Saturday Market and a Walk Through Town

Saturday Market opened today, along with the full Farmer's Market. I haven't seen this since just before I left town in 2009, so I wasn't going to miss it.

Quintessentially Eugene, the market brings together all of the wonderful, funky craziness that makes this city so unique. I love it.

One thing that makes this market stand out from others is that everything here and in the Farmer's Market must be made or grown, caught or foraged by the vendor. From tie-dye to musicians on the stage and scattered all around, it's not to be missed.

Part of the block that had just a few veggie farmers out last week. This is one of the side streets, all sides packed with vendors and locals out to welcome the market back on a beautiful, sunny day.

Samplings -- goats milk cheese and more, from the Willamette Valley; fresh wild mushrooms from the mountain forests, and below, the bounty of the Pacific Ocean (just an hour away). Fresh-caught and canned tuna and salmon. Yum.

Not all of the farmer's market bounty is edible. There were several booths of flowers.

From about the same vantage point as last week's photo, except this time there are so many booths you can't see all the way down the block!

Across the street from the farmers, Saturday Market takes up two entire blocks of crafts and a large food court filled with all manner of wonderful things.

In the past, I've always headed straight to Ritta's Burritos for lunch, but today I took advantage of a chance to get some good Thai food. This pad Thai was delicious. Not exactly diet food, although there was nothing here forbidden by my diet. On the other hand, not a lot of veggies. Oh well.

After lunch, I decided to walk to the campus bus stop, since I had a lot of time to kill before the next bus headed out my way. It was a lovely day for walking, and I always love walking this part of town. This building is where I lived for the last 3 years I lived here before, and where I would be overjoyed to still live if I could afford it. I think it would take my entire social security check just for rent, and somehow I'm partial to food, utilities and gas in my car. I was on the top floor, other side of the building, this end, looking towards the mountains and over the treetops on campus.

While  you can't read it, the base of the heron statue reads 'University District'. This last block before campus holds the usual array of food, beer and clothing retailers that appeal to students.

At the end of the block, the school bookstore.

Just beyond the auto barriers, same street. All is quiet on campus on this sunny Saturday morning.

The quad, seen in this camera, from ground level. When ESPN sets up College Game Day during football season, this is where you'll find them. Although from their platform, the view you're likely to see is the one below.

So - after this joyful walk I only had a few minutes to wait for my bus home. And despite my whinings of a few days ago, I ended up walking just under two hours, including the trip up and down my hill from the bus stop. And somehow, I survived.