Today was our first day in Seattle and we walked so much that it was almost our last! When I design my itineraries I always start with what I want to see most, so that if anything happens or I run out of time by the end of the trip, I won’t feel too bad… Continue reading Seattle Art Museum, Pike Place, Pine Street
Train to Seattle
This is gonna be a short one, sorry! Today was mostly about bidding farewell to Portland and getting to Seattle. This morning we were greeted by a cold drizzle, a quintessential Pacific Northwest fall day that seemed tailored to the occasion. We went to Union Station to take our Amtrak Cascades train in the morning.… Continue reading Train to Seattle
Nob Hill, Mississippi Ave, Hawthorne
We kinda worked our way through most of Portland’s sights already, all of them a success too except for the closed Art Museum, or at least all of the sights we were meaning to check out: we didn’t go to the International Rose Test Garden, even though people keep bringing it up, but honestly I’m… Continue reading Nob Hill, Mississippi Ave, Hawthorne
Columbia River Gorge
My main plan for today was to get away from the city and explore the Oregon wilderness a bit, and for that I selected a half-day tour of the Columbia River Gorge. We set off on a cool, gray morning to go to a hotel downtown, where our tour guide picked us up first on… Continue reading Columbia River Gorge
Powell’s, Lan Su Chinese Garden, Pittock Mansion
Our first stop for today was one of the highlights of any visit to Portland: Powell’s City of Books, the world’s largest independent bookstore! I knew from my previous visit that one should plan to spend an entire morning at Powell’s, so we made sure to get there shortly after they opened at 10AM. It… Continue reading Powell’s, Lan Su Chinese Garden, Pittock Mansion
Portland Japanese Garden, Downtown Portland
Our first full day in Portland started on the one hand marred by an early jetlagged wake up call and the anguish of having to wait for the delivery of my mom’s lost luggage, but on the other it’s been a beautiful sunny day with temperatures above 20°! I was worried that they’d deliver the… Continue reading Portland Japanese Garden, Downtown Portland
Arrival in Portland: Part II
This is going to be a quick update just to introduce a new adventure: I am visiting the Pacific Northwest! After having paid a very quick visit to Portland and Seattle a few years ago as part of a longer trip (which you can read about on this very blog), I was left wishing I’d… Continue reading Arrival in Portland: Part II
Last morning in Dublin
I had one last morning to play with in Dublin before I had to take my flight back home, so I might as well tell you about it! I will start with the disclaimer that I didn’t have great plans for today. My initial idea was to go to the Museum of Decorative Arts, but… Continue reading Last morning in Dublin
National Museum of Ireland, Kilmainham Gaol
I AM SO TIRED. I walked all over Dublin today! But in fact the day started with a very short stroll indeed, as I started by visiting the National Museum of Ireland right around the corner from my hotel. The museum is deceivingly large: when you enter, you walk into an atrium of sorts with… Continue reading National Museum of Ireland, Kilmainham Gaol
Trinity College, Chester Beatty Library
The first thing I learned today is that Dublin is absolutely overrun by Spaniards. Everyone on the street is Spanish. Most of the other guests at the hotel are Spanish. The waitresses at the hotel are all Spanish. Even I’m Spanish! What’s going on?! Anyway, for today’s cold but clear-skied morning, my first mission was… Continue reading Trinity College, Chester Beatty Library