The scenic gorge that took millions of years for the Columbia River to carve was explored in just a few hours Wednesday by Fatuma.
A break in the bad weather enabled her to savor vistas of both Mt. Hood and Mount St. Helens as we drove east along the Oregon/Washington border. Neither is Mt. Kilimanjaro -- climbed by hundreds of tourists annually in her native Tanzania -- but my favorite East African enjoyed it al in her typical, silent fashion.
Accompanied by 18-year-old granddaughter Ashley, we made the usual stop at Bridge of the Gods for the Charburger burgers amid Indian artifacts before moving on to Bonneville Dam, where we caught a barge going through the locks (making the concept of this water elevator easier to understand. We glimpsed the turbines which create the electricity sold all over the Northwest, and peered out over and into the fish ladder which enables the salmon to return from the sea to spawn in their native creeks. At the fish hatchery nearby, we marveled at the nearly 9-foot sturgeon and leaping salmon, then marveled in the mists of mighty Multnomah Falls.
Sure, we Oregonians make this a part of our usual houseguest route, but seeing it -- and explaining it -- to someone with no concept of the technologies involved nor experience of the vistas and history of the gorge make it all new to me again.
A few photos below...
BIBI JANN's GRANDMA-2-GRANDMA Support For Tanzanian AIDS Orphans and the Grandmothers Raising Them
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GETTING THE GOATS HOME
Leading the goats to the pickup truck wasn't easy!
The goats are now at home on the bibi farm, with wide open spaces to graze on.
This where the bibis will raise animals and crow cassava to feed their grandchildren and to sell. Fatuma, Dickson and Jann are in front, with pen to left, unfinished farmhouse in middle and neighbor's nyd watle house in rear right.
SMART GIRLS FIELD TRIP
Smart Girls Club on a field trip to art center to explore career opportunities.
We picnicked...
...And then we went for ice cream.
Emil of Unique Batiks told the girls about his designs.
The girls learned how the primitive Tinga Tinga painting style began.
Can you believe we got 23 people into this van?
ISGR 4th Graders Donate
These students in Goteborg, Sweden raised over $500 for the new Bibi Jann Farm!
DISCOVERING NEW YORK...
St. Patrick's Cathedral
An NYC cop in Times Square
Hors d' voueres at the mayor's Gracie Mansion
Rooftop garden - imagine! with social workers Lysa and Katharine at the4 Grandparent Apts. in the Bronx.
HALLOWEEN
Jann applies makeup
A well-decorated yard
Fatuma and son-in-law Tom in air-filled clown suit
Candy break
Sorting the loot
Fatuma, Jann's son Keith Hess at Eugene Waldorf School
Snow Fun
Tom captures the first sled ride
Ready to go...
Oops!
Warming up inside the lodge
Cuddled up to a carved critter
A cup of cocoa helps
Renee gifts Fatuma with a souvenir snow globe so she can have snow in Tanzania
Fatuma's first visit to American grocery, shopping for Tanzanian fare
...But we can't find the Tanzanian aisle!
Kitchen is more elaborate than what Fatuma is used to
Girls watch Fatuma make chipati
Son-in-law Tom has his hands washed
Chloe, Eva like eating with their fingers
...And so do Japanese visitors Miho, Ruli
Fatuma finds the Oregon Coast more rugged than Tanzania's
A new way to dry hands!
Fatuma, Jeanne, Suzanne enjoy Horn of Africa restaurant
Meeting a sturgeon
Watching barge navigate the dam through the lock
Salmon migrating upstream will die after spawining
Multnomah Falls from afar
FANCY FOOTWASH
Fatuma, Jann and Renee soak their tootsies in warm water while rollers kneads their backs.
...While catching it on camera
...Sparkle on the toes
...Plus a manicure
...Resulting in fancy footwork
...After a day in school
...Including cafeteria lunch
GETTING A GRIP ON AMERICA
Nine-year-old Chloe, Jann's granddaughter, teaches the teaches about local currency.
...And it inhabitants
Pirate-themed kids' concert
..Some of whom dress better
Fatuma with the Heathman Hotel doorman and Miho, the Japanese girl visiting my daughter's home.
And its gadgets
Testing the $3,500 Brookstone massage chair
Even moving stairs!
Mall escalator
But kids are the same everywhere
Chloe, Eva, Alexa and Miho have fun at Gramma's tumbling dominoes
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