Leaving Portland: my thoughts on the city (move, activity)

[Dual Citizen CA-OR]

Originally Posted by CMartel2

...Is there really anything much more beautiful than strolling through the mist-covered rhodadendrons and massive fir trees on a rainy morning?

Yes, strolling through the rhododendrons and massive fir trees under a cobalt blue sky sunny morning.

Originally Posted by CMartel2

...The malaise and effete indifference of the place is stifling...

As opposed to what, macho activism?!?

And btw, I’ve seen more political involvement and protests in the short two years I’ve been here than in any other place I’ve lived.

[robertpolyglot]

Originally Posted by Larry Caldwell

This used to be the case. In the last decade, Oregon has lost the title to Vermont. Across America, "none of the above" is the fastest growing religious movement. I don't know if the recession has changed things. People often seek solace in superstition when times are tough.

I believe it. From the little I've seen of Vermont, and the lot I've heard of it, it seems to have the same vibe. Lots of Subarus in Vermont, too. People from New England make the move to the PNW easily, too. In fact, look at how many noted OR cities are named after places in New England...Portland, Salem, Medford...

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by robertpolyglot

I believe it. From the little I've seen of Vermont, and the lot I've heard of it, it seems to have the same vibe. Lots of Subarus in Vermont, too. People from New England make the move to the PNW easily, too. In fact, look at how many noted OR cities are named after places in New England...Portland, Salem, Medford...

Which in turn are taken from other countries, Isle of Portland, Salem (mentioned in Genesis 14:18, as an alternate name for Jerusalem) and Medford Egypt.

On the other hand there are plenty of places that have wholly unique Oregon names, such as, Antelope, Yellow Dog, Sailors Diggings (renamed to Waldo,) Bakeoven, and Greenhorn, Lamonta, Estacada (http://www.hamell.net/2010/08/history-of-estacada-faraday-and-cazadero-oregon/ - broken link), and Bridal Veil.

Then of course there are the multitude of places that were named after early residents and other influential locals. Rowena, Palmer, Waldron, Ritter, Hamilton (http://www.1nova.com/photoblog/2011/07/30/ghost-town-of-hamilton-oregon/ - broken link).

[EnricoV]

It would be interesting to know statistically where current Oregonians families came from. But historically speaking, the New Englanders tended to come in first (to make the money), leave their stamp upon the land with the naming of places, and move on. I'm really not sure how many of them stayed. At least, that's true of the Portland city fathers.

[TX2WA]

The poster failed to give much gloss to Portland's mass trans. It really is very well organized. Seattle would love to have such a system. Just visiting, it is a breeze to get around- and mostly free.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by TX2WA

The poster failed to give much gloss to Portland's mass trans. It really is very well organized. Seattle would love to have such a system. Just visiting, it is a breeze to get around- and mostly free.

Mostly free? You must have done all your traveling downtown on either the streetcar or MAX. The only free zone, and that will be changing, is downtown up to the end where the zone one ends along all the various routes.

[EnricoV]

Originally Posted by Minervah

Mostly free? You must have done all your traveling downtown on either the streetcar or MAX. The only free zone, and that will be changing, is downtown up to the end where the zone one ends along all the various routes.

Most visitors aren't going to travel much out of the central area.

[healthymom00]

Thanks you for the witty information you have posted. With my intuition of wating to move here for years, then reading your post, I have now changed my mind. I think I will visit and stay put in another part of Oregon for now.

[Infidel]

Vermont (or small parts of it anyway, Brattleboro, Burlington) have a similar vibe but less-organized and on a smaller scale. Tons of Subarus in VT yes (4wd) but when I lived there long ago, the State Car was the Saab 900. I was told by a Bratt local (who had found my lost wallet, located my Spokane library card, called the library, got my cell phone number, and called me to return the wallet!) that there was some kind of underground railroad between Seattle (no doubt PDX too) and Brattleboro with lots of people moving in both directions all the time.

Originally Posted by robertpolyglot

I believe it. From the little I've seen of Vermont, and the lot I've heard of it, it seems to have the same vibe. Lots of Subarus in Vermont, too. People from New England make the move to the PNW easily, too. In fact, look at how many noted OR cities are named after places in New England...Portland, Salem, Medford...

[turquoise1]

Interesting. I think Multnomah Village could be a doppelganger for Brattleboro. Environmental initiatives and organic farming are also very important to Vermonters. Then again, I guess we always see parts of things we recognize in a new place, no matter where we are from.

I would also posit that the PNW and New England share a more "reserved" social culture.