Lewis and Clark

portland, oregon. ahhhhhh...
this city is incredible. the panache, the boutiques, the food, the hippies, the aura of art and creativity, and free love.
multnomah falls is truly breathtaking (both the view of the falls, as well as the hike up the steep mile high switchbacks to the top of the falls for a spectacular panoramic view of the columbia river!)
mt hood, st helen's, and larch mountain (scenic drive through vineyards, orchards, and quaint communities) are also incredibly beautiful.
two of my favorite spots in the city this trip were the chinese gardens (the gardenia room was a fragrant, visual feast) and the grotto (reflective and peaceful way to end the trip).
of course, i continued my quest to visit every lds temple in the world by visiting the portland temple. and, of course, true my bohemian inclination, i ran into a transportation adventure when the bus that took me out to lake oswego stopped running after rush hour and i had no idea how to get back downtown. it all worked out thanks to marci mapquesting from maryland, and a nice trimet employee giving me a lift.
tomorrow we head down to corolla, north carolina to ring in my birthday on the outer bank beaches for a week.