Christmas in Portland

Early December - just as I was wondering what I should do over the holidays - I had a call from my uncle inviting me over to spend the last week of the year with all of them in Portland.

I gladly accepted the invite and eagerly looked forward to my trip to the West coast. Having visited Portland in the past, I quite knew what to expect - but this would be my first trip there in the winter.

A few days before my journey, a major snowstorm blew through the Pacific Northwest and most of Washington and Oregon received about 12+ inches of snow. Since these are places that don't usually get any snow - the airports and towns are not equipped to handle it. For 48 hours, Portland airport (PDX) was closed to all traffic. Hundreds of flights were cancelled. Amidst all my holiday excitement - I could only hope that my flight made it to Portland as scheduled. On my day of travel, the airport was functional, but there were severe weather delays. Thanks to the delays, the gate agent's holiday mood and my numerous flights on United Airlines for work - I was upgraded for free! Sitting up in First class - eating a good meal, watching the clouds and stars, made the 5 hrs whizz by... Definitely a great way to start the holiday...

Getting around Portland was a challenge, since the public transport system was hampered by the snow. Met up with my cousins at the train station and got home in time for a late dinner. Dinner ... phew - here's the spread ... raspberry salad, veg pulao, some amazing grilled Pacific salmon (yes, this tastes much better than the commonly available Atlantic variety), carrots & cranberries and some soba noodles in ginger soy sauce. Despite my meal on the flight - I tucked into the sumptuous dinner. As expected, this was the trend throughout the holiday ... delicious meals and relaxation ...

The next morning - was Christmas Day! After an awesome breakfast - we exchanged gifts amidst a lot of excitement. A truly memorable Christmas for me!