Portland and Big News v. 87

Maria is engaged!  Yay!  Yes, that's 2 engagements while we are traveling.  Are they trying to tell us something?

Ben and Maria- the newly engaged!

Maria just told me I have to "like" her status on Facebook.  I am a reluctant Facebooker at best, and I have never "liked" anyone's status...not that I don't "like" anyone's status....I do...just not the Facebook kind of "like", so I can be counted in the queue of "likers"... Sounds too "Big Brotherish" to me. I don't want to do it in a '60s sort of way...I wanted to use the word, antidisestablishmentarianism here, but it doesn't mean what I want it to mean, so I can't use it. I'm pretty sure I told her with my voice, on the phone, that I like her status, in fact, I'm really happy for her and Ben.  I'll have to tell her again in person, with my real voice, when we get home!  I know you are reading this Maria- I'm just messin with you!  :)

 

We are not in Portland right now, since I am about a month behind on these blogs, but I thought a photo of me and my sister, who lives in Portland, would be a nice addition right here, even though it was taken last Fall at her daughter's rugby game, when we both happened to be in Boston at the same time.  I like this picture of us!

Portland is beautiful and, well, interesting. We went on a city tour that Patty's friend, Judie, gives to elementary school students.  Just our speed!  She told us how the city was named- by a coin toss between two founders who came from Boston, MA, and Portland, ME.  It has been informally known as Stumptown, when all the trees had been cut down, Bridgetown, and Rose City, when the city forgave tax if citizens planted roses, resulting in a plethora of roses all over the place!  In the photo below, we are sitting on Mago Hermano- a gift from Portland's sister city of Guadalajara.

Mago Hermano
Portland Center for the Performing Arts

Rebecca picked up a tasty cream cheese and asparagus bagel lunch at the farmer's market at the end of the city park.  Also gracing the City's sculpture scene is Portlandia, the second biggest copper repousse statue in the United States, next to the Statue of Liberty.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portlandia_(statue)

Judie pointed out history, architecture, and art.  One of the most interesting buildings is the city hall.  When renovated, it reopened "light corridors" that had been built into in previous renovations.  Becca took a rest at the bottom of one that looks very cool, with hanging glass orbs and unusual twists of glass and metal, like a dry representation of an aquarium.  There is a whole wall of small sculptures outside the council chamber.  Some look like they would be meaningful for the setting- petitions, public works.  Others are... "Art!" 

Thanks Judie!

The Oregon Zoo is pretty special.  They have a very productive elephant breeding program- it is the most successful in the North America. http://www.oregonzoo.org/sites/default/files/elephants_history_2012.pdf

They have a new baby!  Baby Lily looks just as happy as her mom.  She's a cutie!

The zoo also houses Packy- the oldest male Asian elephant in North America- who was born right there in Portland.  This month, they are breaking ground on Elephant Lands- a new 6 acre habitat.  More reason to go back!

We couldn't get close ups like this in Yellowstone....... Bec had fun with the bears--- real, and not so real!

After a long day at play, Jonathan let Becca rest in his hammock.

Thanks for letting us hang out with you for a while, Patty and Doug.  And thanks, Jonathan for sharing your mom and dad just as you got back from your first year of college.  I think I should have taken more pictures of you guys!