Create Your Own Myth: Oregon Roadtrip: Day One

My father, the photographer, set up this shot; I just hijacked it.

I was a little concerned when my parents said they would be paying me a visit in early November. Rain and windstorms are a given around here then, and I didn't want my family to be stuck inside instead of experiencing the PNW's bounteous beauty. Luckily Mother Nature blessed us with ideal Autumn weather, and a one day sightseeing tour of Portland turned into a 3-day road trip through Oregon's wine country and the Coast.

DAY ONE: Portland, the Rose and Japanese Gardens, and Pittock Mansion

The view looking down from our hotel room. The multi-colored tree is pretty terrific.

After sleeping on an air mattress for several days, I was pretty excited to have a Westin "heavenly bed" to myself for a night. It didn't disappoint and I woke up ready to do some tour-guiding and photo-taking. First stop: The Rose and Japanese Gardens in Washington Park.

Portland's International Rose Test Garden was founded in 1917 and is the oldest, continuously operated public rose test garden in the U.S. With around 200 cultivars being tested each year, the garden is a feast for the eyes and nose during its flowering months. Unfortunately, most of the blooms were brown and withered during our visit, so I took a photo of the P's instead.

Across the street from the Rose Garden, and perched on 5.5 beautifully maintained acres in the city's west hills, is the Portland Japanese Garden. It has been called the most authentic Japanese garden outside of Japan.

The Antique Gate entrance

The Garden was designed in 1963 by Professor Takuma Tono who was considered one of the most important landscape architects of his time in Japan.

The Strolling Pond Garden

The Strolling Pond Garden features an authentic Moon Bridge. The highly arched pedestrian moon bridges originated in China and allowed the passage of barges beneath them. Today, moon bridges are placed over still water in formal gardens. The half circle shape of the bridge is intended to reflect the calm water, creating a full circle between bridge and reflection, and thus mimicking the shape of the full moon.

Moon Bridge

Three primary elements are used in the design of every Japanese garden: stone, the "bones" of the landscape; water, the life-giving force; and plants, the tapestry of the four seasons.

An antique 5-tiered stone pagoda lantern was given to Portland by its sister city, Sapporo, Japan.

Trees, scrubs, ferns and moss grow in their natural form in the Natural Garden. I wonder if their gardeners are some of the most blissed out humans on the planet.

Even the donation box has a Zen aura.

Donation Box

I could have stayed in the garden until sundown, but we wanted to get to Willamette Valley before dark. On the way out we made a quick pit-stop at the historical Pittock Mansion...