Vacation Day 1
live

Thank God for a safe trip to Astoria OR. We enjoyed a great day today with perfect weather: warm, but no need for sun screen as we had natural sun screen (clouds) with breaks of sun and brief drizzles now and then. Beautiful fresh clean air down here off the ocean at the mouth of the Columbia River.



We have a great hotel room at the Red Lion Inn where you could fish off our balcony if you wanted.

We had lunch at our old favorite diner, Andrews and Steves, then walked all around Astoria, visiting the (outide of) the Maritime Museum, and then later driving up to the top of the mountain to visit the Astoria Tower.




We've never been up to the tower before: the Astoria Column. It was great. Xenia and I actually climbed to the top and took some photos from up there. The view is remarkable, 360 degrees unobstucted for as far as you can see, which around here is as far as the clouds will let you.



Xenia atop the Astoria Column



View from the Astoria Column

Later we had dinner and I tried out a couple of great brews from the Astoria Brewery: Wet Dog Cafe. Delicious food and great beers! I even bought a cool t-shirt as a souvinir.




I love Astoria. It is the first time we've ever spent the night here, so really the first time we've spent more than half a day here. I'd love to come back sometime and spend a couple of days: check out all the spots where several great movies were made: Short Circuit, Kindergarden Cop, and The Goonies.

Tomorrow, no to another favorite costal town: Tillamook.

~ Basil