We made our way up to Eugene a few days ago but since our interesting hostel wasn’t really equiped with Wifi like we thought it was, I wasn’t able to update until today. We arrived in Eugene on Monday the 30th and right away both Lauren and I didn’t see what we were expecting to see. Eugene has an interesting feel where it doesn’t feel huge or to buisy but still has a larger, spread out feel to it that I’m not sure if I really like. I had been told by a friend that I would love it but I question if I even like it or not. It has alot of nice features and great places to go (from what we saw in the short time here) such as little cafe shops here and there, alot of cultural, artistic feel, but not as centralized as I was thinking it would be. We did notice a ton of bikers which is something that would be great to get into. Eugene was really set up well for bikers.
Eugene is known for it’s glass blowing which makes it such an appealing place to be. It has a huge amount of artists and is really a mecca for all types of glass blowers. We visited a bunch of great spots for learning, renting studio time, watching blowers, and suppliers of glass and was a great time meeting with some of the locals.
We took a day trip out of Eugene to see some of the amazing waterfalls that Oregon has to offer. I suggest checking out my photo page and taking a peek at the photos of the spectacular Proxy Falls. It’s a set of trails and falls a bit out of Eugene that are definitely worth the trip. A short hike on a very beuatiful trail that is surounded by huge trees that tower over you. A must see.
So we’re now about fourty minutes outside of Portland in Salem and there isn’t much to offer in this area for us other than it’s close to Portland. We ventured up to hike around the Hawthorne District which is nice. It’s a long busy road lined with nice shops and great food from all over. It’s got an interesting hipster vibe which neither Lauren or I are that into but can definitely appreciate. We’ll be venturing into Portland for three nights and are both estatic.