Portland, Oregon - Never know!

On 1/13/11, I flew to Portland, OR for the first time. The purpose of the trip was to visit the National College of Natural Medicine (NCNM). If I were to go to this school, it would be a 4-5 year program to become a Naturopathic Doctor (ND). My current plan is to apply for the Fall 2012 semester. Yes, that seems like a long time from now, but this is a pretty major decision and would cost quite a bit so I feel like the year and a half gap is essential. In the meantime, I am going to contact a local ND to ask for the opportunity to shadow her and learn more about the field. I mean, it seems smart to gain a little insight into the career I'm hoping to have for the next 40+ years, right? :)

Enough of all the medical school chatter...I would like to share a few photos I took of Portland and the bed and breakfast I stayed in while there!

Hawthorne Bridge. Looking out from OMSI on a very dreary day. Go figure!

Beautiful Bellaterra Bed and Breakfast in SW Portland.

The Borealis Room. My little sanctuary for five lovely days.

Heaven. I'm in Heaven. And I seem to find the happiness I seek...each time I bathe in yooooou.....

Fly me to the moon...

Wandering somewhere downtown.

(It wasn't really this grey. But almost.)

Moss grows on everything...and I L.O.V.E. it!

Coolest Coffee Shop + Nicest Owner + Deeeelish Coffee = Mudd Works

(And only a five minute walk from the BnB...Score!)

I saw so many interesting houses/dwellings in the neighborhood I stayed in.

Admiring the beautiful statues while walking to the bus.

Portland, by the way, has the best transportation system!

My morning walk to Mudd Works. :)

So, there you have it...a few pictures from my trip. Strangely enough, I did not get any pictures of the school. I think I was too distracted by the herbal elixirs!

Bottom line: I'm still unsure as to whether or not I will ever live in this city, but if I do I believe it will be a wonderful experience. ALL of the people I met were more than fantastic. Everyone was extremely down-to-earth and real. If you are unaware of this, real people are quite pleasant to be around. ;) 

"When there is no turning back, then we should concern ourselves only with the best way of going forward." -The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho

Cabin Building Tip: Thanks to Mike, who I met at Flying Star, I'm going to give a very broad tip and tell you to Youtube Dick Proenneke "Alone in the Wilderness." Go now. :)