The adventure : a trip along the North American West Coast
This adventure begins in Canada, in the large western city of Vancouver BC, during the month of December 2005. The relatively mild climate of this season does not allow for a snow-covered winter wonderland, but leaves the photographic exploration to be started in the midst of the classic rain that the region is so well known for.
In the diverse surroundings of Canada Place begins the discovery of a downtown defined by construction and change; towers slowly make their way into the Canadian sky and the port expands further into the bay. In this modern city, its powerful architecture contrasts, marking the new and old; skyscrapers share the ground with old Victorian houses, reminiscent of a history not far in the past. Walking the larger, primary commercial Robson Street, the day is filled with a tendency to shop. . . comparable to the desire invoked by flashy shopping streets of Paris and New York City. Equally important to local commerce is the gourmet side of Vancouver, strongly influenced by Asian cuisine; the Asian population of the city is in fact of great importance, and its cultural influence is felt throughout the city street. This multiculturalism is one that will be a constant and greatly appreciated during the rest of the trip, which at present brings us to the American-Canadian border in the direction of Seattle.
Seattle, home to 3 million inhabitants, is also one of the infamous music capitals of America. The birthplace of Jimi Hendrix, as well as the “father of grunge”, Kurt Cobain lead singer and guitarist of Nirvana, today’s Seattle music scene is still alive and loud. This is a city also known for its famous Space Needle, the expansive tower, Eiffel Tower-esque in its grandeur; a restaurant at its summit and panoramic view over a downtown defined by skyscrapers and its active port, the crossroad of the Northwest maritime industry.
This American city, despite at times a gray conglomerate of concrete, glass and steel, is surrounded and comforted by the dense and humid forests which give the state of Washington its nickname: The Evergreen State. A landscape defined by its hues of green and brown is also marked by the presence of a giant, Mount Rainier. With her 4392 meters, Mount Rainier almost reaches the summit of Mont Blanc in the French Alps. Further south on the road, yet still in Washington, one is overtaken by fascination in the face of the desolate landscape offered by Mount St. Helens. The eruption of this mountain in 1980 is well etched into the communal memory and, for those who risk forgetting, into the particular terrain.
Crossing the Columbia River, which marks the border between Washington and Oregon, brings us to the next large city: Portland. Here a walk downtown offers an area remarkably green in its mélange of urbanism and nature; small parks and squares scattered throughout the city create small spaces of tranquility in the midst of city action. The visit of the city continues in the International Rose Garden, the Holocaust Memorial and the Oregon Zoo, all hidden in a lush and vast corner which composes Washington Park. Breathtaking bridges that connect both sides of the city are admired for their construction, and we are left to lose ourselves in the diverse neighborhoods that embrace downtown; Sellwood, Westmoreland, Hawthorne and Northwest.
Departing from Portland and heading east, a small road trip along the Columbia River awaits us; a stretch through the Columbia Gorge to discover the dozens of waterfalls, such as Multnomah and Oneonta. Turning south and following the highway, Mount Hood, the highest point in Oregon, rises in the distance. Some 250 miles later is the incredible Crater Lake, another natural wonder to be admired for its clear blue water held in the world’s largest caldera lake.
Continuing south, it is in the midst of fog, slowly drifting from the ocean, that we discover the first sections of California. Here, only miles from the Oregon border, begins the Redwood National Park, where the gargantuan coastal trees seem to touch the edges of the sky.
Following Highway 101, the famous vehicular traverse of the Pacific Coast, we cross the fog covered Golden Gate Bridge to enter San Francisco. A vast and varied walk through the city covers the Financial District, Market Street, the Marina, and the Port of San Fransisco. The evening return to the hotel is tiresome as San Francisco is a city defined by hills; a constant dance of ascent and descent. Yet after a dinner of Vietnamese or Chinese cuisine, in the immense Chinatown, one is ready again to pass through and discover the intertwine of city streets.
San Francisco is also the city home to the famous prison of Alcatraz, where famous men such as Al “Scarface” Capone and other truants of the era, “Doc” Barker, Alvin “Creepy” Karpis, George “Machine Gun” Kelly, Floyd Hamilton and Robert Stroud, the “Birdman of Alcatraz” were once held in captivity. Despite the penitentiary past of convicts and escapees, San Francisco is also the breeding ground of intellect. Taking a half hour ride on the BART brings the visitor to Berkeley, and the campus of well known University of Berkeley. The trip of Procreaction stops here, in the city where many a prestigious diploma has been granted.
Discover all of the sensations and wonders of this adventure on our website :
http://www.nawc-photos.com
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