Thursday, April 16, 2009

Seattle Fun

Yesterday we spent the day in Seattle, Washington having fun with my best friend Sarah and here two little ones, Courtney and Alex. We drove up in the morning, leaving Lacey, WA in the bright sun and arriving in Seattle under dense cloud cover. The first place we visited was Pike Place Market. While we were hoping some fish were going to fly past our heads the only entertainment was a gigantic Monk Fish. Hanging out over the side of a vender's display of ice and fish, this UGLY specimen was a perfect photo opportunity for me. I encouraged Nick and Courtney to stand next to it for a picture. Upon getting close to the fish, however, they were frightened out of their socks when the fish suddenly "jumped" into the air at them. The joke was on us. Amid frightened tears of my daughter and Alex and wide-eyed stares from Nick and Courtney we realized that the long tail of the fish was threaded through a tunnel in the ice. A rope was attached to said tail and the vendor took great delight in scaring anyone who came near this ugly monster by jerking the rope, thereby causing the fish to "attack". The visit to the Market was like no other. Vendors called to you offering samples of their wares and street performers play various musical styles as you proceeded through a vibrant display of colors, taste, smells, sounds, textures and sights. A visit to Pike Place Market is truly an experience that invites all of the senses to participate. Vibrant displays of flowers and fabrics line the aisles. After sampling such delicacies as chocolate linguine we decided that our starving children needed some more nourishment than the busy Market could offer. During lunch dockside at a Red Robin we noticed that the day seemed to be clearing up. We were blessed with sunny clear skies and warmer weather upon leaving the restaurant and celebrated by visiting a Starbucks on the corner. No visit to Seattle would be complete without a Starbucks beverage, I was told by Sarah.

Next we visited the Pacific Science Center to see the IMAX 3-D version of Monster's vs. Aliens. We had a wonderful time and the kids loved watching the movie leap off the screen towards them. Even with Alex deciding that his nose the perfect place to store a spare Reese's Pieces candy, the movie was a great success. We then ventured into the museum itself to see moving dinosaurs, play with fluttering butterflies, and investigating bugs, music, and other fun times.

Finally, we ended our day with a trip up the Space Needle. Walking so high in air was thrilling and yet slightly terrifying at the same time. After exiting the glass elevator, we ventured to the outside (yes it is actually outside) observation deck and took in a 360* view of Seattle, Puget Sound, and the Cascade Mountains, including Mt. Rainier. The breathtaking view was the perfect end to our perfect day in the Northwest. Tired and a little hungry, we trudged back to the car and began the drive south towards home. It will be a day none of us will soon forget and we are so blessed to have shared it with our friends.