Right now I am snacking on an apple and authentic Tillamook cheese, both swiped from the continental breakfast of a hotel in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Lake Oswego is not too far from Tillamook, so the cheese has not suffered the transfer of many miles to get to me--accept in my backpack, on the flights that brought me home.
Our first night in Oregan, we took a bit of a pit stop from our Amazing Race-like tour to go to PF Chang's and see Alice in Wonderland in IMAX 3D. It was small for an IMAX screen, but the film was absolutely amazing visually. It wove practical effects with CGI and motion capture in a way that should make the creators of Avatar jealous. It was also true to the Lewis Caroll original, bringing back fond memories of reading it in sixth grade.
The following day was rather rainy as a tiny group of us ventured into Portland to see what there was to see. We wound up winding our way through a labyrinth of gardens above the city trying to find the magnolia trees that are in bloom. On our way, we saw neat rows of rose bushes (not in bloom), many daffodils, a statue of Sacajawea, and copious sheets of rain. Eventually, we found the magnolia trees and they were almost worth the search. Dinner at the Spaghetti Factory that night was more worth the trip, though. I had not been to the Spaghetti Factory in over a year, and I had forgotten how delicious the bread, a cherry Italian soda, a pesto salad, and spumoni ice cream can really be--never mind the actual entree, a glorious vegetarian lasagna stuffed with a delightful array of vegetables.
That night's CE concert was in Vancouver, Washington. It seems odd to me that Portland, the state's capital, should be so close to the border that the trip to Vancouver only took fifteen minutes or so. The church there was impressively built, with large arching glass windows and lovely works of religious art lining the lobby. They were in the process of getting ready for a prophecy seminar, and it felt good to be a part of that preparation.
The next morning, we set out in search of a famed Red Mill, and found it--but not the tour of its facilities. The Red Mill manufactures more varieties of grain than I had ever dreamed existed. It is also a restaurant that serves excellent vegetarian, even vegan food. I enjoyed a garlic roll deeply, as well as some peanut butter cookies. Then, we met up with the rest of CE at the site of director Calvin Knipschild's new home. He really has chosen for himself a wonderful view in a prime location. I'm a sun person, but it would almost be worth the rain to enjoy the spectacular view his home will have.
Afterwards, we took a scenic drive down the Columbia Gorge, which sported stunning vistas of stark mountains, dark blue lakes, and delicate waterfalls. It must be the Oregon equivalent of Yosemite. We stopped at the Bonneville Dam, which supplies a good deal of power to the Northwest, and watched the salmon swim in the fish ladder next to it. We crossed the Bridge of the Gods (a delightfully ostentatious name) to look at the other side, where we were actually allowed to drive over one of the powerhouses that contain the massive generators the water powers. We also stopped at a fish hatchery, which had this massive sturgeon called Herman swimming in its murky waters. It truly looked like a prehistoric fish of some kind, about six feet long with bony plates of armor all over it.
Thanks to a misunderstanding about the time of the concert and horrific traffic in Portland, it was a miracle we made it on time that night. By some divine aid, we actually managed to get the CD tables out on time. That night, I met a man who had worked at Camp Wawona back when my parents were staff there. It was fascinating to pick his brain and listen to his stories.
When Sabbath morning came, it was hard for me to accept that I was just one day away from returning to PUC. When I went up to join my father at the piano for the children's segment (which I do every time), something happened that had never happened before. A cute little girl saw that I didn't have a CE magnet (if I took one at every concert, I could paper my walls with them), and offered it to me. I kindly refused, but was touched by her sweet gesture. That church left us with an amazing potluck, served in a Sabbath school room that actually had highly detailed paintings on its walls with an amazing sense of depth. I hated to leave, but my mother and I had a plane to catch.
We made such good time, however, that we were able to stop at the Grotto of our Sorrowful Mother, a contemplative walk/park/public outdoor art gallery/monastery near the airport. It had two lovely replicas of the Pieta at the Vatican City. My favorite part of it, though, was a chapel at the top of the cliff that looked over Portland and the surrounding towns. The view was breathtaking, a good last look at my spring break travel.
Now, I am writing from PUC and I do not know when I'll have time to write again. Hopefully, it will be soon. Tomorrow the quarter starts, and I will be taking 19 credits, of which 10 are language--6 of them dead language. Please pray for me as I study Greek for the first time in two years. I also wish everyone luck on this last stretch of the school year, at whatever level it may be. Summer is coming!
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