Day 25 – Rose Test Garden and Portland Market

Portland’s weather treated us well for a second day, with highs just over 80 and sunny skies. In the morning, we visited two Portland favorites: Pittock Mansion and the International Rose Test Garden.

The mansion was the home of Henry Lewis PIttock, a 19th century pioneer who became best known for owning, managing, and editing the Oregonian newspaper.

We enjoyed the grounds (Pittock’s wife, Georgiana, was an avid gardener) and the views. The house itself, completed in 1914, was a bit crowded that morning, so unfortunately, we didn’t get to go inside. Pittock Mansion is notable for its forward-thinking architect, Edward Foulkes, who primarily designed commercial buildings in San Francisco. Because of his experience, he included in the Pittock mansion some things that were highly unusual for homes of the period: thermostat-controlled central heating, indirect electric lighting, a walk-in refrigerator room, an elevator, and a central vacuum system.

I got a few snapshots of architectural details, which you can see below.

After that, we went to the International Rose Test Garden in Washington Park. We were incredibly fortunate to be there just at about peak blooming season, where 10,000 rose bushes comprised of at least 650 varieties filled the four-and-a-half acre grounds with almost any color you can imagine. The test garden has a rich history, including its founding during World War One as a place for European hybrid roses to be sent for safe keeping, else they be lost forever.

We then spent a few hours at the extensive Portland Saturday Market — the largest continuously operated outdoor market in the United States. One large section of the marketplace is dedicated only to hand-crafted items; nothing manufactured or mass-produced can be sold in that area. All kinds of unique things from art and woodwork to chocolates and soaps can be found here. We did some shopping, sampled lunch from a few of the many street vendors, and then went back to the house for a break.

Back when he lived in Naples, Donovan was the guitarist in a long-running band that I also was in. He still plays professionally, and had a gig that night. With Val and a friend leading the way, we adults dropped just over the Washington state line to a casino, where “My Happy Pill” would be performing on a fantastic stage at a high-end night club. I got to sit in for a song and oil up these rusty keyboard-playing hands again. It was awesome to look across the stage and see my own smile reflected back at me in Donovan.

I would have loved to stay all night, but the next morning would kick off another long drive, this time to Lake Louise, in Alberta, Canada.