Portlandia

The Man writes...Portland, Oregon is close to the Cascade Mountains and the spectacular volcanos of Mount St Helens and Mount Hood, but unfortunately in my short stay there the clouds never lifted enough for me to appreciate the beauty of the area.

The City is very walkable and probably fun in summer, but on a damp Saturday morning in January almost the only other people I saw on the streets were the dozens who sadly had spent the night there. There was more life down by the Willamette river, fast flowing after all the recent rain, including joggers, cyclists and flocks of Canadian geese.  There is also an attractive classical Chinese garden nearby.

Public transport is particularly good. Trams are free in the city centre, and they cunningly turn into light rail service in the suburbs and on the route to the airport.  Also the airport boasts maybe the greenest multi-story car park you'll see.