The next morning I left Joel sitting in front of a book store and I explored downtown Astoria.
There are many interesting Victorian homes dotting the hills. One way to know that a city is past it’s prime, is how many of the old buildings remain. If a city is prosperous, old gets replaced by new rapidly. It is only when the old becomes classic (at about 60-70 years) that people want to protect it. If the city has prospered, there may not be much left, if the city has declined – the old remains. One thing you don’t see here is any midcentury modern.
This goat lives right downtown. She has her own little hillside but is kept out of the kitchen garden by a fence and gate – otherwise there would be nothing left for the homeowners to eat.
One of the most beautiful Victorians is now the Historical society museum.
This brought me great joy! Unfortunately it was too early in the morning, so I never got inside.
This kind of flowering hanging basket is something that would easily work in LA, unlike these wonderful street planters that need too much water and moisture in the air.
Lovely old commercial building.
As well as a theater, that is being used for live productions.
I didn’t go in, but what a great adaptive reuse, from county jail to museum!
Blue Heron
A lot of sea lions, loud, obnoxious and clearly being studied. They were near our hotel and I heard them barking through the night.
Another view of the bridge, with the old pilings from the defunct port underneath.
On the bridge going to Washington.