Washington Park -- Easy to Miss

I have been using a lot of pictures that I took last year, but I needed to take one more trip to explore the Cloud Forest and get pictures of The Continuity of Life Forms. They aren't at all adjacent, but I would photograph the mosaic, walk back up to the shuttle stop to catch a ride to near the Cloud Forest, and work my way down toward the Stearns Canyon exit. Then I would really be done, I thought.

Except that while I was taking those pictures showing  life form continuity, it reminded me of some of the displays on the Washington Park MAX platform in the Robertson Tunnel.

The art focuses on how nature inspires us, and on our own similarities to other members of the natural world.

It also alludes to the passage of time, with a sample core, the evocation of tree rings...

as well as giving some connections to the development in the area over time. It it all seems to work together.

That intrigued me, but my itinerary for the day was not sending me back into the tunnel. That meant another trip, and really focusing on the tunnel.

While I had noticed the tunnel art before, I had not previously noticed the depictions of Sacajawea and Jean-Baptiste or the Stevens Pavilion.

That has been the wonderful thing about exploring the park more: there is always something else. Les Aucoin Plaza is a nice spot, but I mainly found it because of walking from different spots in the park.

It is easy to park at your destination, and only see that, but then you miss the in-between spaces.

Not everything will be for you; I have never used the soccer field, the archery range, or the tennis courts, but I am glad they are there. 

Sometimes there is a lot to be said just for wandering around and finding a weird tree or a busy squirrel.

With 151 years of history now, there is a lot to be found, and there is always more.

When I say "easy to miss", that does mean that you will probably always have something that you haven't seen yet. At some point, I am going to want to track down that "House For Summer"

https://portlandtreetour.wordpress.com/2013/06/21/house-of-summer/

But I also mean that it is easy to miss being there: to develop a fondness for the park and want to get back. It is easy to miss in that way too.

Now that we are so close to the World Forestry Center re-opening, maybe this a a good time to think about getting to the park.

https://www.worldforestry.org/discovery-museum-to-reopen-summer-2022/

But I am probably done writing about it for a while, at least until I start writing about the newly renovated Oregon Zoo.

Until then, here is a reminder of all the previous posts.

World Forestry Center
https://sporktogo.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-art-of-dr-seuss-at-world-forestry.html

Vietnam Veteran's of Oregon Memorial
https://sporktogo.blogspot.com/2021/07/washington-park-vietnam-veterans-of.html

Hoyt Arboretum
https://sporktogo.blogspot.com/2022/05/washington-park-hoyt-arboretum.html

The Holocaust Memorial
https://sporktogo.blogspot.com/2021/08/washington-park-holocaust-memorial.html

Portland Japanese Garden
https://sporktogo.blogspot.com/2021/04/washington-park-portland-japanese-garden.html

The International Rose Test Garden
https://sporktogo.blogspot.com/2021/07/washington-park-international-rose-test.html

The Children's Playground
https://sporktogo.blogspot.com/2022/05/washington-park-childrens-playground.html

The Himalayan Cloud Forest Garden
https://sporktogo.blogspot.com/2022/05/washington-park-himalayan-cloud-forest.html

"Hidden" Washington Park
https://sporktogo.blogspot.com/2022/05/hidden-washington-park.html

Getting Around
https://sporktogo.blogspot.com/2021/08/washington-park-getting-around.html

150th Anniversary
https://sporktogo.blogspot.com/2021/07/washington-park-150-years.html

And yes, the 4T trail starts there, but do not go on the 4T trail. Seriously.
https://sporktogo.blogspot.com/2018/11/portland-metro-area-t4-trail.html

What are you waiting for? Go!

It may change how you look at things.

https://explorewashingtonpark.org/