Portland, Oregon - Tuesday 28 April

I am generally a get-up-and-go, don't-hang-around-the-hotel kind of traveller. But not today. Today I did no major touristy thing, and I am the happier for it.

It took me ages to get out of the room, but I didn't feel the need to rush, and anyway, the weather was not conducive to dilly-dallying out in the open. I swear I felt sleet at one point...maybe not.

I saw this great sculpture/fountain nearby - it is made to look like large coins stacked on a column/plinth. On the edges of the coins are quotes and saying, such as 'Money is flat and is meant to be piled up' - Scottish proverb.

Nearby was a place to park bikes - 

Portland is well known for being bike-friendly - you see bike carriers on the front of buses, and the research quoted everywhere is that 6% of the population commutes by bike (10 times the national average).

I am truly in love with the magnificent trees that are everywhere - 

but of course, they are so magnificent because of the wet and drizzly weather. At Powell's you could buy a rain globe - I was sorely tempted.

Lunch was crab cakes accompanied by a lavender cosmopolitan. Mmmm. I also ordered a pecan pie, because it's America, and it's kind of a rule you hae to eat local. It was past the sweet blisspoint for me, but now I can tick that off my list.

I was intrigued by this 'Inspiration Station' near the hotel. I imagine the displays change regularly. Today I saw some photos of hummingbirds. Sweet.