North by North West

Once again, the West Coast beckoned. And this time off we went, to Washington & Oregon. Part of the America's Pacific North West, there was much about this corner of the country that we looked forward to. The natural beauty of the terrain, the rain forests & mountains. The bright, modern cities of Seattle & Portland.



Washington

Beautiful, vibrant, lively - what's not to like. Seattle calls itself a MetroNatural city - with good reason. Its scenic setting calmly contrasts with a new age funkiness. In the galleries, street art, contemporary sculpture, even the avant-garde architecture. Mainstream & fringe theatre thrive; grunge music was born here. Cafes abound - chains and stand-alones; charming or rustic - this is after all, coffee country. Home of Microsoft & Amazon; Boeing & Nordstrom, Seattle has boomed with its industry. It is equally famous for the rain, which strangely though is not all that much, just all the time; basically, when it rains it mostly drizzles.



All that, was known. And then there was the unexpected. The city is fairly hilly - with climbs that range from gently meandering to the thrill ride variety. Not content with a goregeous backdrop of 14,000 ft Mount Rainier, Seattle is abundantly blessed with water views too. There's the Puget Sound, Lakes Washington & Union, Elliot & Salmon Bays. So everywhere you go, houses and highways perched on hilltops offer you lovely vistas.



If nature shapes lifestyles, she didn't fail here. Witness the sheer number of artists that make their home in Washington - all that beauty must foster creativity. The waterways inspire all manner of boaters, especially in western part of the state. The marinas are packed, and folks venture seawards soon as the weather clears. Seafood is abundant and much loved. Met people with amazing nautical experiences - from king crab fishing in the high seas - not for the weak hearted; to another who'd been houseboating upto Glacier Bay in Alaska.

We enjoyed the Pike Place Market. What began as a regular farmer's market is as much of a tourist draw now, with offerings simple and exotic. Gourmet pastas, colorful chilli peppers, dried fruit. The sheer noise and liveliness though, were unforgettable.



One can't visit Washington and not ride the Ferry. Water transport is a way of life here. We took a short trip to the San Juans - an archipelago of islands northwest of Seattle. Hilly, dotted with meadows, lined with beaches or rocky dunes - and surrounded by the various moods of the sea, to us it was the highlight of our visit to WA.



Oregon

Then we drove out to Oregon. A state of vivid contrasts, much like its neighbor south. With a spectacular coastline - tall cliffs that abut the Pacific, an ocean drive that's breathtaking, rocky seascapes full of drama. The Oregon Coast is moody & defiant - stiff breezes fly off the Pacific and trust me, places like Cape Foulweather and Devil's Churn have truly earned their name. But its wild beauty left us enraptured. California's Highway 1 was a similar experience, but the nuances here are a shade different.

Further east are the Cascade Mountains topped by

Mount Hood. Snow-covered the year around, the mountain seems to watch over Portland like the stunning sentinel that it is. The drive to Hood and the surrounding country are very appealing. The interstate runs along the length of the Columbia River and we had a visual treat all the way back to Portland.

Between the Cascade & the Coast Ranges lies the charming Willamette Valley - the home of wine and cheese in the state. Beauty and the good life, is all I can say.

We loved Portland. A quintessential small city, but very self-aware. A mecca for singles and cyclists, art and commerce co-exist here happily. The downtown is surrounded by hills with great views from high above. The City of Roses comes alive in spring, florally speaking. I loved Powell's, the largest store in the world for used and new books. Self-confessed the claim might be, but the place is wonderfully huge, smells of old tomes, and has fantastic atmosphere.

Sure, we enjoyed our trip to the North West. But to me, here's what counts - when you've ingested what the travel books and the web-sites say, can a place still surprise you? My answer - a decided Yes!

It was the sights, the experiences. Even nature. We travelled to Seattle on a weekend of rain and fog. So, big deal - Seattle rains and what else could one expect in springtime. From our hotel room, the waters of the Puget Sound looked gray & grim. We knew better than to even expect a view of the Olympic Mountains miles away, so shrouded in cloud cover even on the best of days, that sightings are uncommon.

Sad, but tough luck.

The weather got better in a day or two, but still...

Then, on our last morning there we woke to a bright sky; the Sound gleamed sapphire, and in the far distance lay before us the very elusive, snow-clad Olympics. Softly golden in the rising sun. Towering, yet serene.

Our hearts soared. As surprises go, this was one unbeatable.

The Big Easy

I speak, naturally, of New Orleans. As someone who was lucky enough to visit pre-Katrina, my memories of the city are fond.

The reasons for that are many. It's not just because of the trips to Bourbon Street - the official party central at NO. Sure, we spent every evening there and it was not hard to revel in the cheerful, if less than sober bonhomie. Nor was it only because we were with good friends who made the trip so much more enjoyable.

It's the sheer joie de vivre that characterizes New Orleans - and you see it everywhere. In the music that pulsates through the French Quarter, the savory aromas of Creole cooking that wrap themselves around you. The burst of colour & creativity from the works of street artists. The ease with which conventional religion co-exists with voodoo and the old arts. The home of Mardi Gras & Sugar bowl, Jazz & Zydeco - it's all that & more.

Just steps away from the Quarter's historic flavor, there's the Mississippi. Spanned by bridges and worked by boats, the mighty river has truly shaped the NO's destiny. Built where the river curves, the Crescent City actually lies below the water level. Riverboat gambling is an old tradition here, as is the marine produce. There's an the old joke in Louisiana - if it moves, it can be eaten. Only, it's the truth.

We took a streetcar trip into the Garden District, with its antebellum homes and old money. Window shopped at the antique stores, gazed in wonder at the Mardi Gras & Voodoo museums. Had cafe au lait and beignets - sugar sprinkled french donuts - at Cafe Du Monde. Tasted the Po Boy sandwich - another Louisiana special. Took a day cruise on the river, and another on the Bayou.

Our five days there just flew. Like its famous Gumbo - a savory stew - New Orleans is a melting pot. Of cultures Cajun & Black. Of experiences rich and uplifting. Of auras bright & mysterious.



Le bon temps roule, they say. No wonder - because good times indeed rule here.