Portland (this past Saturday)

Well our first week here in Oregon was pretty great. Despite the fact that for all but one of us, this is our first time in Oregon, we are really loving it here! The town of Silverton has definitely grown on us, and it's weird to think that we've only been here for a week and a half... it feels like it's been much longer than that!

This past Saturday we went to Portland to check out a city that many of us had heard many great things about but to which we had never been. We got brunch at this place called the Daily Cafe and then headed over to Saturday Market to do some local shopping for trinkets and souvenirs. I took a little detour however and spent some time over at the REI, where I quickly found some waterproof gloves (the primary reason I went there) but subsequently spent an hour trying on different waterproof jackets. I found this really sweet jacket (the REI Shuksan) that I was seriously considering purchasing but ended up leaving at the store because it cost $300, and I didn't (and still don't) need a jacket enough to qualify such an expense!

In Portland we also spent a considerable amount of time at Powell's World of Books, perhaps the largest bookstore in the country (or so they claim). You could spend a week in there and there would still be areas you'd never see! Luckily, the areas of the bookstore that I tend to inhabit--psychology, self-help, and Eastern Religions--were all together, so I didn't need to go through the store in search of other areas of interest of mine.

One thing I like about Powell's is that they sell new AND used books, which is awesome because all of the books I ended up buying were used and cost considerably less than they would have if I had bought them new. For example, I bought a hardcover book called "In Praise of Slowness" that when new costs $25 but at Powell's I purchased it for $7. Pretty sweet deal. The other books I bought were "The Art of Friendship," "The Art of Conversation," "FISH! For Life," and "The Paradox of Choice." Good, good stuff!

Afterwards we walked around the city just a little bit and then stopped by this place called Voodoo Doughnuts, where they sell these weird and exotic doughnuts of all different types, shapes and sizes. We got a few boxes for the whole team and enjoyed them on the way home.

We had dinner back in Silverton at the local bar, Mac's, and I ran into someone I had met in Silverton last weekend at the coffeeshop, and she introduced me to her friends, both of whom work at the local hospital. It was pretty funny, only because every time I go to Mac's (or the coffeeshop), I run into someone I met before and end up meeting someone new! I am feel pretty home in Silverton already!

So that was our day in Portland. Quite a bit different from Silverton, but a pretty cool place nonetheless. The team and I are thinking of heading up there again sometime after Thanksgiving, because then the Christmas lights will be up and we'll be able to explore other parts of the city that we didn't get a chance to explore this time around.

I'm loving Oregon!