The day began like all good days do... with ice cream and pie.
Who needs breakfast or lunch when you can stop by Ice Cream Renaissance for some ice cream and pie? We planned a trip over to Portland to visit the International Rose Test Garden, but along the way, we missed our turn and ended up seeing signs for Pittock Mansion. We were already planning on visiting Pittock Mansion, so we followed the signs and went up a beautiful path.
This was a true Oregon experience. We were surrounded by trees on narrow bend of road. The drive up was enchanting. We were in pure silence with fresh air all around us. We finally reached Pittock Mansion and took a quick stroll through their hiking trail in the forest. The trail is for people to hike through, walk through, and simply enjoy the wonderful view of Portland.
Pittock Mansion was breathtaking. The garden in front of the mansion has a beautiful view, where students had set themselves up and were painting. There were people having a picnic on the lawn as well as families enjoying their time together. The mansion belonged to Henry Pittock and has 22 rooms. The mansion was built so that each room had a beautiful view of the city of Portland. The place was filled with history with artifacts and pieces dating back to the late 1800s.
We drove back down into Portland and visited the International Rose Test Garden. Portland is the city of roses, so there's no way we could miss this garden. The place was beautiful with roses in all shapes, sizes and colors, including red, yellow, orange, white, grey, purple, and some colorful ones. The place was filled with a variety of people, but the garden was so peaceful. We decided to have lunch/dinner afterward and settled on Urban Fondue, a nice little spot that serves cheese and chocolate fondue, as well as a variety of food. The environment was warm and inviting, the food was excellent, and the cheese, in particular, was amazing.
We drove back into Vancouver in time for the Closing Ceremony of the Columbia Gorge International Film Festival. There was a special evening planned with awards and the ceremony was fun and entertaining. Jay Douplass' documentary, Kevin, went home with an award, as did the short documentary, Challenging Impossibility, which screened before his film. We stopped by Niche afterward, a cozy little spot right beside Kiggins Theatre, for cheese and wine.
The days are coming to an end, but we're considering staying a few extra days. I'm afraid we don't want to head back home anytime soon.
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