central

This is the best time of year in downtown Portland. This is when everything that could possibly go on is going on all at once. You can't help but become infused with the urban vivacity and vibrancy just walking through the park blocks.

Take the last week for example. We had the Grand Floral Parade last Saturday, and as walked up the park blocks to meet up with someone at the church office I was passed by a Royal Rosarian in full regalia. How often does that happen to a girl? And I thought, "only in downtown". After that I went to the mall on the light rail and as we crossed the river where the Coast Guard and Canadian naval ships were docked for Fleet Week some lady blurted out, "Look at those big boats! They look like army ships or something!". Somehow I kept a straight face.

When I left the mall it was raining, and I took some pictures of the roses by the sidewalk on my walk back to the light rail. The rain on the flowers was so beautiful! The picture above was one of several I took.

Later in the week I got some shots of some other roses in front of the Art Museum in the park blocks by my apartment. You can check them out here. Later that same night there was a punk marching band that played a gig up the park from my apartment. I saw them unloading their cars when I left work. It was great! Hot pink mohawks and safety pins galore, and really incredibly talented musicians. I could hear them through the open window of my apartment.

This weekend is especially lively here in the heart of the city, and the bits of sunshine we've seen between showers adds to the cheer. As I walked to the movie theater up the park from my apartment, I passed a 90-year-old building being demolished with a claw-crane, Portland State University grads in cap and gown, little girls in tutus walking with their moms to the Art Museum ballrooms for a huge dance recital marathon, a wedding set up in one of the squares in the park and loads of people conspicuously out for this weekend's gay pride festivities. There were also loads of people that had come downtown earlier in the day to watch a historic building being moved off it's foundation (it was next to the building being demolished) and towed to it's new home just outside downtown. I think I've seen about every demographic of society today, just by walking up the street. What a crazy, great city!

(Oh...I have to say before I finish that I saw a beautiful movie called Once that was incredible and a must-see if you are any sort of musician. I've even already got the soundtrack off itunes.)