Mike presented a paper in Seattle at the APS Shock Physics Symposium in July, and we took my mother with us for the week. It was one of the best trips we've had. The weather was perfect, there was plenty of shopping for my mom, and the food was great.
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| Beautiful Mt. Rainier seen from the window seat |
Our first evening in Seattle after unloading our bags at the hotel room, we enjoyed dinner at Al Boccalino Everything Italian, by Luigi and enjoyed the shopping experience at Seattle's famous Pike Place Market on the Waterfront. On our 2nd day, the three of us had a delicious lunch at the Japanese Gourmet Restaurant near the Waterfront.
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| Mom with her lovely sashimi bowl |
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| My high carb bento box |
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| Mike's special scallop dish |
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| My Mother on the lawn near the Waterfront on Elliott Bay |
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| The famous marquee above Pike Place Market |
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| We ran into several homeless people, including this man who wanted money for WEED! |
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Everything from fresh flowers, seafood, nuts, candy, ice cream, souvenirs, jewelry, art, clothing, and restaurants can be found at Pike Place Market--a favorite shopping mall for locals and tourists alike. We loved it, but it was so crowded.
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| My mom on a deck overlooking Elliott Bay at Pike Place Market |
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We stayed at the Westin Inn Hotel North Tower. Here's the South Tower and surrounding buildings seen from the 5th floor balcony. The pool, hot tub, and weight room were on the 5th floor, and our hotel room was up on the 42nd floor.
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| A seagull perched above the Westin Inn 5th floor balcony |
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| More views from outside the 5th floor balcony |
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I had the pool all to myself almost every morning, and I enjoyed swimming laps in the lukewarm water
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Stopping on the pier along the Waterfront to admire the gorgeous flowers.
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Aboard the Washington State Ferry bound for Bainbridge, one of hundreds of islands off the bay
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| The Seattle Great Wheel, Space Needle, and city skyline seen from our ferry |
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| Beautiful, expensive homes and thick foliage tucked away around the bay |
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| Our ferry comes to a splashing halt at Bainbridge Island |
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Bainbridge Island was small, quaint, and friendly, with lots of gorgeous flowers and artsy shops
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| Back in the city, we walked from the Waterfront to Seattle's historic Pioneer Square |
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In Pioneer Square, we got a look into Seattle's past during our guided Underground Tour.
Here are some of the older city's rubble under Seattle's present sidewalks and streets--amazing!
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One of the old alleys and original buildings in Pioneer Square,
brightened by colorful flower boxes and hanging baskets
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The old sewer lines were made from hollowed out logs, and the name "crapper" came from
Seattle's embarrassing waste problems with those old sewer systems that stunk up the area
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My beautiful, photogenic mother at the Wild Ginger Restaurant, not far from our hotel
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| I had grilled shrimp and fresh steamed veggies |
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| Mom ordered calamari, dumplings, and spinach |
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| On our 3rd day, we took the subway train to get to Seattle's China Town, which turned out to be a big disappointment. We had dinner at a restaurant we found in the quiet, dimly lit downtown area. Later we stumbled upon a Japanese dollar store that made my mother happy, and she bought several little items to take home--some as gifts to give away. |
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Dinner at a Seattle China Town restaurant. My mom like
our food choices better than her udon noodle soup
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The Japanese dollar store in China Town that perked my mom's spirits--she loves to shop!
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We left China Town and took the Monorail to Seattle's city center and rode to the top of the Space Needle.
The views were spectacular from up here!
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While Mike attended his conference banquet, my mom and I took a ride on the amphibious bus called Ride the Ducks. We had a guided tour of both the city and the bay, and it was cold and windy out, especially in a bus with no real windows. My poor mother was freezing!
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| This was our "captain," a funny and entertaining guide |
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| Houseboats galore! |
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| The city skyline seen from the bay |
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| Sailboats, house boats, yachts, and cruisers galore! |
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| The produce was beautiful but pricey |
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We ate at this popular Pure Food Fish Market near the Waterfront, but surprisingly, everything we ordered was fried
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| Here's the lovely meal that Mike enjoyed back at the hotel |
Our Seattle trip was definitely one of our favorites, and we look forward to visiting again. Having my mother along made it even more enjoyable for Mike and I.
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