Seattle!

Were headed to Seattle today on another sight seeing adventure. we drove over to Bainbridge island where we boarded the ferry for a 40 minute trip across the Puget Sound. The ferry was huge. I don't know how many vehicles it holds, but its like a floating airport terminal! It has a restaurant, snack bar and deli on board. lots of comfortable seating,and TVs everywhere.

The views into Seattle from the ferry were spectacular. The space Needle towers above the skyline.
It was a beautiful day. when we left Chimacum in the morning it was foggy but it cleared nicely. Puget Sound has a lot of ship traffic and the ferry captain has to be on his toes to thread this "behemoth" through all of it.




If you put both pictures together that makes up most of the Seattle skyline. "Quest"and "Safeco" stadiums where the Seahawks and Mariniers play are at the far south end of the skyline just out of view.

Mount Rainier at over 15000 ft. elevation is visible from the ferry. We didn't get a chance to go there this year, but we will try to make it next year. We also didn't make it to Glacier National park either. There are 3 Glaciers over 14000 ft. elevation. The park is northeast of Seattle.

once we got off the ferry and experienced Seattle traffic, we hit the first parking garage we could find and ditched the car. hey, Seattle is a "walking" city. And walk it we did. Our first stop was " Pike's Market". The oldest market on the west coast.

Fish is a major draw to the market. You name the sea creature you want and I bet they have it. All fresh and ready for you. You have heard about the venders that throw the fish back and forth across the market, well Jeni and I saw it first hand. The Boston Red Sox were in town to play Seattle, and the Red Sox fans were at the market where the fish venders decided to see how good the fans could catch.

Fish was flying through the isles. It really draws a crowd.

Jeni and I were getting hungry, so Jeni found a little place that served crepes. We had a ham and cheese crepe and a drink. It tasted like a ham and cheese quesadilla. Not so french!

Fish, Fish, Fish. Its everywhere you look. Salmon lingcod,rock cod, steelhead, and I don't know what else.

Jeni and I walked every inch of the Market. Then we decided we would walk the city and end up at the Space Needle.

Jeni loved the many flowers stands at the market. One thing here, they can grow pretty much any flower in this climate.

You know when you look at those little "city tour maps, everything looks real close. So you say to yourself "hey, its not far." "We can walk it." and after a couple of miles uphill, you realize that 1/8 of an inch equals 1 mile not one block!






Well we finally made it to the "Needle."We strolled through the gift shop but decided to pass on the trip to the top. When we were in Astoria, we climbed to the top of the "Column."and we got some great shots of Seattle when we came in on the ferry.Maybe next year.

The area around the "Needle is an arts and entertainment complex with a food court and theatres. There is also a children's theatre and Key arena where the basketball team the "Sonics" used to play.

When it was time to go, we decided to take the monorail. $2 and it takes us 5 blocks from the market. What a deal! I was one tired happy camper.

The Monorail ended at Pine st. so all we had to do was walk 5 blocks downhill to the market.

On our walk back, Jeni found a couple of friends that she loved. Oliver and Olivia. I was worried that Jeni was going to "barter" the owner and those "Darlings" would have a new home in our RV! NOOOOOO!

Jeni and I loved the shops, cafes, and coffee houses as we walked the city. Seattle really is the "magical emerald city".
We made it back to Pikes Market for dinner. We found a little cafe overlooking the bay. We had "Clam Chowder", and salad with a blue cheese vinaigrette dressing. Yummy!

After dinner,we got the car and headed to the ferry. Trying to find the terminal was a lesson in futility! We tried to go the same way we got off the ferry but no. they had as median so we could only go right or left not straight ahead to the terminal. We went right and pulled a "U" turn but as we approached the terminal, AGAIN, we could not turn right! What the heck is going on here! Finally we tried one last attempt. We headed out toward the stadiums, turned around , and headed back toward the terminal. At last we could turn left into the terminal. Hooray! What a screwy system they have.

We headed back to Chimacum tired but glad we saw Seattle.

Oh yea, meet my new buddy. the "hot dog guy". we saw him in Port Townsend and had to say hi. If he only new how much i love hot dogs.......yummm!

It was a long day for us but it was a beautiful day and a beautiful city.