Voodoo Donuts Portland...

Its been a while since I've been in touch for lots of reasons, both good and a bit sad and after all that time, its hard to know where to pick up the thread, since there are so many  threads to pick up and  so many places to start that that entropy sets in and you do nothing for as long as it takes, but maybe that's how it works.  Anyway a segue is always a good way to get things going even if it is out of context.
So we were in the process of finishing up our seeing of the lower 48 states as I've as mentioned before, but who can really keep track of someone else's life anyway, and that took us to Portland, Oregon where we began this leg of the road trip.

And keeping on the food thing, the most interesting phenomena we encountered in Portland was Voodoo Donuts which friends who have been there mention.

They must be good, because people line up around the block and wait for inordinate amounts of time for a DONUT!!!   The wait and anticipation seem necessary to the experience.  I mean who lines up for a Dunkin Donut.

Don't much care for donuts and don't like waiting on line for anything, so admittedly, we did not have a donut, but we did hang around the exit area long enough to sample the wares vicariously...

This guy just scored a frosted with sprinkles.  How much I asked.  Two bucks he said.  That's a good deal I thought.  You could feed a family of 4 with that.  The next guy I cornered had the mythical (at least in New York) maple bacon donut...

Didn't ask how much since I don't eat bacon, but I could still admire it, and I did!!!  So the funky Voodoo Donut experience is one not to be missed in this otherwise clean, orderly, eco-friendly city where people are polite, wait for the light to change before crossing the street, and wait on line for donuts, a city that is well policed, and appeared devoid of mystery or danger, where you can feel safe and sound, and what's wrong with that?

Except for the signs and post cars and bumper stickers imploring people to "Keep Portland Weird".

Maybe Portland was weird once, but now it is not.  It is a nice, pleasant, friendly, family oriented place that seems to be clinging to a former persona that is no longer, possibly denying or lamenting the loss of their edge.  Keep it going Voodoo, and you too strange guy at the periphery of the weekly crafts fair.

Pablo