Portland - Weird and Wonderful

Our day in Portland started strangely.  We arrived with no trouble and found a parking space outside Safeway. I needed to go to the bathroom, and we had moved so quickly off the interstate and into a neighborhood, that I hadn't seen any place to stop.  So I walked confidently into Safeway, expecting to pee.  I found one locked restroom in a back hallway.  It had a code on the door.  I went to the drugstore within Safeway and said, "I need to go to the bathroom and there's a code for the door."
The druggist replied, "There's a code for the door."
I said, "What is the code?"
He said, "You have to ask at the front of the store."  Feeling desperate, I went to Customer Service.
As I approached, I heard a young man say, "She really has to go to the bathroom."
Then a woman added,"We did buy some things."  Oh, Lord.  I heard the code and followed the young woman back to the hallway, but someone else already occupied the bathroom.  So I left the store.
I think this whole procedure is because there are a lot of homeless people in that area.  I am sympathetic to everyone in this story, but it was embarrassing.

Feeling uncomfortable, we walked down the street to the Portland Farmers Market at Portland State University.  It was wonderful - cheerful and generous and green.  We bought a Cuban sandwich to share.  But, of course, I still needed to find a bathroom.  I was directed to a university building that was open.  I could have probably found it just by following the stream of women. (pun intended)

There was music in the park during the market.

We bought some vegetables for a stir fry and fruit pies for dessert and breakfast: peach, huckleberry, and marionberry (not to be confused with the ex-mayor of DC).  I took a few pictures of beautiful displays and some activities that I haven't seen before at farmers markets.

This was cool:  We returned our sandwich basket to this designated spot.

There was also a hand-washing spot and a place to fill your water bottle for free.

Selling whiskey at the market!

Vegan Man said it was ok if I took his photo.

An explosion of carrots.

After the Market we drove a few blocks to the Pioneer Courthouse, which has been described as Portland's living room.  The streets were filled with young people and the square in front of the courthouse was hosting a residency by the Portland Museum of Modern Art.  It was an open air museum.  There was sculpture, painting, and one sound piece.  We viewed the art and listened to another band, Dragging an Ox through Water.  There was an opportunity for the public to make art 

too, so I painted.

 

This was a parody/spoof of the William Carlos Williams poem.

Only this person ate the blueberries.

Here is the public painting area.  People were having fun with paint.

At 4:00 pm we drove to our apartment and settled in to watch The West Wing.  We just watched two episodes. (We can stop any time.)  We need a plan for this evening.