Seattle- Day 1

The 4.5 hour drive through Eastern Washington from Coeur d’Alene to Seattle is a little disappointing after all the drama of the Rockies. But it is pretty, in a really flat, crap-didn’t-we-already-do-the-Midwest kind of way. Then, the Cascades pop up out of nowhere and we rejoice, for there are mountains again. 

We drive straight downtown to Pike Place Market, which is probably one of the coolest things we’ve ever seen. Hundreds of stalls selling every type of spice, food, flower, and fish you can think of are crowded with locals, us, and about 14 million Asian tourists. We went in knowing that we would be back the next day- it’s just too much to take in at once. To calm our sensory overload, we wander into a fishmonger and order a halibut taco and a local IPA, poach a seat by the window, and look out onto the Puget Sound. Ferries are criss-crossing the clear blue water, framed by the snow-capped Cascade Mountains on one side and the imposing Mount Ranier on the other.

We then visit Catalina’s Mecca, her holy-of-holies: THE original Starbucks *insert choir of angels*. As we walk in, a fifteen passenger van screeches up to the door and a man in a three piece suit and sunglasses jumps out, opens the sliding door, and out piles a group of at least 20 more Asian tourists, all with cameras at the ready. We take our Frappuccino to go. (Note: We have nothing against tourists, Asian or otherwise. We do, however, have something against being squished into a small space by wall of people a la Indiana Jones, whatever their nationality)

Worshiping the caffeine gods

We walk through the Olympic Sculpture Park and up to the Space Needle.

 Please enjoy this video of Catalina riding up the glass elevator:

And this picture of her, terrified, at the top:

 And some photos of said Space Needle:

Seattle really is beautiful. We had two sunny days in a row, which I’m told is kind of rare this time of year. Although, more than a few locals (we made some friends at happy hour) told me that the reputation of Seattle as a foggy, London-esque sheet of endless drizzle is played up to keep tourists from staying too long. “Oh- it may be sunny today, but remember that all winter it’s a never ending torrent of dreariness and wet dog smell- save yourselves!” Then they chuckle softly as the tourists back away slowly, never to return...

Seattle- Day II, AKA Catalina's food tour, to come!