France 2008

Portland, 19-25 July

		We flew into Portland to have some time with our son Cam and his wife Christine, and then spent three days driving through the mountains to Seattle and back. Click the little map for a bigger version.
		When we got to Portland, Thrifty car rental offered us a station wagon. It did not have any cover over the back load space, and our insurance did not cover us if visible things were stolen from a car. Lynn raised this with the Thrifty agent who said "Umm, yes. You need a car with a trunk. How would you like that Mustang?" So we got to rent a Mustang for the price of a compact. This is Christine being "decorative" on our rented car. *
		Cam and Christine took us to Pittock Mansion, a historic house in north-west Portland ... *
		and to the nearby International Rose Test Garden. *
		We met with Lynn's cousins. *
		And tried to see Mount Adams. *
		We set off north from Portland, passing east of Mount St Helen's. *
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		Our hotel at Ashford was an old weatherboard building next to a stream. *
		Reflections in the stream. *
		The hotel's mail box needed some attention ... †
		as did some of the houses across the street. †
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		The next day we headed north again, through Mt Rainier National Park. *
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		The scenery was spectacular, especially compared to the flat country of Australia. *
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		We went part way up Mt Rainier, and there was snow next to the road. *
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		At one point, a land slip had carried away part of the road. It had been repaired, so it caused us no trouble. *
		Arriving in Seattle, we drove to our B&B and checked in. *
		Then we walked to a main road and took a bus into town. First stop was the famous fish market. *
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		Seattle is also famous for its roaring riverside expressways. †
		We took the monorail to the Seattle Center, where the Space Needle is situated. *
		Then back into town for a nice meal at an Italian restaurant called the Pink Door. *
		Driving back south to Portland, we detoured off the Interstate to get closer to Mount St Helen's. *
		Even 28 years after the volcano's eruption, the devastation was still obvious. *
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		But wildlife had returned. *

After a last dinner with Cam and Christine, we went to the airport the next morning for our flight to Honolulu.