What is the Seattle impression of Portland, OR? (Vancouver, Redmond: ski resort, 2009)

[toughguy]

Originally Posted by 509

Portland is a urban center that is pedestrian and environmentally friendly city.
Seattle is an urban center built around the automobile and is quite unfriendly to pedestrians.

With the Max and the downtown in Portland I can see where Portland residents would be disappointed in Seattle. The Seattle Times a few years ago had an article on taking an urban vacation by visiting Portland or Vancouver, BC. That should be a clue.

Unfriendly to pedestrians- I don't think so. Portland actually has worse air quality, a lower percentage of public transit usage, and is much lower density. Looks are deceiving.

[motor80]

Originally Posted by 509

Portland is a urban center that is pedestrian and environmentally friendly city.
Seattle is an urban center built around the automobile and is quite unfriendly to pedestrians.

With the Max and the downtown in Portland I can see where Portland residents would be disappointed in Seattle. The Seattle Times a few years ago had an article on taking an urban vacation by visiting Portland or Vancouver, BC. That should be a clue.

Why would the Seattle Times, whose audience and target market is the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue MSA, include Seattle as a "getaway" weekend urban vacation? Isn't the point a "getaway" and not a "stay-in-the-same-city?"

Portlanders love to point out (brag about) their street-car line - as if it was the validation they needed to feel "big." That, in essence, is what summarizes my Seattle impression of Portland. They seem to have a chip on their shoulder and suffer from Napoleon Complex (small man, big mouth.)

"Look, look! We have a street-car line! And you don't."

Good. You also have one of the nation's highest unemployment rates.

[MichaelinWA]

Probably more so. Multnomah County is one of the most politically liberal areas in the country.

Originally Posted by pw72

but more conservative? Beg to differ, Portland, (city, not suburbs), is just as liberal as Seattle.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by MichaelinWA

Probably more so. Multnomah County is one of the most politically liberal areas in the country.

and... while in OR you best think like an Oregonian, or at least admonish their zeal for their JUST cause.

Liberal OR is very territorial, and they are unlikely to drive to Seattle if they have to drive by Hamilton's 'Uncle Sam' sign at exit 72. It is very offensive to a 'we_tside' Oregonian that someone would have a different viewpoint than their own.

Actually Portland parks and most of the city is quite pretty and accessible. (tho MAX is known to run over stuff like Firetrucks, people in wheel chairs, bicycles, and pedestrians... street level mass transit )
It is a smaller microcosm of liberal / green / environ / micro brews, is pretty diverse for outliers (those on the fringe).

But, in Portland you seldom see a long line of folks huddled around squeezing their cardboard coffee cups

[jenlion]

I visited Portland for a day and didn't really enjoy it. It was just a small part of town -- tried going to the Saturday Market -- walked along the river -- that kind of thing.

I lost $20. Either it fell out of my pocket or somebody got it. I'm not in the habit of having money just fall out of my pocket, but it's hard to be certain, it was busy. Vendor I was gonna buy earrings from was a real ******* about it, too. Sorry I just wasted THIRTY SECONDS of your time only to discover that MY CASH IS GONE. I might have gone to the ATM to get more, but after that crap, um, no, I don't want your stupid earrings.

There was a lot of cigarette smoke, everywhere. We walked a ways and were accosted by religious nuts, homeless people, and little kids. We got out of that "tourist" corner, I thought, but it just seemed run-down, dirty, and generally... uncomfortable.

We've been to Pike Place market plenty of times, and never had so many rude, pushy, nasty people as were at the Portland market. Whole day just left me with a really bad impression of the city. And, I thought it was ugly, especially compared to Seattle. No drama on the skyline. Buildings not spectacular. Thoroughly unimpressed.

And I hear they get ice storms there in the winter. "Icing" on the cake. No thanks, I'll stay here if I can!!!

[blondandfun]

why don't you visit portland and figure it out for yourself?

Who CARES what Seattlites think... most of them live in caves for christ sake!

[pw72]

Originally Posted by blondandfun

why don't you visit portland and figure it out for yourself?

Who CARES what Seattlites think... most of them live in caves for christ sake!

The poster DID visit Portland, and that was her impression.

Caves? What do you mean by that?

[LongDawson]

Portland culture seems to champion being "weird" but in Portland they are more stupid than weird. Example they allow vile drug abusers to loiter around. With current health concerns, I don't want to be around dirty needles thank you very much. Tolerating needle use in the streets is stupid not weird.

Portland population takes "unwashed" to a new meaning, walk around in the summertime and a lot of Portland people literally stink.

Portland does not seem to attract an Asian population at all, whereas in Seattle Asians are very much part of our culture. Why is that?

To their credit, Portland people do not seem to care what anyone thinks of them. Now that is a trait I can identify with and I give them high-fives. But it's not weird.

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by LongDawson

Portland does not seem to attract an Asian population at all, whereas in Seattle Asians are very much part of our culture. Why is that?

That is an interesting element.

Particularly since, well as an English teacher in Asia for many years, most Asians really want to find a city without huge asian populations, so they can increase their English.

Not only that, but Portland is much safer than the mass majority of the U.S. cities, and most Asians I know in Asia are scared to death of the crime in the U.S.

It's always been a mystery to me why they don't choose Portland, but I often recommend it. Few seem interested in it though.

[MichaelinWA]

Portland's Asian-American population isn't that small, and it's growing. And outside Portland, the 'burb like Beaverton probably has a similar percentage as Seattle proper.

After seeing the silly comment about how Portlanders are "unwashed," it's probably time for me to ignore this thread before it devolves further.