Portland and the Oregon Coast!!!

On FRIDAY, I spent some time in Portland. Went to the Japanese Gardens --- really, really beautiful --- purported to be an "authentic" Japanese garden. Then I went to the International Rose Gardens (I'm not really much into roses, but it actually was quite beautiful --- took some nice photos of some roses). Then I went to the Portland Zoo, which wasn't that big or that impressive --- I think the SF Zoo is better. But all these three places were in the same vicinity --- Washington Park, which seemed kind of like a Golden Gate Park. Later in the afternoon, I took a brief visit to "The Grotto", a 64-acre Catholic shrine and botanical garden, the main feature being an altar carved into a basalt cliff. That evening, I ate at a restaurant called "McCall's" on the Williamette River waterfront --- it was okay, but the restaurant review I had read was right --- the food was "so-so", but the view was nice.

The Japanese Gardens . . . .

The International Rose Gardens of Portland . . . .so, so many roses, all really beautiful. Here are a few samples.

	The Grotto . . . .

RIGHT: one of the 14 "stations of the cross" at The Grotto. At the entrance to The Grotto is this statue of Christ carrying His cross.