So why do I love Portland? Let's face it - not for the weather! Last winter was my first in Portland. After two months of gray skies and drizzling rain, I narrowly resisted performing a swan dive from my fourth-floor balcony. But there is something about this town that keeps me from swimming away. What is it?

Maybe it's the diverse culture. I live in Portland's Pearl District, in northwest Portland, just a few blocks north of downtown. Pearl is an area strewn with art galleries, quaint restaurants and boutique shops. By simply circling my block I encounter an Italian pasta house, a Japanese eatery, a Swiss bakery and an all-American Jazz bar. If I go a little farther, I hit a variety of coffee shops, art studios and upper-end clothing stores. There is no excuse for boredom in a place like this!

Or, I can go downtown, where I'm sure to find some action. When I first moved to Portland I was blown away with the amount of activism. Usually cities with a hip cultural climate like Portland's cultivate a spirit of indifference. They become too cool for politics and too cynical for morality. But in an age of moral relativism, Portlanders still believe. Nowhere is this more evident than the city's center. I can't walk through downtown without being approached by someone with literature to read or a survey to sign. Downtown is a hot spot for pickets, protests and preaching. In this way Portlanders are something of a paradox. They value individual expression while taking an acute interest in public life. Often this means taking their opinions to the street. I may not agree with every cause, but the passion is irresistible. I can't remain apathetic among such people. My humanity is drawn out as I am drawn in.

And that's just the Westside! The Willamette River cuts the city into east and west, and as I cross I gaze north down the Willamette and momentarily lose my breath. It's not difficult to see why Portland is called the City of Bridges. As I cross, the sun is disappearing behind the horizon. The explosion of glowing colors that bounce off the waters beneath the arching bridges would make even the dull wax poetic. This is not an obvious kind of beauty, like the tropics. It's a subtle beauty. The Willamette winds under the stately bridges, a graceful convergence of nature and technology.

Once I've crossed the river I can head to the Hawthorne District, the right side of Portland's brain. Trendy clothiers, artsy theatres, retro bars ;this area epitomizes Portland's creative spirit and provides a little escape from stagnant urban culture. Or, if I'm in the mood for a game I can hop over to the state-of-the-art Rose Garden and watch one Portland's many professional teams play.

Of course I don't have to stay in the city. On clear days, Mount Hood rests on the horizon like a dream, beckoning all nature nuts. Portland is within 2 hours of hiking, skiing, rafting, fishing, wind surfing, and Oregon's picturesque coast. You get the big city benefits without the estrangement from nature. Portland is a paradise for the outdoor enthusiast who doesn't want to be stuck in the boonies.

Okay, there are a lot of great things about Portland. I love the diversity, shopping and outdoor activities. But I keep coming back to the people. Portlanders are not easily defined, and that is what makes them interesting. They are people who feel comfortable in Birkenstocks and sweat pants but will not slip one iota when it comes to their minds. They value artistic expression yet believe intensely in the corporate power of democracy. Portland is a town of thinkers, but a town of feelers too. That is what makes this place great. That is why I love Portland.

Questions?
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