Keep Portland weird

Portland is a really great place.  It is basically a scaled up Totnes with worse architecture but much better cycling infrastructure.  On our first day in town we saw a man who was wearing blue all over including facepaint, but not Blueman group style, he had his own style as he also donned Lawrence of Arabia style blue headgear.   Minutes before we had seen a man walking around town with a parrot and the guy we asked directions from in the coffee shop didn't even know what day of the week it was - As I say a twin of my home town Totnes.  

The crowning glory of our Portland experience for pure weirdness had to be when we were walking to the bus stop, past some of Portland's vast array of strip joints (Fiona wanted to go in but Ralph didn't let her)  with our back packs.  A very weather beaten guy staggered up to us and said "are you guys travelling" we said yes we were doing a tour of America, he said "I hear you, I have travelled about so much I have worn out my shoes" he then thrust a hundred dollar bill into my hand, both Fiona and me said don't be silly you need it and tried to give it back.  He produced another handful of hundred dollar bills, beer still in hand (it was about 10:30am). He then walked off waving his hand as we offered back the money. I noticed that he had something similar to extra tough wellies on http://www.x-tough.com/xtratuf-16-copper-tan-neoprene-safety-boot/ almost everyone in Alaska has a pair of these. 

We can only think he was a fisherman (average pay for the summer 40K) that was demob happy after getting off the boat and out on the town. Whoever you were thank you very much and we hope you didn't regret it too much when you sobered up. So far we have given $25 to BARK a local environmental charity and I also got a haircut.

We spent our first two nights couchsurfing in Portland with Ben, Serina, Mae, Cody and Eddy. They had a really nice house, dogs and chickens.  Ben had helped do spotted owl research and gave us a demo of his owl calling skills.  We cooked dinner for them one night which was a bit scary as Serina is a chef!  She said it was nice though.

Cody helping Fiona and Mae cook at her kitchen mad by her Grandad

All the gang

Ralph bonding with the dogs, even on sport mode the camera couldn't catch Eddy

Serina and Ben's house

Cody and Eddie  (has more than a passing resemblance to Monty minus the lion's mane) our couchsurfing hosts dogs

Doughnut mecca, a must for any Portland visitor

The choice is pretty mindblowing and being a 'crunchy' (groovy granola eating) town it includes vegan options

Magic

Cool stained glass above the door

It was suitably bohemian

Classy

yum

We chose a vodoo doll and an portland cream

Elelphant scultpure (this has to be a contender for the most pointless caption yet)

Yeee -ha, Brian blessed tries out for the upcoming Unforgiven remake

The salmon in America are much bigger and therefore jump much higher

A pod of food carts, the official collective noun!

Powell's book -the largest independent bookshop in the US.

Please note this is your last chance to see Ralphs big Alaskan beard........