A Very Walker Vacation part II: Seattle

Seattle has been on Abby's list for a very long time. She's even thinking she'd like to go to school at the University of Washington--specifically because it rains a lot in Seattle and she loves the rain (I know, whose kid IS this?). We've been on the outskirts (Bellevue is kind of cool, by the way), but never INSIDE THE CITY. As a family, I guess. Eric, Abby and I have all managed to make it there separately.

Well, that's what this trip was about: Fulfilling dreams. Um, except part of that dream was to experience Seattle in the rain, but it was blue skies and 80ºs and amazing. Eric, Johanna and I thought that was great. Abby was disappointed. She's weird, though.

Our niece and nephew and great nephew (Reid! So cute!) all happen to live in West Seattle, and they were gracious enough to let us stay with them for a couple of nights, and then, as if that wasn't enough, actually drive us around to various spots and show us "insider" places (we'd never heard of them, so obviously they were insider places) and a few "must do in Seattle" kinds of places. Oh, and fed us what was THE best meal of the trip: Smoked salmon, grilled romaine and zucchini. With fresh lemonade (that's the way to Johanna's heart).

Ever thought of cooking for Mt. Rainier, J. and Andy? ;)

Here are some of our Seattle highlights:

Gas Works Park has a cool history. That's the Space Needle there in the background.
Jo wore her Seahawks t-shirt all weekend because Seattle!

Fremont troll!
I wish I'd gotten a picture of the Lenin statue... 'cause that was unexpected.

Fantastic lunch at Ivars. We ate outside by the river.

Kerry Park.

Space Needle! I'm actually claustrophobic AND afraid
of heights, so I was cool with just looking at it
safely from the ground.

THE original Starbucks at Pike Place. This is as close as we got 'cause
the line was down the street and I am not that patient. I mean, this stuff
is on every corner, am I right?

P.S. The girls and I went to the Starbucks literally located about 50 steps away (give or take, math is hard) on Pike Street. That line was not so long. Besides coffee, I bought a mug with the original Starbucks logo, which apparently is only available at their Pike's locations. This is what it looks like, compared with today's logo:

Source.

Look, I'm a minimalist, but how could I NOT buy something with that logo? You guys, I'm not that strong and I'm not that brave. Plus it makes me laugh.

...To prove we were really at Pike's.

Mass at St. James' Cathedral.

Mariners game!

Those are professional players down there! Johanna was so impressed
she drew the entire time in her sketchbook...

Panorama shots are cool. Our seats were along the third base line, in the shade.

So the Mariners like to do little give-aways at their games, I guess, and sometimes you can get a bobble-head or a t-shirt or a towel or whatever. THIS time, the give-away was that all kids 14 and under were invited to run the bases after the game. Abby just squeaked in there! So we got to go into the bowels of the stadium, walk across the grass, and watch the girls go from first to home. Every kid in Seattle must have been there because it took like an hour just to get that accomplished. But hey, the girls had fun. And I didn't end up with a bobble-head. I call that a win.

We were in Seattle Friday night, all day Saturday, and Sunday. We were back on the road by late Sunday afternoon, headed towards adventure and ultimately the Olympic National Forest.

But you'll have to wait for that...