Thanks J_B!
Perhaps I'll give the zoo a second look. We have a zoo membership here and I think they have a reciprocal admission policy.
I do remember downtown Seattle having some seedy areas - even before 6 PM. I appreciate the warning and will definately keep that in mind.
THIS WAS THE BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!
Oh my gosh we had fun.
We spent the first night at the Lake Crescent Lodge in the Olympic National Park -- one of the most amazing places you could ever imagine; an old growth forest with trees dating back as far as 750 years. The water in the lake was so clear that you could see every detail of the bottom from 30 feet above and probably more if you could get out there.
We spent the first day hiking around the forest and a big part of the second day hiking around the forest then we drove over to catch a ferry to Seattle. We were all pretty tired so we checked into the hotel, went swimming, ate dinner and crashed.
The next day we got up and hit the space needle. It had become very foggy so the view was screwed but we still had a great time. Then we went to the airport to pick up my brother.
What a fabulous birthday present it was to get to see him. Man. I love that guy.
We had made reservations at Salty's (gotta go there for sure some day) because we didn't know how tired he would be after his long flight with another to catch in just a few hours. It turns out that J., who has traveled all over the world and then some, had never been to Seattle so we cancelled the reservation and hit the Pike Street Market for the afternoon and for an early dinner at some divey kind of place with really good food.
It was a blast! You know how some people can make anything and everything fun? That's my brother. Despite his travels he is so not jaded and he just soaks everything in and enjoys himself. I have a tendency to get kind of cynical and when I'm around him I can just drop it and breathe and be happy.
We spent a good bit of time just hanging at the hotel, catching up and laughing our heads off.
One especially cool thing -- he gave Mo a military coin as a welcome to the family token and told him how happy he was to have Mo be in our family.
I know that some people don't put a lot of "umph" in military coins but I also know that my brother really respects the tradition and only gives them out to commemorate very special occasions and that he only gives them to people that he has true belief in. So, you know, it made me a little teary in that happy kind of way.
It was a great trip. Seattle is a beautiful city. Portland prides itself on how active its downtown is but it ain't got nothing on Seattle -- what a great place.
Thank you all for your advice -- it really helped make my weekend spectacular!
Boomer, what a great post. Reading it made me smile! (And want to visit Seattle...) Happy belated birthday by the way.
Seattle is too cool. If I didn't love Portland.......
Here is a snap of me and Mo on a tree stump in the forest....
Here is a snap of Lake Crescent....
I took Mo outside after dark so he could see the Milky Way while we were there. It is getting so hard to find a place dark enough to see it anymore. What glory it is.
Your photos remind me of our last family trip about 5 years ago. We flew to Calgary and drove to Vancouver Island and back camping most of the way. Everything was so big -- the trees, the mountains (I grew up in the flatlands -- kind of like Iowa). And the sky is really huge when there's no light pollution. I say last family trip 'cause my sons are both grown now and have their own lives. Hubby and I still travel but it's different. Enjoy the world through Mo's eyes now; someday he won't want to be seen in public with you.
Wow, wonderful!
I want to go back to Seattle now too. We didn't manage to get out to the wilderness at all when we were there, I wanna.
Great thread, Boss . . . i'm happy that you're happy.
Sounds like a great time was had by all. You made me miss Seattle, too. My sis was back in Iowa this weekend. Her daughter was recently married and threw a party in Des Moines, where she lives, to celebrate. I gotta get back to the northwest soon. I haven't been out there in 4 years.
