Tramping: Portland part 2

And so back in Portland. I didn't get a chance to post all of the pictures from my first stop:

Somewhere you have to go is Powell's City of Books, claimed to be the largest independent new and used bookstore in the world. I would say they're probably right. It is huge.

Parts of it look like a warehouse but it also has a cafe and lovely displays.

A few guidebooks on Scotland here.

Another great place to visit was the Oregon Historical Society museum. Lots to learn about the area's history. This was one fascinating detail. Ladders to heaven used to teach native peoples about Christian beliefs.

On my return I took a half day guided minibus tour out to the Columbia River Gorge with knowledgeable local guide Joshua from Seatosummit tours. This is one of the tours I have taken using a gift voucher from the generous parents at Sandness School. So thank you again.

The Columbia River. Lewis and Clark arrived here by way of the Columbia as did many following the Oregon Trail in the mid C19. They could choose between the Barlow Road which meant lowering their wagons on ropes down the mountainside or building a raft and negotiating the waters.

Sorley at Latourell waterfall

The impressive Multnomah Falls, the top part if 543ft and the whole thing is 620ft.

Rock face

View of area damaged in wild fires.

Horsetail Falls

Next we visited a salmon hatchery and then went to the dam to see the fish ladder. The adult salmon are caught then brought to the hatchery to spawn. The young fish have a redundant dorsal fin removed to help identify them before being released in the river their parents came from. At the fish ladder operatives log each fish, the type and whether they have the fin or not to distinguish between those from the hatchery and the those that have been born wild.