Portland is definitely the place to become exposed to art. From antique architecture to the green and flourishing environment to a diverse people's culture, this ancient city is a piece of art itself. Today I strolled the downtown quarter with high expectations--and I was thoroughly inspired.
Each building is uniquely sculpted with neutral-colored bricks and dark steel. An Irish pub and thousands of high-end shops fill the structures; the upper stories are apartments. I am most astonished by the bridges. Who designed and manufactured such huge steel beams over which cars rush and trains thunder? I even walked across one of these magnificant structures near the Saturday Markets Tents, stopping to stare up at the rusty bottom of a road. Far out to my left and right, before and behind me, buildings squat and stretch according to their height.
Along the beach where bridges begin, cherry trees flaunt voluptuous pink and white blossoms. The green grass behind and the misty sky remind me of a fairy tale I always dreamed of being part of: Thumbelina. I can breath the clean air here; are you surprised? In spite of the industry of Portland, the rain cleans the air and refreshes the life of nature. The environment here is healthy and beautiful for all the people.
The people! The people! I see fat, bearded men wrapped in sleeping bags under many bridges, moms and daughters smiling at each other as they walk the river's beach, and men with dogs and cellphones and lovers. I can blend in and stand out at the same time because diversity is the flavor of Portland.
I love Portland because the art is found in every corner and open space. Seeing ancient construction, watching nature burst forth into life, and becoming me in the community are powerful idea-starters. My walk downtown moved me as a writer.
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