"Savoring Seattle" - Day 5

On Wednesday, September 14th, we took the city bus to the Fremont District. We took a short walk to view some unique and very interesting public art. Unfortunately we did not see "The Fremont Troll" and the "The J.P. Patches Show". We took a tour of the Theo Chocolate Factory to learn about chocolate and have samples. We had lunch at Jai Thai. After lunch the group returned to the hotel.


Ellie S. and I stayed on the bus until Marshall Street. We walked down the hill to catch the ferry to Bainbridge Island. It is an easy, scenic 35-minute ferry ride. I wandered through the town which was charming despite the road construction. I had lemon and raspberry sorbet in a cup at Mora Iced Creamery.


I barely caught the ferry back, walked along the waterfront until I got to the Pike Street Streetcar shelter. I rode the parking structure elevator to the 6th floor, crossed the street and took the Pike Place Market elevator to the upper level. I purchased a bistro box lunch and shortbread cookies at Starbucks. Back at the hotel I ate my light dinner and watched television. My roommate saw a play at the ACT Theater and did not return to the hotel room until late.

"Savoring Seattle" - Day 4

After a buffet breakfast on Tuesday, September 13th, we boarded a Seattle Metro bus to ride south to Seattle's Chinatown (now the International District) where we enjoyed a guided historical tour of the Yick Fung Company, 1910 Historical Hotel and Wing Luke Museum followed by time with the museum exhibits.

We walked down the street where we saw how Chinese noodles and fortune cookies are made at the Rose Brand factory. I had read "Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet" by Jamie Ford and wanted to see the Panama Hotel (1910) where the book is set. It was declared a National Historic Landmark building in 2006. We had lunch there. I saw the abandoned luggage and various items in the basement through a large glass insert in the floor.


After lunch we caught the city bus to Pioneer Square to see where Seattle's history began. We finished the tour by riding to the 34th floor observation deck of the 522 ft. Smith Tower (1910) in a vintage brass elevator run by an elevator operator. We had a panoramic view of the city and its surroundings. I saw photos of the three-story penthouse apartment on the wall of the Chinese Room. It is the only residence in the building and contains a massive Dale Chihuly chandelier. We had dinner in the hotel meeting room, followed by a lecture by Jonathon Marvin on and tasting of six Washington State wines.

'Savoring Seattle" - Day 3

On Monday, September 12th, we departed the hotel by motor coach and traveled north to the Boeing Everett factory for a 1 1/2 guided factory tour. We were required to leave our things on the coach or in a locker. I took my credit card and ID but should have also taken a couple dollars to get something in the cafe. After viewing a short video we boarded a bus and rode a few blocks to the plant. We walked to a big elevator which took us to a viewing platform above the manufacturing area. Our guide told us all about the process of putting the enormous planes together and the building itself. It is the largest building in the world. We took a bus to another section to view more planes moving down a long assembly line. Boeing 747, 767, 777, and 787 are currently produced there. I purchased a Boeing Aviator Bear in the Boeing Store.


We traveled back to Seattle and the Pike Place Market. We had a short tour and then we were on our own for lunch and to explore the market. I had fish and chips for lunch at the Athenian where a scene in "Sleepless in Seattle" was filmed. Note the red labels on the edge of the counter. I got a chocolate treat at a shop. I explored the many levels of the market on my own.


Back in my hotel room I heard the fire sirens which stopped at the hotel. The weather is getting cooler and cooler. I forgot to bring a jacket so I decided to go to Nordstrom to purchase one. I called the front desk and was informed that all of the elevators had been brought down to the lobby floor. So I walked down eight flights of stairs. I saw two fire engines in front of the hotel. I purchased a North Face jacket at Nordstrom. After dinner at the hotel we heard from a speaker about the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II and the effects it had on families, businesses and the entire Northwest.

'Savoring Seattle" - Day 2

On Sunday, September 11th, I checked out of The Moore hotel about 10:45am and walked the half dozen or so blocks to the Red Lion Hotel on Fifth Avenue. My room was not ready so I had lunch at Nordstrom Cafe at 11:30. My room was ready when I returned. I said that I did not want a room next to the elevators. Well, the room was not next to the six elevators but across from the elevators! I was settled in my room before I realized how noisy it was.

I walked to Pike Place Market where I purchased two bunches of flowers. As I was walking back to the hotel I saw 1970's pop culture icon Danny Bonaduce at 3rd & Pike. I would not have noticed him but a girl called out his name and then joined him.

I got two vases from housekeeping. I put one floral arrangement on the bathroom counter and the other on the bedroom desk. I rested until 4:00pm. I went down to the 3rd floor meeting room to pick up my name tag and welcome packet from the group leader, Carol Barton. This will be my tenth Seattle program. I met my roommate, BJ. We had a hosted reception at 5:00pm, a discussion of the week's agenda at 5:30pm and dinner at 6:00pm in the meeting room. After dinner there were introductions. We saw a short video "Seattle Beat".

"Savoring Seattle" - Day 1

On Saturday, September 10th, I traveled north on Amtrak Business Class to Seattle from Vancouver, Washington. Vancouver is the oldest continuous settlement in the Pacific Northwest. I arrived at the 1906 King Street Station about noon. The interior of the station is undergoing restoration. The railroad station is dominated by a massive tower, a copy of the famous campanile in the Piazza de San Marco in Venice, Italy.

I walked across the street where I caught a free city bus at 3rd Ave. S. & Jackson. I got off the bus at 3rd & Stewart and walked a couple blocks to The Moore hotel at 2nd & Virginia. I had a suite with a rather strange bathroom with a large floor to ceiling window.

I had a delicious lunch at the 4th floor Nordstrom cafe at 1:30pm. I got a couple candies at Sees. I caught the city bus up Pike Street to the new location of the Elliott Bay Book Company at 1521 Tenth Avenue. I heard Jack Lewis read a passage from his book, "Nothing in Reserve" at 5:00pm. I purchased Elizabeth Gaskell's "Cranford". I rode the city bus back to downtown where I purchased a lunch and drink at Starbucks for a light dinner in my hotel suite. I watched a couple cooking episodes of "Chopped" on television.

Confrontation

Early Tuesday morning I was traveling north on I-5 across the Interstate Bridge to Vancouver after shopping at Jantzen Beach. I took the Mill Plain exit meaning to travel west on Mill Plain. Instead I found myself in the left lane unable to more over. Well, since I ended up on Fourth Plain I thought why not travel west and turn left onto Main Street, stopping for a bite of "breakfast" at Starbucks.

I purchased a cinnamon breakfast roll. I sat down at a sidewalk table to eat my warmed up cinnamon roll and banana I had brought from home. Two men began arguing loudly about two motor bikes with For Sale signs that were parked in front of the doorway of the building next door.

Suddenly four police cars with lights flashing drove up, surrounding my car. When I finished eating and tiring of the drama I asked the policeman to move the police car so I could leave. Afterall I was in a 30 minute parking space and certainly did want to get a ticket!

Miss Piggy's comment on Travel

"You have to be going to a pretty awful place if getting there is half the fun."

-- Miss Piggy's Guide to Life (1981)