Current mood:

happy

Day Two - Portland; boats & bridges
I'll summarize here, since Terra did a much better job detailing the boat trip.

Early morning we get up, have breakfast down at the hotel breakfast bar - more egg goodness. I meet up with Roger and pass the install disks off to him, as that's my last work-related thing to do today (as I'd finished up my time-sheets earlier in the morning). We have breakfast and hit the pavement, going out to the Fossil Cartel on ... the mall. There we spend some quality time going over loose stones, fossils, earrings and such as I look for an opal ring to fall in love with. No luck there, but I do find a most excellent moonstone ring that I need to get re-sized. It'll be a special occasion ring, as moonstone wears/scratches easily and is probably softer than opal. They did have some excellent loose opals, but I'm not much for the milky blue/green opals - I love the Mexican fire and cherry opals with the bright, rich orange and reds.

I also managed to pick up a wonderful piece of topaz which I'll be making a pendant out of; maybe to gift, maybe to sell. It'll have gold leaves holding the stone, possibly winding around the top and bottom, but that'll be a thing to do once I get some of my jewelry tools back (and practice with some silver wire or something). We then had to dart out of there once we noticed the time. I had no idea where we were going, since I'd told Terra I would like to keep the destination a surprise. We walked down a few blocks to the water front and *bam*! Boat tour on the Portland Spirit (I think) - with lunch (seared tuna), drinks and a fantastic little tour of the river & bridges. It was the most relaxing and fun little trip I've had in such a long long time.

After which, we headed back to the hotel to drop off stuff, got into our Zipcar (yay Zipcar!) and drove to the Japanese gardens. Quick note: Burnside is like Market Street, you simply cannot turn across the street, you have to do the three-turn move to get to the other side. Anyway, we toured the gardens and it turns out they still honored my membership (for discounts at gift shop, at least) even though it expired the month before - thank goodness. Took lots of photos - over 100 today - viewed many a garden, and bought a bell. The most I've ever spent on a bell. While I don't regret buying it, I do regret putting money back on a credit card I'd tried very hard to get to zero. Such is life. After the gardens, we drove back to the Pearl district to find Cupcake Jones - which we did - and purchased some fine cupcakes. I had the Orange Creamcicle, which was amazing! Then it was back to the hotel and dropped off the car. We were both pretty tired and foot-sore by then, but before getting too comfy we headed out to buy swimming suits (for hot tub, which we'll undoubtably visit before checking out) and a hairbrush. I got back, exhausted, and crashed out on the bed for a half hour or so.

Unfortunately, all that sugar (two desserts before dinner!) had turned my stomach sour, and Terra is feeling ill, so no going out plans for this evening - drat. However, I'll be catching dinner with Roger in 15 minutes or so, and I think we'll do Thai over at E-san on 1st Street. I could go for some Tom Yum soup and papaya salad.

On another note, I just finished reading a great deal of reviews on the Acropolis Club. "Like a David Lynch movie shot at a Sizzler". Lots of ranting and raving about the full-nude dancing and the $5 (apparently very good) steak. I have to admit about being shy going to strip clubs, what with the usual seediness factor, but I hear this one's very popular and thus draws a fairly non-seedy crowd - plus the steak's been fairly hyped up. Smoking may be an issue, but I figure I could at least give it a try.

I'm having...

a...

wonderful time.