Portland, Oregon –( Craters, Oceans and Everything In Between!) Part 1

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When Azfar stepped into the kitchen and announced, “I have to travel to Portland in July. Who wants to come?”, we all spontaneously exclaimed, “ME!” Portland had been on the wish list for a while, and this was the perfect opportunity since school was out for summer break. We timed it with the 4^th of July break so Azfar could sneak in some sightseeing before starting on his daily routine for work.

I have seen many airplane landings, but truly the approach to the Portland International Airport ten minutes before landing, is spectacular! As the pilot made the announcement for the final descent, I buckled in and stared out of my window. It was sheer luck that I was sitting on the correct side so as the plane tilted, Mount Hood, in all its glory, jutted out from the landscape. It seemed akin to The Lonely Mountain of Tolkien’s Hobbit where Bilbo and the dwarfs awaken the great dragon, Smaug. I half expected a winged fire-breathing creature to jump out and clutch the puny plane in its claws, but the pilot’s voice brought me back to reality. Tip: If you are prone to motion sickness due to turbulence, your best bet would be a seat near the wings of the plane. That tends to be more stable albeit slightly noisy.

Upon landing in Portland..

The Portland airport greets you with its iconic hipster carpet. It’s slightly hard to understand how an airport’s carpet could develop a cult following, but nonetheless, we walked our excited selves over the blue-green and purple tiles to claim our baggage. The boys waited patiently as their Baba (what they call Azfar) got the rental car. Their jaws dropped when they saw he had rented one of their favorite muscle cars, a black Charger! On that note, I have to say that it must have been the magic of those leather seats, or the whirr of that heavy engine as it raced through Portland’s many highways, that on almost each car ride, both kids slept like logs!!

As the kids snored in the back seat, Azfar and I mapped out our route to see Mount Hood. We still had time to check in at the hotel, so we figured why waste time. From the airport, Mount Hood was about an hour’s drive. The road was full of towering cedars, and these tall tree-lined highways were something of a novelty for us Coloradoans, as we are more accustomed to wide-open vistas. Mt. Hood’s grand entry was nothing short of spectacular. Now, we are no strangers to 14-ers here in Colorado, but to see an 11,000 foot mountain jutting out from sea-level, is mind blowing. Moreover, the sight of snow on a potentially active fire-spitting volcano seems like an oxymoron in itself.

At the feet of a giant in Portland…

As we wound our way around the mountains to reach the base of Mount Hood, we stopped at a nearby stream. It led into a deep, emerald-green forest, and a sight we grew to love – the moss-covered trunks of tall evergreens. There was something so whimsical about it, and as our family tradition goes, we had to take our shoes off and dip our feet in the cool mountain stream.

The base of Mount Hood houses a large visitor center and The Timberline Lodge. This was also the setting where many outdoor shots of the famous movie Shining, were taken. In the winters, this is an active ski area.  Restrooms were conveniently located. Over the years we have learned that the first thing upon reaching our destination is to locate the restrooms. Our son Taimoor, suffers from Crohns, and quick access to restrooms has become almost intuitive for us. At that moment, he was flaring from the worry that the volcano might blow on us, and we had to calmly ease his anxiety on that. I smile about it now, but it’s hard to imagine the universe of thoughts and worries in a young child’s head. Taimoor definitely felt better when he came out to see the volcano, the loftiest mountain in America, raising its head towards him. If you look away from Mount Hood, in the distance you can see similar mountains/ volcanoes sticking out in the vast landscape. Those are Mt.Rainer and Mt.St.Helens in Washington.

The Riverwalk in Portland

Although, it would have been cool to see fireworks from atop a volcano (the irony doesn’t escape me!), we decided to check in at the hotel and then explore downtown Portland and its Riverwalk. It was a good thing we were able to relax for a bit, because the drive into downtown was jam packed with traffic. People were pouring in to see the fireworks over the river, and the Blues Festival was attracting hordes. Portland literally means ‘the city of two rivers’. The Looking Glass and Grand River cut through Portland, while the great metallic truss bridge stands as a testament to its rich history. Tip: if you have time, take the scenic river cruise at sunset. Also, check out the calendar of events before making your itinerary. We missed The Big Float by a few days, where hundreds come out to float in the river, fundraising for the restoration of the river. For our next visit, inshallah!

I’ve see many firework shows, but truly Portland hosted one of the best shows in the nation. Seated close to the river, the fireworks were launched from a boat in the middle of the river. People lined up on the adjoining bridges to view, and the ones attending the Festival settled on their blankets, camping chairs, or just stood wherever they could manage to find any space. Tip: Planning to attend the festival?  Come early, and prepared with blankets, seating and plenty of water. There’s a variety of food available, but once the place gets crowded and the show is about to start, it’s best to stay settled in one spot. Keep your kids near you. It’s easy for a toddler to get lost in the throngs.

There’s nothing quite like taking your kids on an adventure. Even though it may seem overwhelming and intimidating, it will be a memory both you and they will treasure for a long time. Moreover, travel opens their minds, and helps them overcome fears. A good friend of mine recently did a TedTalk in Pakistan about how travel helped her kids cope with the loss of their father. I couldn’t agree more!  Our trips have helped both Haaris and Taimoor be more observant and tolerant of the many different people they have come across.  More recently, the boys have taken a liking to sitting by themselves, away from the parents! You can read more about that in my upcoming blog about Buffalo, NY. But wait! Portland isn’t over yet!

If you enjoyed this, stay tuned for Part 2! Share some of you your travel adventures, especially those you have undertaken with your kids.