Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
western everyday life, and wearing Gore-Tex outerwear to restaurants, concerts or social
functions will rarely raise an eyebrow.
In a broad sense the Northwest shares the general cultures of the US and Canada but
adds its own personal twist. In rural parts of eastern Oregon and Washington, the person-
ality of the Old West is still very much alive. Fishing towns have a distinctive and often
gritty sensibility that comes from making a living on the stormy Pacific Ocean. Urban
centers have a reputation for progressive, somewhat maverick politics. Also, some folk
do put emphasis on 'old family' legitimacy and connections, boasting of ancestors who
came across the Oregon Trail or who were early Brits in Victoria. And while most urban
Americans and Canadians are tolerant of individual eccentricities, rural Northwesterners
tend to be conservative and perhaps a little skeptical of strangers.
There is indeed a wide mix of peoples in this great region, but they do tend to share
several things in common: a do-it-yourself ethic, a respect for the outdoors, and the de-
sire to keep frills to a minimum. And a certain affableness - if you're friendly to a local,
whether they're a city slicker or a country bumpkin, they often can't help but be friendly
right back.
Washington and Oregon are the only US states with a 'death with dignity' act, by which
some terminally ill patients are allowed to voluntarily end their lives.
Livin' the Life
The region's gorgeous waters, forests and mountains certainly help define the lifestyle of
Northwesterners. Here, people can be close to nature without sacrificing the comforts of
a sophisticated metropolis. During the week they'll work in city centers, dine at world-
class restaurants and take in fine theatrical productions or cutting-edge live music. Then
on weekends they'll head to the beach or ski slopes, or hike to the nearest mountaintop.
And while they love their outdoors, Northwesterners can be just as happy inside their
warm homes - especially when snow, drizzly rain and gray skies take over in winter.
Reading, watching movies and drinking (both microbrew and coffee) are a few popular
indoor pastimes, and the area is known for its bookstores, funky cinemas, breweries and
cafes.
The Pacific Northwest lifestyle is generally relaxed, and a certain degree of eccentri-
city is even expected: that shabbily dressed, green-haired woman next to you at the cof-
fee shop might be a tattoo artist - or a software developer at Microsoft. Portland's unoffi-
cial motto is 'Keep Portland Weird,' while Seattle's popular Fremont neighborhood pro-
claims the 'freedom to be peculiar.' This spirit of independence is most extremely exem-
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