Spokane and Portland: Trip Recap #4

This will be the final trip recap. (And for the record, there are more than four. I just didn't start labeling them as such until January. But the trips can be found here: Trip 1, Trip 2, Trip 3, Trip 4a, Trip 4b, and Trip 5).

I have done 6 separate trips, stayed in 11 cities in 9 different states (not counting two overnight stays in airports!), and interviewed with 16 different programs.

I'm glad to be done.

This last trip took me to the Northwest.

My first stop was Spokane, WA. I have to admit I was just glad to get there. Spokane has been in the middle of an inversion and has had freezing temperatures and lots, lots of fog. I've had friends that warned me of grounded flights and long waits. So just making it in and out of Spokane without any problem was a relief.

Spokane was a surprise. It was bigger than I had anticipated. The area actually reminded me of the major city closest to where Keith grew up in Western Montana. (Which shouldn't really be surprising, considering how close they are.) The city definitely has a unique feel. One of being older, slower, but homey.

The fog was thick when I got there.

Church tower in the mist

Later, the temperatures dropped and the moisture in the fog froze to everything, creating some of the most beautiful winter scenes I have ever seen.

The frost covered everything in a thick layer

Magical, frosty winter scene
(Click on this picture to see how amazing the frost was!)

I then left the foggy, frosty scenes in Spokane to head to Portland, OR.

My grandmother lives in Portland, this wasn't as new as other trips. What was new was the beautiful clear weather that greeted me when I arrived. The sky was blue, and Mt. Hood stood sparkling in the distance.

Mt. Hood over Portland
(Courtesy of the Internet)

(Since I didn't get the chance to take my own pictures of Mt. Hood, Keith is still convinced that it isn't there, since we were there for a week and he never saw it. You know, rain.)

I stayed in the most fantastic hotel, Hotel Lucia. (I have to admit, I've been looking forward to this particular stay my entire interview trip. And it didn't disappoint.) I don't have any pictures, other than this one of a door knob that reminded me of doorknobs my grandmother had in her Reno home.

Beautiful, antique doorknob

It was a nice trip, but, WOW, it is nice to be done, and home.

Now the next adventure, deciding which of these trips was the winner, and where we would like to go for my training.

I will keep you updated on that later.