Operation Assimilation: Phase 3

Taking a 'normal' length of time to vacation in Oregon doesn't seem to work out so well for me. My thirteen days in June 2016 were packed with visits and social missions and keeping promises to people I've come to adore. I did, however, manage to get to explore two new areas with my camera, and I'm pretty delighted with the results.

The first was the Merlin-Galice Road, which runs in part parallel to the Rogue River and offers walk-off-the-edge views of the river cliffs at Hellgate Overlook (in itself very difficult to do photographic justice, but from the lookoff just up the road...)

There was tiny scenery too!

On the way back to the house, a side trip to the old Robertson Bridge: no longer in use but absolutely fascinating for taking photos.

My second mission was to a masonic cemetery that I hadn't even known existed in town up to this point, though I'd driven right past it more than once. We spent an evening exploring the grounds and I was over the moon with excitement over the spectacular light the setting sun provided.

Even Wal-Mart takes on a beautiful glow from the right angle!

I haven't planned my next trip to Oregon, but I'm looking forward to it all the same. I miss my community there and I can't wait to explore even more of town with good friends and the people who treat me like one of their own. <3

That Time Emily Graduated College

On June 2 of this year, I found myself embarking on yet another journey with my crazy American family. After 12 hours of travel and 3 flights, I met up with the crew on the other end of the continent: Savannah, Georgia, for Emily's graduation from the Savannah College of Art & Design.

This wasn't my first trip to Savannah, of course, and I found myself enjoying a few of the same places we'd hit in 2013. Lulu's Chocolate Bar is still delightful and packed, even on a Thursday night. River Street was alive with summer revellers, and Fort Jackson took on a whole new light when explored with American military veterans.

Our first stop once we'd gorged ourselves at Lulu's was a place that had been recommended by more than one of our personal tour guides. The Chromatic Dragon is a gaming pub, and for the crew I was travelling with, it was like heaven. Card games, board games, larger-than-life Connect Four, and every video console game you can imagine... and so long as you indulge on some inexpensive but tasty food and/or alcoholic beverages (with clever names like "Elixers" and "Potions"), it was all free for the playing.

We also spent some time wandering the downtown area and I found myself back in Colonial Park Cemetery, walking the well-kept pathways under the willows with my camera. This place is hauntingly beautiful and eerily quiet for the middle of town.

We spent most of our time on River Street, where we discovered a fantastic place called Kevin Barry's Irish Pub, and the River Street Sweets candy store:

River Street is amazing, day...

 

..and night!

 We toured some of the haunted buildings in the city

and enjoyed some excellent service, food, and company at Churchills Pub, which I would highly recommend to anyone to try!

We spent an afternoon at Fort Pulaski National Monument...

 

...and I was told I couldn't leave without seeing this...

...and the cannonball still wedged in the brick (below top left)

My 'Merica Mama had booked a river boat dinner cruise for the entire bunch of us. We ate and drank and danced and our guest of honour may or may not have led a conga line around the dining room on the lower deck... ;) 

 

It took me a little while to figure out why the huge tankers were so fascinating to my company. Having lived in Halifax for so long, I was used to seeing a large number of the massive ships every single day. For the folks from Oregon, not so much.

And as the sun set, I was beside myself with photographic glee!

 

 

 

  

  

 

It was with a fond sadness that I bid farewell to Savannah once again. But it was with absolute delight that I got to celebrate this girl accomplishing a dream:

Emily Burdge, Graduate of Savannah College of Art & Design

BFA, Sequential Art.