It was the Victoria Day long weekend, and I was bored staying in Vancouver. I decided to take a road trip out of Canada. My initial plan was Seattle, but I've been there too often, so I decided to take a step further towards Portland, Oregon. It's about a 6-hour drive from BC. I chose Portland mostly because I'd heard it was scenic, and I wanted to see what the hype was about.

This is a brief visual diary of the trip. I explored two main iconic spots: Downtown/Powell's City of Books and Multnomah Falls.

1. Downtown Portland

Arriving in Portland, the first thing I noticed was the architecture—lots of unique old buildings mixed with modern ones. But honestly, the streets were empty. It was super quiet. Compared to other cities I've visited, the vibe was very laid back, almost like a retirement town. The people I did meet were super nice and welcoming, though.

Important lesson learned: Do not wear a Minnesota Vikings American football jersey to Oregon. An old lady literally stopped me on the street to jokingly warn me about it. I had no idea the beef ran that deep, but I'll probably pack something neutral next time, lol.

I also stumbled upon some cool little pockets of shops and alleyways that had a great aesthetic.

Portland Streets
The quiet streets of Downtown Portland.
Portland Alleyway
Exploring the alleyways of Portland.
All Burn Wax Shop
All Burn Wax shop front.

2. Powell's City of Books

I recently started investing more in physical books to try and reduce my screen time. Powell's is probably the biggest bookstore I have ever seen. It's like 4 or 5 floors deep, covering an entire city block.

You'll mostly find me wandering around the Photography, Film, Science, and AI sections, figuring out what looks interesting and trying to look smart.

Bookshelf at Powell's
So many books, so little time.

I ended up buying three books: Signals and Systems (don't ask), Man's Search for Meaning, and a book on Portrait Photography. Whether I actually finish reading them is a problem for future me.

3. Multnomah Falls

Finally, Multnomah Falls—the main attraction in Oregon. Of course, I chose to visit on one of the rainiest days possible. It's about 80km away from downtown.

I arrived around 3 PM, feeling like the "main character" on a moody, rainy Sunday. I turned the corner only to realize there were about 500 other main characters there with me. The park was way more crowded than I expected. Everyone was fighting for that classic Instagram angle.

Multnomah Falls
The famous Multnomah Falls view.
Waterfalls Long Exposure
Long exposure of the lower falls.

Because of the crowds and the rain, I didn't get enough room to set up for as many long-exposure shots as I wanted, but I managed to get a few decent ones.

Conclusion

I can't say too much about Portland since my trip was pretty short (just two nights). My takeaway? It's definitely a place for a slower pace of life—nature, quiet streets, and coffee. Maybe not for the "young goons" looking for a wild nightlife, but I can see the appeal.