August 10th

1pm: Portland, Oregon; Only 3 days in Portland & so much to explore, here is a little pod of food trucks on the trendy Alberta Street. We are just about to eat the most amazing Venezuelan dishes from the truck in the background - arepas (corn breads) with black beans, chorizo & other goodness. The kids loved their food, but we would have been happy eating from any of the trucks in this pod. All over the city there is amazing food to be had, the night before we feasted on the best pizza I have eaten outside of Italy (Apizza Scholls) & later this day we ate $10 worth of fresh Mexican tacos from another hole in the wall. Finished the day off with a cable car ride & a walk up to the park that overlooks the city - better pictures were taken for sure but this sums up one of my favourite things about this city.

August 9th

11am; Portland, OR The kids love the streetcars in Portland, deprived of much meaningful public transport in Alberta, it is nice to see the system here. Portland & Calgary are polar opposites in so many ways, especially politically & culturally. I just adore Portland, it is such a cool progressive, artsy & liberal city - not astoundingly beautiful in any way but just a friendly, tolerant & vibrant place. If I could I would move here in a shot!! We rode the streetcars, ate at the food trucks, browsed the bookshops, walked in the parks & generally enjoyed city life for a short while. Hardly a junk food chain in sight in the downtown core & inner cities as well - so refreshing.