Oregon, Day 3 / Washington, Day 4

On Thursday, Mom and I went to the Japanese Garden, always one of my favorite places. I've been to this one in Portland several times; I never tire of it. In fact, with a good book, some tea or water, and nice weather, I could stay for most of the day.

 Lovely entrance.

 Serenity.

 Koi, of course.

 And always a waterfall and pool.

 Beautiful paths that showcase different views from every angle.

 I love the playful fountains.

 Ah, the rock garden. It's amazing that there are people who study to be able to make these perfect lines and leave no other trace. 

 And the large garden, with two mosaics that represent a sake jar and small cup.

Alas, my time with this part of the family was at an end. Still full from dinner the evening before--no doubt helped but the incredible Mexican lunch we had!--we all opted for a very light dinner at our favorite Hawaiian place. Actually, I had half of mine left over for lunch on the train the next day.

And on Friday, after a leisurely morning, we headed for the train station. Why fly when you can take a train? Just four easy hours of spectacular scenery between Portland and Seattle. While I was very sad to leave, it was a phenomenal couple of days. It takes time to develop new "normals" and I am thrilled that we've been able to do that. I very much look forward to the next visit.

One of the many bridges and pretty sites along the way.

I had one more day before flying up to Alaska, and my cousin, Jeff, awaited me in Seattle. We hadn't see each other since our grandmother's funeral ten years prior. I hadn't yet met his wife or little one. 

Bearing small gifts from the Peru Folklife Festival and the National Gallery of Art, I arrived. We had a wonderful evening, with a lovely dinner and several hours spent chatting and catching up. A group effort the next morning resulted in tasty pancakes. We took a few photos, and then took a short drive. Not sure how he or I were calculating time, but the end result was that I very nearly missed my flight! And that would have been a very bad start as a tour manager. My luggage opted for that route, actually, but better it than me. 

We had a great time, and they hoped to get a babysitter for the following Saturday to meet me for dinner when I got back into town. I'm sure they started making immediate plans for what more they could do to convince me to move to the northwest....