I killed two birds with one stone this weekend. I spent some quality time with my brother. And I evaluated Portland and Seattle as places to settle down.
Portland is beautiful. It’s clean. It has good public transit. Lots of people commute by bicycle. People were real friendly. It’s cheaper than LA.
However, I found it too quiet. I went smack dab downtown, and I barely saw anyone on the sidewalks or streets. And it was a Friday afternoon. Where was everyone? I figured it might be a little tough to meet someone here. I’m not sure, but I sensed that the nightlife/social scene might be dull. This might be a contender as a place to settle down, but only if I already have a mate.
Seattle on the other hand is dark and brooding. Trees loom large in the distance. It’s more expensive than Portland, but doesn’t have the same inviting vibe. I just didn’t have a good feeling about this place. It’s off my list.
My brother Brian and I had a great weekend. We met in Portland. We stayed at the amazing Northwest Portland Hostel. We walked around downtown Portland and had a few beers here and there. Hamburgers. Pizza. An all around American cuisine that day.
The next day we did a guided bike tour of downtown Portland. It was so beautiful and refreshing. Portland is really a green city. I love that.
Then we drove up to Seattle, and it got colder, darker, and the trees got bigger. We hit a bar that night, and it was okay.
On Saturday we walked around downtown Seattle. We check out the Pike’s Place Market. That was nice. We walked around the city blocks and found a rally to legalize marijuana. I don’t care. Blah. Seattle. Blah.
I flew Virgin Airlines back to LA (first time flying Virgin). And wow, it was probably my best domestic flight ever. They’ve got great service and amenities at a low price. I’ll definitely be flying them again!
