Strolling Around Portlandia
By Becky Ohlsen
Wilderness Press, $18.95, 200 pages
As anyone who lives here knows, Portland is a great city for walking. Urban trails, pretty gardens, hidden parks, historic and quirky neighborhoods, plentiful food carts and beverage options, a relatively flat terrain, and a good public transportation system to get home by when rain or sore feet take precedence all speak in its favor. From centrally located Chinatown to farther afield Multnomah Village, local author Ohlsen describes 30 of her favorite routes around town, each ranging in length from one to five miles, with options to extend, and in difficulty level from easy to moderate.
“bead shops, burnouts, and occasional didjeridoos.”
Each section has a good map, parking and transportation options, a bulleted list of directions with helpful commentary, sites to see along the way, and a route summary. Appendices include a compilation of walks by theme and points of interest. Want to take a Rivers and Bridges walk? Try Walk #29. How about something that goes by the 24-Hour Church of Elvis? Start at Union Station and follow Walk #1. Or choose pieces of each. This is a nicely designed and written book that natives and visitors alike will enjoy.
Reviewed by Linda Frederiksen
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