cuisines or eat fancier fare from articulate chefs in small venue eateries. When thirsty, we had hundreds of local micro-breweries and cider houses to quench our thirst. When tired, we could grab artisan coffee from numerous local cafes. There were farmers’ markets around the city to buy fresh fruits, vegetables, and meat almost everyday! We could arguably say the food and beer scene were as sophisticated as Chicago, if not more! So, Portland it was! It was our ultimate favorite city, even topping our previous favorite destination, San Diego. If Portland offered job opportunities for our occupations, we would have settled there in a heartbeat.
The first thing that we did in Portland was buying used bikes. It is a very bike friendly city with clearly defined paths in every neighborhood. We biked to downtown and we visited Powell’s bookstore, the largest independent new and used bookstore in the world. We biked to food carts, local breweries, cider houses, and restaurants. Sunil biked to our favorite $3 dollar banh mi bakery for sandwiches and Vietnamese sweets. I biked to local Coava Coffee Roasters to study for my exam. On Sundays, we biked to big farmers’ market in the downtown area to get fresh vegetables and juicy fruits. Yes, we biked just about everywhere.
Portland was an extremely livable city and had a vibrant artistic culture full of creative people. It is a place where you could have a good city life, be active outdoors, be mentally intrigued, and emotionally inspired. Schatje was happy as a clam with an abundance of dog parks, including Sandy River Dog Park which stretched over 5 square miles.
Sunil continued to challenge himself, hiking trails in Forest Park, Columbia Gorge, southern Washington, and along the coastline. Some of his favorite trails included Dog Mountain (3000 ft elevation) in Columbia George and the coastal redwood forests. As he promised earlier in the month, he journeyed back to Olympic National Park for an overnight backpack trip and descended into the Enchanted Valley (really that’s the name). The hike was uniquely challenging due to the 95 degree weather, but the sweat was worth it. Along the way, he took great photos of lush forests, stunning mountains and a historical ranger cabin nestled in the wilderness.
We love you, Portland and will surely miss you!
SooJin & Sunil 