Photos of our Oregon and Washington trip
Jun 24th, 2009, 06:19 AM
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Photos of our Oregon and Washington trip
We have finally got our photos online. He got his up first so I have tried not to duplicate them too much in my selection.
Mine are at: http://tinyurl.com/mg2nta
His are at: http://tinyurl.com/m8mbpe
Since we stayed mainly in chain motels and ate a lot of time courtesy of Safeway I won't do a traditional trip report. We booked some hotels ahead of time - often only the night before thanks to the internet, but sometimes we just took a chance on something turning up. Going late April/early May meant we were able to do that easily.
Our favourite places to stay were Table Rock motel in Bandon - it was incredibly cheap but very nice, (we really liked Bandon all together), The Edgewater Inn in Shady Cove, right on the Rogue river, and the Best Western in Chelan, right on the lake, where we got a suite for the price of a normal room. We hadn't booked at turned up on spec. We fully expected it to be too expensive and to have to go to the motels away from the lake. But my husband asked, showing his BW card and got offered the suite so we gratefully took it, for two nights and had a mini chill out mid holiday.
Our favourite places to eat were the Black Rabbit restaurant at the Edgefield in Troutdale. Sadly we couldn't stay there but we did get to eat there, Lord Bennet's at the Sunset Motel in Bandon, The Dakota Inn in Ellensburg and two very different places in Anacortes - Camerons, next to our motel and the Rock Harbor Grill, with live Bluegrass music.
Surprise of the trip was Olympia, which is just delightful with great food, and a really nice atmosphere. Much nicer than most "small town" state capitals we've been to.
I'm afraid we couldn't stop laughing in Leavenworth, it was all just so kitsch so we got out of there fast.
Highlights were the wildlife - the birds, the elk, the pinnipeds, whales and orcas, and a bear
The first time we caught a glimpse of a bald eagle (in Tillamook) we were thrilled, but disappointed not to get a photo of it. Then we saw a nest with mom and pop in attendance, and by the end of the four weeks we were getting so blasé about seeing them it was incredible.
We loved the coast which reminded us of Cornwall and parts of Wales. Also of the Dutch coast - all those sand dunes. We didn't get to explore the southern coast below Bandon sadly as it poured down all day and driving was tough - getting out of the car was out of the question so we pressed on to Crescent City to see the Redwoods the next day. We also enjoyed Eastern Oregon, and would have loved to have spent more time there - maybe going to Hells Canyon, but Washington beckoned.
4 weeks sounds like a long time, and it is, but it goes by in a flash leaving you wanting more.
We went on a bus in the US for the first time, combined with the MAX to go into Portland from our hotel, a car ferry in the US was another first. First sighting of a bald eagle, first sighting of a Roosevelt Elk, first sighting of an orca, first sighting of an elephant seal. So many firsts!
Would I go again? Today please! I would like to see Seattle, which we missed out, to really see Crater lake, without the snow and cloud, maybe to go to Steens Mountain, Hells Canyon and just to explore the whole wonderful area again. I'm sure I'd find lots of new things if I did.
Thank you again all of you who helped me. I really hope to get back and visit your lovely corner of the US again one day.
Mine are at: http://tinyurl.com/mg2nta
His are at: http://tinyurl.com/m8mbpe
Since we stayed mainly in chain motels and ate a lot of time courtesy of Safeway I won't do a traditional trip report. We booked some hotels ahead of time - often only the night before thanks to the internet, but sometimes we just took a chance on something turning up. Going late April/early May meant we were able to do that easily.
Our favourite places to stay were Table Rock motel in Bandon - it was incredibly cheap but very nice, (we really liked Bandon all together), The Edgewater Inn in Shady Cove, right on the Rogue river, and the Best Western in Chelan, right on the lake, where we got a suite for the price of a normal room. We hadn't booked at turned up on spec. We fully expected it to be too expensive and to have to go to the motels away from the lake. But my husband asked, showing his BW card and got offered the suite so we gratefully took it, for two nights and had a mini chill out mid holiday.
Our favourite places to eat were the Black Rabbit restaurant at the Edgefield in Troutdale. Sadly we couldn't stay there but we did get to eat there, Lord Bennet's at the Sunset Motel in Bandon, The Dakota Inn in Ellensburg and two very different places in Anacortes - Camerons, next to our motel and the Rock Harbor Grill, with live Bluegrass music.
Surprise of the trip was Olympia, which is just delightful with great food, and a really nice atmosphere. Much nicer than most "small town" state capitals we've been to.
I'm afraid we couldn't stop laughing in Leavenworth, it was all just so kitsch so we got out of there fast.
Highlights were the wildlife - the birds, the elk, the pinnipeds, whales and orcas, and a bear
The first time we caught a glimpse of a bald eagle (in Tillamook) we were thrilled, but disappointed not to get a photo of it. Then we saw a nest with mom and pop in attendance, and by the end of the four weeks we were getting so blasé about seeing them it was incredible.We loved the coast which reminded us of Cornwall and parts of Wales. Also of the Dutch coast - all those sand dunes. We didn't get to explore the southern coast below Bandon sadly as it poured down all day and driving was tough - getting out of the car was out of the question so we pressed on to Crescent City to see the Redwoods the next day. We also enjoyed Eastern Oregon, and would have loved to have spent more time there - maybe going to Hells Canyon, but Washington beckoned.
4 weeks sounds like a long time, and it is, but it goes by in a flash leaving you wanting more.
We went on a bus in the US for the first time, combined with the MAX to go into Portland from our hotel, a car ferry in the US was another first. First sighting of a bald eagle, first sighting of a Roosevelt Elk, first sighting of an orca, first sighting of an elephant seal. So many firsts!
Would I go again? Today please! I would like to see Seattle, which we missed out, to really see Crater lake, without the snow and cloud, maybe to go to Steens Mountain, Hells Canyon and just to explore the whole wonderful area again. I'm sure I'd find lots of new things if I did.
Thank you again all of you who helped me. I really hope to get back and visit your lovely corner of the US again one day.
Jun 24th, 2009, 10:39 AM
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Please come back. There is so much to see that a lifetime might not be enough (bring your camera, of course). I hope you had an opportunity to have coffee and pastry at the Bandon Bakery, which is a must-stop for us when driving the coast.
Jul 14th, 2009, 12:55 PM
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I'm glad you all enjoyed our photos so much. We loved it all so much there. I do hope to get back again one of these days, but it is an expensive trip for us.
spirobulldog I am sure you will get to see Crater lake. We were just too early in the year to get to see it. We'll go in September next time
Jaguar, the lighthouse is Yaquina head. You can watch all the sea birds on the rocks below from there too. When we were there there were docents with spotting scopes to help everyone.
Connie and amhseverance enjoy your trips!
olesouthernbelle no not professional, just a keen amateur!
spirobulldog I am sure you will get to see Crater lake. We were just too early in the year to get to see it. We'll go in September next time
Jaguar, the lighthouse is Yaquina head. You can watch all the sea birds on the rocks below from there too. When we were there there were docents with spotting scopes to help everyone.
Connie and amhseverance enjoy your trips!
olesouthernbelle no not professional, just a keen amateur!
Sep 17th, 2009, 12:43 PM
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That's very true pdx - I never photographed our bulb fields until this year. I was just too late for yours.
I never go into Amsterdam and take photos either. It is a good point and I shall make the effort soon to do just that.
I am glad you enjoyed the photos. We enjoyed the holiday so much and love looking back at the photos and remembering how beautiful it is there. I really do hope we will get back again to explore some more one day.
I never go into Amsterdam and take photos either. It is a good point and I shall make the effort soon to do just that.
I am glad you enjoyed the photos. We enjoyed the holiday so much and love looking back at the photos and remembering how beautiful it is there. I really do hope we will get back again to explore some more one day.
