Chinese Garden

We went back to Fort Stevens this morning to look for the fire control hill which we missed last night. It was about 150 meters farther down the trail. It consisted of one main taller bunker, and three smaller ones to the side. There were also some concrete living quarters back behind the bunkers. The main bunker still had its top and you could see the columns where the telescopes or triangulation instruments were once mounted. I went inside to get a feel for the view. There were trees between us and the beach so we could not see the ocean from the fire control hill. BJ and I concluded the trees must have grown after the battery was de-commissioned.

In Portland, Oregon, we stopped to see the Chinese Garden on Everett and 3rd Avenue. It was the most beautiful work of art I have ever seen anywhere, anytime. It took up a small city block and was surrounded with a white wall about 2 ½ meters high with frequent square window openings about one meter wide. Each opening had a different simple but intricate fill pattern wide enough to see the outside city, but too small to allow intruders entrance. From the beautiful tile roofs and eaves with oriental pointed corners, to the geometric shaped tiles actually made of scores of thin pebble disks packed tightly sideways within differing patterns of border rocks forming the alternating geometric patterns for the floors every square inch was beautiful, simple and intricate all at once. Every building, every rock (large river carved stones full of holes and gouges), every green plant, every flowering plant, every border, every window, every path, every courtyard, every opening, every gate, and every fragrance was chosen for its simple and elegant quiet beauty combined other elements to also make it intricately interesting and peaceful at the same time. Whether as a whole or just a few square inches at a time on every scale everything was gorgeous. The scholars' study room with its artistic calligraphy and pictured hanging scrolls and elegant but simple furniture including goldfinch birdcage was wonderful. The shallow central lake with coy and two mallard ducks was bridged twice. Bridges were formed in many beautiful varieties. Gorgeous carved wooden Chinese art panels of gardens like you might see on blue Chinese porcelain adorned two areas in particular, but everywhere most walls had beautiful carved geometric panels. The tea room was filled with oriental smells and music. The whole was shady and cool, but had open areas where the sun and sky and surrounding skyscrapers were also beautiful. Even a pair of ospreys soared overhead to entertain bird lovers. When God commanded us to dress and beautify the garden, I know about no better fulfillment done anywhere than here in Chinatown in Portland, Oregon. (Image sources: Top http://www.flickr.com/photos/ktylerconk/2944215821/ Middle http://www.flickr.com/photos/bdsworld/2272118222/ Bottom http://www.flickr.com/photos/awarmplace/1805793410/)

I'll start adding some old installments of events from earlier in the trip:

Wed June 1, 2010
When I think Nevada I think desert and casinos. Dry, and gaudy bright lights are what I think. But this trip started with a surprise. Just north of Winnemuca I discovered the amazing Humboldt River. I expected a dry arroyo bed, or at most something like the two inch deep Rio Grande. What I saw was a wide meandering green strip of flowing water at least 100 meters wide. And most of all lush greenness as it lazily meandered below the dunes. It was my first insight into what an oasis might be.

Thu June 2, 2010
Northern Nevada is much greener than expected. It was southwest Oregon that seemed dry to me. But Kalamath Falls is in the mountains and very wet indeed. The Kalamath County Museum discussed the Modoc War in which General Canby was killed (assassinated) by Indians at a peace parley. They retreated to lava bed strongholds and a few held off a much larger army for a long time before they gave up and were hanged for their troubles.

The Favell Museum of Western Art and Artifacts, Klamath Falls, Oregon boasts an arrowhead carved of opal long ago by Indians. It is about ¾ of an inch log and beautiful. I was also impressed with the oldest atl-atl ever found in North America with a seven-inch long rock weight tied to the handle for balance and heft. The museum had many beautiful paintings, many miniatures and many arrowhead displays. BJ particularly liked a painting of a fox in the snow. The collection seemed to boast one or two paintings or sculptures from almost every western artist of any note (and there were probably about 40 of them).