The Great Nice West

You have always heard it called the Great Northwest. I think the Great Nice"west" would be more appropriate. At least for Portland. I can't say about Seattle yet. But the whole city seems worried you might think them a cad or not nice enough. I'm sorry seems to be as common a greeting as hello. I am sorry my dog sniffed you from 3 feet away. I am sorry I almost brushed against you in a crowded elevator. I am sorry I turned my car in your general direction as you were walking across the crosswalk.

We talk about being nice in the South. But I am beginning to think that is just talk. Bless our hearts, we have so many people here that are not from the South, we use to be nice.

Portland must have an orientation class for new residents. Welcome to Portland you must learn to become nice and say I'm sorry.

We went to a free Tony Furtado concert in Willamette Park. There were prizes given for who just moved to Portland (along with who just rode their bike to across a bridge to the concert). Welcome to Portland, we have all moved here from somewhere else. So here is a present just to show you how nice we are.

I drove two days around Portland. Everyone seemed to follow the rules. If there was a line, there was no breaking, less people think you are not nice. "Are you sure it is my turn? No you go first. I'm sorry, did I get in front of you in line? Are you sure I am next?" Oh you are on a bicycle, you get priority because you are kind to the environment and making smaller carbon footprint than me, so you get priority.

I think Portland worries about becoming Seattle. There is that sister-brother thing similar to Raleigh and Charlotte. (Well, if we have rules about everything, we will be just like Seattle. No we can't let that happen)!

This area feels like a mash up of North Carolina, just without the heat and humidity. Portland is like Asheville, Greensboro, Durham, Raleigh, Winston-Salem (for the Yadkin Wine Region) & Wilmington mashed together with just a sprinkling of Charlotte for professional sports teams and glass office buildings. Imagine living in a North Carolina town with the mountains just 35 minutes away. Highway 30 through the Columbia River Gorge reminded us of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Columbia River reminded us of the beach around Wilmington except with Asheville mountain bikers hanging out and windsurfing. The town of Hood River seemed like Boone and Blowing Rock. We had travel so far to find a different type of North Carolina. Or North Carolina is just like Portland, only spread out over five hours and seven cities.

Portland is very reasonably priced. You can afford to live and eat here. Even drink a little local wine. And the restaurant scene is very vibrant much like Durham. The Willamette wine area has about 20 years more time to have developed over North Carolina, but we see what North Carolina's wine area can become. More like Willamette, less like Napa!

So when we return to North Carolina and eat at a great restaurant in Durham, I will be reminded of Portland. And I pledge to be nicer. Especially to those Yankee car drivers in the Triangle who hate bicyclist. Bless their hearts.