[phisigduchesscv]

If you love to read then you have to check out Powell's Bookstore in Portland. It is literally a block long new and used books store. I can get lost in there for hours.

If you can, take a drive out to the coast. It's absolutely gorgeous. If you go to the southern coast try to take the Rogue River jet boats up the Rogue - a lot of fun.

Up near Coos Bay and Bandon is the West Coast Walk-thru Game Park and Safari. It's kind of a fun mini zoo. But they usually have some time of cub out for people to pet. In past years when I've gone there I've been able to pet a lion cub, tiger cubs, and bear cubs - even got to bottle feed a couple of them. They also have another area where they bring out other animals. I've held an apricot skunk (descented), fox, raccons, black-footed ferrets etc.

Last year had to be the best though. They had a full grown snow leopard there that there were getting ready to put on display. It wasn't a really crowded day and they were moving it from the back into a display area. They let me pet it for a few seconds. It was the most beautiful animal and so soft. There are so few of the snow leopards left in the world so very few people ever get to see them let alone touch one (not even zoo keepers). For me that is probably my most memorable moment ever with wild animals.

Carolyn