J'ARRIVE À PORTLANDIA.

I beat my alarm this morning. My brain knows when I have morning obligations. After making a quick coffee, I started to pack up my belongings. It did not take too long. Usually, I have to decompress a tent, among other time-consuming tasks. It was tremendous not having to lug all this weight solely on the back. I zipped and zoomed zealously without restrictions. I was reluctant to gear it up. The front rack worked flawlessly. I might need to get some better strapage, but it was shockingly sufficient. Twenty minutes later, I arrived at my destination. 

King Station is an elegant little building downtown Seattle. The architecture is surely something to marvel at. The train arrived, and I returned to my true home. The amtrak felt freakishly familiar. Well, I did log roughly sixty hours aboard this trekking train. On the train, I dedicated my time to TEFL assignments and website construction. The train trip took only three hours. Hello Portlandia! Eagerly, I retrieved my bike and set off into this foreign city. It did not take too long to find Leah's apartment. 

The view was breathtaking. No words or pictures could ever do it justice. My fate was formed favorably because I have experienced exceptional weather during this excursion. Collin and I dropped our belongings off and walked to the Northeast District of town. First, we ended up at Breakside Brewery for beers and some nachos. Shockingly the sun was steadily sizzling. Our next destination was the wine shop, Liner & Elsen Wine Merchants. Collin secured some succulent wines to pair with the evening's meal. We returned to the apartment to prepare for Leah's arrival. She was flying back from Chicago after some business. 

Knowing I was to occupy the kitchen, the cleaning commenced. My policy is always to start with a clean kitchen and end with a clean kitchen. Leah arrived right on time, and she had the ingredients. Some soothing jazz serenaded the sound waves. We all shared a drink and updated each other on our lives. I returned to the kitchen to get all the prep work done. Cutting and prepping ingredients is one of my favorite things to do. Working with a blade is an odd thing to enjoy, but I love sharpening my knife skills. 

After everything was prepped, I treated myself to a hot shower. Feeling cleansed, the cheffing continued. Some forty-five minutes later, dinner was served. On the menu this evening, there was pan-seared chicken with tomatoes that finished in the oven. We also enjoyed a competent cauliflower puree. Let us not forget about the roasted vegetables, mushrooms stuffed with hummus, carrots, and zucchini. Lastly, there was sauteed spinach, onions, and garlic. It was a beautiful plate of delicious colors. The wine pairing was seriously superb. We sat on the deck and indulged ourselves as the sky turned pink. What a wonderful welcome to this wild city.