West by North West Part One

On Sept. 1 we were picked up by the airport van at about 1:45 PM. Our "van-mate" was great - lots of animated conversation made the time fly by.

The state of the world finances seems to have affected just about everything...we discovered that our flight - all the way across the country would not include any meal and we were advised to enjoy a nice meal at the Philly Airport before our flight. We opted for an Italian Cafe where Lar ordered a couple of slices and I had chicken parm with pasta, a yummy garlic knot and water. This all served up by a young woman with a million dollar smile.

After our lunch, we stopped at a Salad Works for a couple of bagels and more water for the flight, and then Lar set out to find a newspaper. As we meandered back to our waiting area, we were startled to hear our flight had been called and that the "doors to the Seattle flight will be closing."

It's been a long time, but we discovered we can still run.

If you have read my blog much at all, you will know that I recognize and adore synchronicities. For a couple of years now I have been failing miserably in doing sudoku puzzles. I mean, I simply haven't been able to get it. My granddaughter, at about 11 or 12 tried to teach me. She gave up.

Well, on our flight, the lady sitting next to me was actually able in a fairly short time to teach me how to do them! I was so excited that the flight of about 5.5 hours seemed to take no time. And I was anxious to go buy a book and see if I could do them on my own.

We took a limo to the hotel near the Seattle Airport and once everything was in our room, we walked a couple of blocks to a nearby pub, the Bull Pen. As we were walking we began to hear sirens, and then it got intense. The sheriff and police cars were flying by us 4 and 5 abreast! They zoomed into the lot of a gas station directly across from us and next thing we knew they were all over some guys in a car, had them on the ground, it was bedlam!

We entered the Bull Pen and a local nudged me and said "ya' got away, huh?" I thought that was pretty funny.

The place was nice, it was karaoke night, and the special was a flat iron steak, baked potato, garlic bread and salad for $9.95. The food was terrific and the Alaskan Amber was a treat. We talked a lot about Richard and Jois and how we miss travelling with them....I told Lar I never laugh like I do when with Jois. Something about our combination puts us in stitches and we laugh at positively anything.

As the evening wore on, we were both growing concerned about the walk back to the hotel. Neither was saying anything to the other. Finally I said, "I want out, I want out now and I want back to the hotel fastest possible!" Lar agreed.

We hoofed it! We walked as fast as we could, past the closed businesses, the self-storage place where a woman and her children were hanging out and apparently live in one of the units, and when we reached the hotel next to ours, we began to breathe again. Never, never again!

We had quite a good night's sleep and were set for our adventures.

A luxurious limo driven by Omer, originally from Ethiopia, (National Towncar Service) picked us up and took us to our second motel. Omer was a great driver, informative about the city of Seattle, and very kind.

The hotel allowed us early check in (THANK YOU!) so that we could have a full day in the city. When we opened the drapes in our room, we found the Space Needle directly in front of us.

What a great view.

We sorted ourselves out a bit and then I sat with the map and we circled the sites we were most interested in seeing. We then checked with the desk clerk, added a few sites and walked to the Space Needle - about 8 blocks.

Amazing, awesome views from atop this landmark. If you look really closely you'll see Mt. Ranier about center of the photo.

I insisted on a little souvenir shopping in the needle and then we walked to Pike Place, about 14 blocks. I was hot on the trail for Kells Irish Pub, but Lar was dragging and desperate by the time we reached 1st and Virginia. Once we found it (tucked away on the back side of the block) we opted for a cozy interior table, out of the sun and looking out at Elliott Bay.

Lar had a Guinness and I ordered an English dry cider. Lunch for Lar was shepherd's pie and for me, a beef and mushroom pasty. Each entree came with home made tomato basil soup. We split a really fabulously tasty Irish whiskey cake for dessert.

After enjoying the music and ambiance of the place, we left to stroll at our leisure and with great enjoyment, the market place.
The senses are overwhelmed by the scents, the sounds and the scenes! It's San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf times 10! The flowers, the produce. Huge bouquets of gorgeous blooms for $5 and $10. Lobster tails the size of my calf! A young man was slicing and passing out samples of huge sweet peaches. We sampled. We each bought one for later. More walking - down an alley where bubble gum is an art form. The sweet odor of the gum permeates the air. It's hard to describe the walls and windows completely covered with chewed wads of various colors of gum. Some gum has been drawn down into stalactites from the window sills.
We walked over 20 blocks more taking it all in.

We then stopped in the Peak and Western Wine shop for a bottle of Cab Sauv - Sharecroppers - Columbia Valley, and then on to Le Panier French Bakery for a long, crusty, fluffy bread.

Finally we realized that after over 4, maybe 5 miles walked, we were tiring, so we hiked up to 3rd, over to Pine and when all seemed lost, we were able to catch a 358 bus. We were so relieved to be on a form of transportation other than our feet, but Lar suddenly misunderstood something he heard and disembarked, me following, about 6 blocks too early. The short ride had helped though, so we made it back to the hotel in good time - with one unpleasant encounter with a homeless man under an overpass who asked Lar for the bread. When we chose to ignore his plea, he shouted that we had no heart and said he would "see us in hell." Bearing that cheerful prospect in mind, we retreated to our room and the air conditioned comfort to enjoy the cool and a repast of red wine, french bread and the juiciest peach we've ever eaten with a chaser of in room popped pop corn. When viewing the picture of the peach, keep in mind, that is a full sized paper plate!

I read some, continued to try my hand at a sudoku in the newspaper, and Lar got continuing updates on the Phillies game at home from our grandson via texting.

That night there was a stupendous sunset and I took quite a few pictures tho' they don't really do it justice.

I woke up about 8:30 next morning and Lar was making coffee. After getting ourselves together we went down to a nice continental breakfast - for me whole grain toast, banana and yogurt - and afterwards we took a couple of bowls and plastic ware for a snack for later.
Then it was time to catch a bus at 5th and Wall to go to the Underground Tour. We both fell in love with Pioneer Square - we said in unison "did we come to Paris?" Hope our pictures will convey its charm.

I filmed a large portion of the tour of the underground city tour with guide Terry Lynn. She has her teaching degree but was not hired back to her most recent teaching job. I told her Teaching is really missing out. If she had been my history teacher, I would have been much more interested much more early. She is a riot! The tour was fascinating - we loved every minute of it.
When the tour was over, Lar had me ask Terry Lynn for her advice on where to go for lunch. She lit up with delight and said, "oh you must go to my favorite - the Collins Pub." (Next to the Smith Tower). Boy, what a great tip! Served by Jaida, we sampled a few local beers, and our favorite - hands down - was Caldera Amber - Oregon. I'd love to explain the dominant flavor that bursts out at the first sip. But I never figured it out. It is a fruit kind of taste - plum maybe? Just never got it. But we loved it.

We shared a hummus appi and then Lar had grilled salmon with grilled fennel on a pesto infused bed of croutons. I had a steak salad - all butter leaf lettuce, my fav - really good. The mostly oldies music (40's, 50's, even some 30's) made a perfect backdrop in this rather art deco pub. When we were about to leave, Jaida offered to take our picture behind the bar.

We walked many more blocks - more than half of them on a slope not to be believed until you experience them - ankles bent in unfamiliar ways. At one point Lar was quite a few steps ahead of me and called back "just keep walking" and I smiled and said "I'm trying!" and an elderly black gentleman dressed in a suit with a rope for a belt smiled broadly and repeated "she is still smilin' and she's still walking, straight uphill." I loved that!

We walked for more than a mile trying to find our bus stop and finally stopped in the police building where the front desk officer kindly looked it up on line - walk more than half a mile more to the West to Jackson St. It sounded impossible, but we made it and after a brief wait the bus was there.

We boarded with and sat next to two people who, in broken but understandable English began to realize they were both from Nairobi - Kenya. The lady had little to say but yes, no, and agreeable nods, but the gentleman spoke of atrocities, of hunger and disease and then he spoke proudly of now being in the United States. He spoke softly but animatedly about our government which allows each person a chance to make a life, to work, to have medicine and education. He was clearly only speaking for the lady's benefit, but I am an inveterate "listener and watcher of people" and his words touched my heart. Anyone considering his/her stand on immigration should first listen to testimonies such as this - testimonies I feel sure our own ancestors might have made. He spoke, too, of cheaters, of those who "use" the system. And he spoke then with disgust. It's true, immigration may bring us undesirables, but just like the seining of sand - there are sure to be those nuggets of pure gold.
Back to our room we were tired but happy. After reading a bit, I cut up our last fabulous peach with some banana and we had a yummy snack.

At about 6 PM we went down for the van to the Safeco Park. In the elevator we met a family, all in Mariners shirts. When the son asked for whom we would be rooting we of course responded, "Mariners!" (He was a big kid!) Then Lar added, "I'm from Philly so I don't really care." Their response? "We are from South Africa!"

We chatted a bit about Cape Town and our dear friends there - I think Lar is beginning to really get the idea he is destined to go there! They kindly offered to share their hired van to the park, but we decided to take the one from the hotel in case we wanted to leave early or something. After they had left we discovered our van would only pick up 25 minutes after end of game - however long that might be. Van cost was only about $10 total, so that was okay. Once on the van, we met a young couple - he from Minnesota, she from London. They'd an agreement that they would live in London for several years and then back here. First, though, he is showing her the country. Turns out they were to be on our cruise.

Lar was able to procure seats in the Commissioners section, 6 rows up from first base. Amazing seats and a fun game. He was like a little kid enjoying the visit to this stadium. I hope we can do more of that...I know it is a wish of his.

At breakfast on Saturday, we met up with Frank and Lori (couple from So. Africa) and exchanged cards and were invited to SA to stay with them - Frank says he will get us a rental car and set us up with park tours, etc. I can tell Lar is showing signs of weakening!

We got our rain gear out as rain was threatening and walked to a nearby drug store to pick up a few things we needed - especially a Sudoku book!

Back in the room, Lar chatted with folks back home and I actually solved my first two Easy puzzles! Yay!