Top tourists

It rained, but at least the rain ate into the snow. The fog over central park cleared the remnants of ice and slush. The threat of a minus ten day still hung over the city, but that wasn't until the next day.

The rain was cold and constant and we went in search of indoor sights. The first we reached was Grand Central Station, which was celebrating its centenary.

Ali and a bunch of commuters

We bought one week MetroCards and not for the first time reflected on how expensive public transport is in Brisbane. In New York, $2.50 will get you from one end of the city to the other. You can travel as much as you like all week for $30. In Brisbane I'm lucky not to spend $9 a day and I live a stones-throw from the city.

The must-see attraction for Ali was the Museum of Natural History, which I had visited on the last trip.

Christmasaurus?

Our tickets included a pass to the Dark Universe space show in the planetarium, presented by Neil deGrasse Tyson.

It was a visually impressive and engaging presentation, and a neat addition to our price of admission. We both commented that if Oliver had been on this trip he would have loved the presentation (though it may have been a bit basic for him - for us it was at the right level).

Teddy stands watch over the museum

The last time I was in the museum the entrance hall was being renovated, so it was good to see the dinosaurs, the murals and the Roosevelt quotes without scaffolding.

Also people appreciate the seating

Apart from the planetarium, we spent most of our time in looking at the mammals, the ocean room, and the people of the Americas.

It was still raining when we set out for our hotel to get some warmer clothes. We used the subway exit and stayed underground and indoors as much as possible.

Sunset behind us, caught the reflection in that building on the right.

Rockefeller plaza is atop a subway hub, and we were able to get there with minimal shivering.

Last time I went up to the Top of the Rock during the day and the Empire State Building at night, and Ali charitably offered to do the opposite this time around.

By the time we reached the top of the tower, the rain had cleared, and we had a clear view of the city at night.

There's that weird building again.

It was especially interesting to see Times Square from this angle, where it became a blazing flame of neon, like a laser bonfire in the city's heart. At the same time Central Park was a pit of darkness between us and Harlem, with fairy-light trails across it, marking the few paths.

Times Square

Up top we could feel the cold change coming. The temperature dropped fast and while we would have loved to stay to get more photos we could not stay outside for more than a couple of minutes at a time. We got one photo together but neither of us could manage a convincing smile in the cold.

We spent a little time outside with the crowds around the ice-skating rink as they waited for the ice to be cleaned, and ducked through the Lego store but didn't buy anything (though I took some photos for Tom).

That's where we were. Up there.

Before we left we had picked out a spot for dinner. Another subway ride and we were at the edge of Little Italy and we walked the five blocks for some Italian.

Ali had the lobster risotto.

Would you believe we stayed for coffee and dessert?

One freezing day in Portland

Byways looks like a traditional American diner, and it was a surprise when our server offered to replace the potatoes and toast which came with our omelets with fruit. After an Argentinian-style dinner best described as 'hearty,' we were ready for a little fruit and jumped at the chance. This sort of thoughtful menu and service is part of why Portland is such a great city to visit.

The weather was not so accommodating. Temperatures stayed at or below 6 degrees all day. The decision to have breakfast and explore the Pearl District didn't seem so clever when we got underway. Wind pummeled us the whole way along Morrison street and a number of times we considered stopping early to eat, well, anywhere to get in out of the cold. It would have been a mistake, and it's great that we persevered.

After breakfast (and a number of cups of coffee), Ali came up with a plan. We hopped about the Pearl District, stopping in at clothing stores, book stores, cafes and anywhere else we could close the door behind us.

A stop at the University of Oregon let me top-up my supply of Ducks merchandise. We got another round of Voodoo Doughnuts, bought coffee from the renowned Stumptown Roasters and retreated to our hotel room. We needed a break from the cold and a rest before we tackled some of the recommended Portland spots.

The first stop was The Nines hotel, or more specifically the bar on top of the hotel, Departure.

Clouds are a constant companion in Portland.

Portland is not a very tall city. The floor-to-ceiling windows of the Departure lounge give views of downtown, the rivers, everything to the horizon.

I have just now realised I can see our hotel in this photo

It was a weeknight, so the west lounge was closed, but the view from the east bar was very impressive. Also impressive were the samosas. We stayed long enough to have one beer and then braved the Portland night toward our next stop.

In planning the activities for that night we made certain we never had to stay out in the cold too long, and that our walk from our last stop back to the hotel would not be too far. The furthest we strayed was for stop number two; Bailey's Taproom.

Porter on the left, pale on the right

Bailey's is all about beer. With twenty-four beers on tap and a constantly changing list it's a popular spot and while there was nowhere to sit the atmosphere was friendly and we had no problem standing. The only issue came from where we chose to leave our beers - a side-table which turned out to be the drop-off point for the local Mexican restaurant, which delivered to tables in the Taproom. The sight (and smell!) of the food being delivered nearly caused us to change our plans.

The Taproom was part of the last American adventure - the one which started this blog. It's also where I met Josh, who invited us to go tailgating at a Ducks game three years ago.

The list of beers on tap.

With appropriate haste we walked back down to Broadway and made a right to the Picnic House. We had seen the House while walking the day before, noted its funky decor, and moved on. But after a strong local recommendation we booked a table and went for one of the best meals we have eaten. I am going to cover it in some detail so, if you're hungry, get a snack.

For what it's worth, I recommend cheese.

We were hungry when we arrived, so straight away ordered the cheese platter and some garlic bread (and of course beer). What we were served could have been a meal in itself - five types of cheese, fruits and other assorted nibbles, and a loaf of bread.

That took a bit of time to get through. Our server (wisely) asked if we needed to make a choice from the mains menu or if we had enough.

We were ready for more.

Wild boar, house-made pasta.

The kitchen were happy to split a main for us, which was great, because the mains were huge and we were kind of full of cheese. With a history of trying new meats (especially while travelling) I was keen on the wild boar pasta. Ali was skeptical but a positive word from the server made it a winner.

If you go to Portland, if you go to Picnic House, if it's on the menu, get the wild boar. Tender, rich and perfectly cooked. We are still talking about it days later.

There's a way people sit after a satisfying meal, leaning back from the table with a lazy, sated expression. Our server read our body language and asked if we needed to see the dessert menu.

The smart thing would have been to say no. But damn it, in for a penny...

I am so glad we shared this.

Smore pudding. House-made marshmallows on a chocolate pudding dressed with crushed graham crackers. It was... great.

The back area was being used for Christmas parties and while we were eating a performance began - a reading of Dickens' A Christmas Carol, complete with rattling chains.

Obligatory lights photo

Full bellies made us want to walk for a while but once outside the cold night drove us toward the hotel. We paused long enough to take photos of the Christmas lights. There were carols, more readings in the square, a very Christmas-y feel. Christmas seems to be easier to do when it's not so hot you just want to lie around and drink.

This is Morrison street, which we stayed on

That was our last night in Portland. Kate met us for breakfast the next morning (a return to Mother's) and was kind enough to take us to the airport.

We arrived with time to spare. A lot of time, as it happened - due to weather and mechanical issues, our flight was delayed by a little over three hours. Portland airport is well put together, with a lot of local businesses inside the terminal. With five hours on our hands, we explored, had tea, a good lunch, and were ready to go when our flight for San Francisco finally arrived.

We even got an obligatory shot of the PDX carpet.