Weird Portland Wednesday: How We Stay Cool During a Heatwave

 

Ira Keller Fountain, Downtown Portland

 

Understand that Portland, Oregon rarely gets long-lasting heatwaves. Every year we have like, you know, two or three days of 100+ degrees weather. And then we live in virtual paradise of 75-80 degree summers. A slight breeze in the air. Perfection. 

Most of the state doesn't bother with air conditioning because we pant and gripe and feel strangled for a few days and then it's over. We think, "Well, we survived that. Why pay a huge amount of money for a few days of discomfort?" And then we put it out of our minds until the next year when temps hit 100+ for a few days. 

The last few years we have been having harsh heatwaves, each coming earlier and earlier in the year. We just passed through a horrible record-breaking heatwave. The temperatures hit 115 on Monday--highest temps EVER in the history of Portland. 

Like other cities across the nation, we do have many fountains where people can splash and enjoy a bit of coolness. There are nine Interactive Fountains around the city. Portland Parks used to have splash pools for little kids, but many of them have been shut down years ago. Kids use them for little skateboard pads.  It was probably a problem with infrastructures. There are still a dozen or so around the city.

 

 

 

But the truth is, we are still who we are, being our true selves. We do things like other cities, but we do things that are simply us.

We are still Portland. Still keeping it weird.

And so it goes~~~
peace