The Yellow Roses of Oregon

And red and pink and orange of course. I just got back from an almost-week training in Portland, Oregon and it was a lot of fun. My mentor took me out for a night on the town last night. First, we visited the International Rose Test Garden which is a beautiful (and free) attraction. I had no idea there were so many different varieties of roses. My favorite kinds were those dubbed "hybrid teas" because they smelled so good I wanted to *eat* them. There were many people there poking around, including a book club. In the middle of the garden, there was a large stage on which they have weekly performances; this week, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory was being performed.

After that, we went to a great seafood restaurant that floats on the Willamette (pronounced Will-'am'-ett) River in downtown Portland called the Marina Fish House. I'm a spinach-artichoke dip addict, and theirs had crab in it, which made it even better somehow.

After dinner, we took a trip to the Oregon Health & Science University (a teaching hospital) which had implemented an Aerial Tram to connect its buildings on the Willamette River with the hospital way up on Marquam Hill. We took a ride on it; the cars were really high tech-looking. You can read more about it here. I believe students get to ride free of charge, but it's open to the public (i.e., tourists) for the low fee of $4/round trip (you can also buy an annual membership for $100 - not bad if you've seen the hill(s) you'd have to drive up otherwise).

Next, it was time for dessert, and what better place than the hippest and most famously delicious place to get dessert in downtown Portland (and perhaps beyond): Papa Haydn's. They had the largest and most decadent desert menu I've ever seen in my life. I had trouble choosing, but ended up getting the Bourbon Ball - a ball of rich dark chocolate cake soaked in Jim Beam whiskey, coated with a rich chocolate ganache and topped with a chocolate and GOLD coated coffee bean.

My only regret is that I did not have the opportunity to drink many new craft beers. Oregon is well-known for its delicious craft beers.

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