Portland Through a Visitor's Eyes

A Vancouver B.C. native who is visiting Portland recently contacted us.  Christy Love is a writer and engineer staying in southeast PDX.  She said she is falling in love with Portland and sent a few pictures of how she sees Portland.  We liked her work, asked her to send more photos, and tell us why she is falling in love with our city.  Here is what Christy sent.

"I have been in Portland for nearly a month and wonder how long the giddiness can possibly last. You know how you hear about people who say they visited some place and never left?

I always found that notion intriguing, but strained to imagine the circumstances that made such a significant and sudden life change seem easy.  Portland answers that question for me.

While I cherish the countless introspective hours I've spent simply cycling and walking around Portland's neighborhoods, it's the palpable energy in the air and in the conversations with people I've met that are pulling me here from my native British Columbia.

Portland expresses the best of the American spirit:  the encouragement of creative impulses; the feeling that no idea is too crazy; that people can (and must!) take the risk to build the kind of life they dream of living; and to manifest the kind of welcoming community they are proud to call home."

Christy Love is a Canadian currently ironing out the details of making Portland home. She is a writer and engineer, with a passion for cycling, music and (most recently) photography. clove_74@hotmail.com

Thank you, Christy for sharing your thoughts and photos.  We agree that Portland is a pretty cool place to live!