Almost goodbye Seattle!

26th August 2014.

This is a special day for the family. It's the 13th anniversary of Alan's death. When I used to hear people say I remember him/ her every day I didn't really believe it but it's absolutely true. 

Today at 3.30 I was on a boat on a beautiful peaceful sea and surroundings and somehow 

that was fitting.

Today was going to be a lets see what happens day. I walked downtown along the beautiful 

waterfront that I discovered last night. I wanted breakfast and I was downtown before I could 

find somewhere who provided breakfast.  I wandered out of there and saw there was a trip to

A 45 min boat trip there and back, a baked salmon lunch and dance display and stories by Northwest Native Americans.  It was wonderful. When we arrived we were given clams and asked to throw the shells on the path to the longhouse and crush them. Just as we docked I caught sight of this clambering on the rocks

I couldn't see what it was but an officer told me it was raccoon and that when we had thrown the clam shells and gone in to lunch they would come over to see if there were any clams.  They might have found mine, I couldn't eat them although I adore clam chowder.

The lunch was glorious and of course plentiful. Salmon bake, bison and venison stew, rice, loads of dressings and huge bowls of fruit salad. Followed by I don't know what! A sort of fruit crumble and cream I meant to ask what the fruit was but forgot as we had the dancing as we were eating and the. rushed out to explore.

We had 50 mins to explore the island which is 500 acres, although only the ranger lives there as it's a state park. All over the beach there was drift wood. Not sure if it was signicant or had just been washed up.

As we were leaving we had ospreys (sea hawks) flying over the boat.

Back on land I struggled up the hills (I'm calling it the zig zag city because I have to do that 

to get to the top!)  up one block, along another then up another and so on. It's worse than

 San Francisco.

This was my second boat trip. Yesterday I went on the harbour and lock tour. We drove 

down to Lake  Union and went from there to go through the Ballard locks which is where  

the sea water of Puget sound meets Lake Union water. It us huge and has a record of having 

125 Boats in at a time. www my Ballard  for technical detail lol.  The salmon were migrating 

and jumping out of the water . Two theories on that. 1) salt water makes them itchy and they 

jump and slap down in the water to scratch. 2) jump out to regulate the heat change in body. 

Take your pick. I sat outside and couldn't hear all of the commentary but it was hot, the scenery 

was beautiful and it was just lovely to sit and enjoy.

These guys were paddle boarding and desperately trying to keep up with us or ride our wake.

I walked the whole of the waterfront to uptown, mainly because I didn't want to climb the hills! I'm so glad I did because I found the Olympic park with sculptures 

Which joins Myrtle Edwards park. Dicing with death from cyclists and joggers it was great 

walking along there in the early evening.  Do you know I didn't even look at the front! lol

Before I went on the trip I went down to the famous Pike Place market. Looking so different 

in the morning.  So many stalls , just everything was sold there. The most beautiful jewellery 

and stall after stall of flowers

The bane of my life...peppers, they are in everything, but don't they look wonderful

Of course the market is famous for the fish throwing. Can you just see it on the top of the 

photo?

It was so difficult to get the picture, everyone was waiting and before you know what's 

happened it's flying through the air!. They shout all of the time and I hadn't a clue what 

they were saying. Every fish under the sun, looked so fresh.

I had to smile when I went to wait for the bus. A young woman was sitting in the shelter and she said " I love your outfit, you look so comfy.."....(white cut offs,pink t shirt and my converse type sparkly boots) After we had spoken she asked me if I was English. After my confirmation she said  " I thought so, one of my councillors is English. One? Is having more than one prestigious?

I had a hippie try to sell me a hip hop CD for $2!!!  Silly boy.

To move, to breathe, to fly, to float, to gain all while you give,to roam the roads of lands remote, to travel is to live.

Hans Christian Anderson

Like Seattle very much but have to move on tomorrow....Portland, where they are forecasting 90degrees.  Good grief. 

Oh and I didn't see Tom Hanks ... But this was his house......