Magical Oregon Trip September 2018 - Day 4

 
Good morning! It was time for my last day in Portland. My inability to sleep in continued this day, but it meant that I was able to enjoy a cup of tea in the kitchen with my hosts, and accept their son's request to have me walk with him (and mom) to school.

Magical Oregon Trip September 2018 - Day 3

Day three of my trip started out with packing up all my belongings back into my suitcases. I was moving to new digs: my friend Bryonie's lovely guest suite in her house. I dropped my stuff off at her house, and was so agape looking around her lovely home, we were almost late returning the rental car to the airport!

Magical Oregon Trip September 2018 - Day 2

 
The second day of my trip started off with new housemates, a couple staying in the room next door, deciding to take sequential showers that tied up the only bathroom for at least an hour. (sigh) Note to self: Next time I AirBnB, be sure the room has its own bathroom.

Magical Oregon Trip September 2018 - Day 0 and Day 1

We were high school sweethearts, Portland, Oregon and I. My first boyfriend lived on the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Highway, so I would visit him once a year or so. The gorge was where I came alive, carting a bag with journals and sketchbooks and fantasy novels to the hiking paths by the abundant waterfalls and staying there all day, imagining, dreaming, and coming to understand my personal beliefs and spirituality.

But like many high school sweethearts, we drifted apart. The last time I visited Portland was thirteen years ago. However, when I had a year of major upheaval this last year, one devastating situation and loss after another, a little voice in my head told me to come back...go back to Portland.

The plan was to find out for sure if my sentimental feelings about Oregon and Portland were made golden-toned by memory and bias, or if I still loved it. The goal was to "get it out of my system."

I failed miserably.