This funny man thought we were taking a picture of him.
He was embarrassed when he learned that wasn't our intention.

What is so weird about Portland? It’s the land of maple bacon donuts, daily protests, hourly parades, and birds on everything. About a month ago, I traveled to the land of Portlandia with three dear friends to see how people “Put a Bird on It” and “Spare Some Weed”. I never knew Portland was considered so weird. I like it!!…well, at least some of it. A lot of free spirited people who always find a reason to start a parade or protest then call it a party! It's quite comical to see, but I would quickly get tired of minimal sunshine and the Portland lifestyle.

So, what makes Portland weird? To become a lil' more educated on the Portland way, here are a few things to do and sites to see when in Portland.

Portlandia – The Goddess of Portland who watches over the city day and night. This exquisite sculpture is like the “Statue of Liberty” of the Pacific Northwest. As the second largest repoussé sculpture in the United States (34 ft, 10 in tall), Portlandia was designed by Raymond Kaskey in 1985 and is an iconic landmark for the city. Portlandia is also a popular TV series that provides a glimpse into the quirky Portland nature. This is the funniest episode I watched while I was there.

Is it Local? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2LBICPEK6w

Relish Watermelon - I'm not sure what watermelon and a man dressed like a king have to do with Portland, but this was the first oddity observed at the tourist information in the Portland airport.

Spare Some Weed – There are plenty of people who seem to have a need for “medicinal” marijuana in Portland....

Amazing Race – Naturally the best way to see Portland is by participating in an amazing race. There were a few going on downtown. As we raced through the streets of Portland, we had to dress up and dance near Voodoo Donuts, drink pineapple juice from a baby bottle, and hop around a bronze elephant while making our way through various Portland parades and parties.

Good Reminder to keep it weird.

Pineapple soda from Amazing Race. Caused rapid sugar rush.

Jump Around Da Tung (Bronze Elephant) – My roommate, Ms. Kristina Potter, so graciously demonstrated how to hop around a 12-foot bronze Elephant that is a replica of a Chinese statue from the late Shang Dynasty. During the amazing race, our team was led to this statue and asked to hop around it in potato sacks three times.

Photos & Places of Honorable Sites to See