Mt. St. Helen's was the first stop. She last blew her top with a major eruption in 1980 and the evidence is still lingering. The paths around her are littered with decaying trees. A house half buried in mud can still be found a few miles away. She was smoking a bit....which could have been cause for alarm. But no worries, we didn't feel any rumblings. We were also able to test our knowledge on animal poo here with a park ranger. I'm happy to report that we matched poo to animal correctly on the first try. We weren't fooled by the elk poo. Alaska made us experts on moose poo and we know that it is deceivingly small. Big animal, small poo.
It was also here that we encountered Big Foot. He's left his mark all over this part of the country. Mindi believes he (and mermaids) really exist.
Mt. Rainer was next up. Here we were greeted with a majestic mountain still holding onto winter. This made for a fabulously fun (and funny) hiking experience!! We really needed a sled. We hiked out to Snow Lake, which was still partially covered in snow and beautiful.
This reflection lake was beautiful. I would just like to say that it took Mindi a good five minutes to see the reflection. I'm not sure where she was looking.
We have hiked a lot on this trip. We haven't encountered any wildlife. But we've been taught what to do should we have an encounter. Make yourself as big as possible. Don't run away. We are coming back from our hike to Snow Lake when we heard it. The crackle and crunch of branches. Mindi is ahead of me a bit on the trail. I assume it's another hiker. I keep going and come around a small bend. It's here I see Mindi. Still as a statue. Legs spread apart. Arms up in the air. She looks like a giant x. Whatever made the branches crunch goes crashing into the woods at full speed away from us. I double over in silent laughter. Mindi scurries like a crab to me and puts my arms up in the air. A whispered hiss of "make yourself big" hits my ears. I can't. I'm laughing out loud now. Tears are streaming. She was terrified. We never saw the animal. I will tell you it was big. It made a lot of noise. Mindi wants credit for acting appropriately in the face of danger and for saving our lives. She is convinced her giant size made it run away. #couldvebeenabear
We make it to Seattle for two days of gorgeous weather. The mountain was out. Not a cloud in the sky. The local people were complaining about the heat.
We began our time in the city with a Duck Tour. We are not ashamed to admit that we love city tours. They are full of informational tidbits one wouldn't know without taking them. They give you a good overview and help you see what you want to to back and explore. I think they are always a good bet. But the Duck Tour takes city tours to a whole new level. It's crazy and fun and upbeat and creates a great soundtrack for the city. AND...it's on a busboat. One minute you're on land and they next you've driven right down the boat ramp and into the lake. That is cool. I would like to have a car that transforms into a boat.
The Space Needle gives a great view of the city. We didn't eat at the revolving restaurant. We will wait for our Tom Hanks to take us there.
At the base of the Space Needle is the Chihuly Garden and Glass. We weren't sure what it was but we could buy a combination ticket at the Space Needle so we decided why not. What a great decision!! The artist who created it is beyond talented. Everything is blown glass and the details are intricate. Truly impressive.
A walk along the waterfront brings you to the Olympic Sculpture Park. This city LOVES art. We learned (on our tour) that when a new building is built 1% of the budget must be spent on art. This makes for some really cool and random pieces of art all around. The waterfront also brings Ivar's. A fish and chips joint that encourages feeding the seagulls. These guys have obviously been coming for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for years. They were waiting with open beaks and screams of thanks.
The waterfront is also home to all sorts of people selling their creations. Every now and then you come across someone that is truly talented. We found her. Jen. You can find her on Facebook under Zeal Rattlecans. We watched her take a piece of foam board and cans of spray paint and create something truly impressive. Of course we bought her art. She was really, really good.
One can't go to Seattle without visiting the first Starbucks!
We also found this gum wall and left our mark. It was giant....like the entire alley.
The real gem of Seattle though is Pike's Place Market. The market is a place we both love. Like lose track of time getting lost in all there is to see and do and sample love. We came out with chocolate pasta, dried pears, chocolate covered cherries, garlic dipping oils, and some crafty ideas to try at home. And watch out for the fish...they fly!
We found a great cheese making place, Beecher's. Mindi had the mac and cheese for lunch. I'm not ashamed to admit that I ate more than my share of free samples. It was really good! I didn't eat here because I was saving room for chowder. Elizabeth sent me to Pike Place Chowder and instructed me to order the chowder and a crab roll. AHmazing.
It doesn't take a lot to fascinate me. Like this for example. It's an escalator for your shopping cart. I wanted to try it out but wasn't sure how it worked. I didn't want to have to use the 'from Virginia' excuse when I screwed it up.
We have to give a giant thanks to the Ephram's: Ermi, Amy, Yabi, and Keli. These are friends of friends of friends who took us in and left Trader Joe's chocolate treats on the bedside table. We think you have two of the cutest boys ever and are so appreciative of your hospitality. Let us know if you're ever in Lexington!!
We will leave you with this mental image. In both Portland and Seattle we have just missed the naked bike ride. Yes, a naked bike ride in which thousands participate. Interesting.
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