"Flying fish" show at the century-old Pike Place Market.[Source: China Daily]

Reservations are required and only 20 visitors are allowed in at a time to ensure the sense of seclusion for which the reserve was intended. No wonder that during our two-hour hike, we did not meet any other tourists and had the reserve to ourselves.

After staying in Seattle for three days, we continued our journey to Portland, Oregon, which is 40 minutes by air or three hours by train from Seattle.

The city will be familiar to many NBA fans in China as it's the hometown of the Portland Trail Blazers, whose guard Brandon Roy is admired by lots of Chinese fans.

But for me, I was attracted by its "greenness". Surrounded by mountains, hills, woods, lakes and waterfalls, it is more like a nature reserve than a city.

Eating my first meal in Portland, the first thing I noticed were the humming birds buzzing around outside the restaurant window, which I had only seen in books. I was so excited that I rushed out to take pictures of these beautiful tiny creatures.

Actually, the most romantic part of Portland is revealed in its nickname: "Rose City". Thanks to its abundant rose varieties and production, Portland holds a rose festival and a themed parade every year, usually in June, when everyone comes out to watch and celebrate. Live TV broadcasts also allow people across the US to join in the big party.

Blessed with a good climate, Portland is also home to some of the country's best wines.

Sitting outside, facing acres of vineyards, tasting different wines and listening to stories of each kind of wine is an unforgettable experience for most visitors to Domaine Drouhin and Sokol Blosser.