June 28

We had booked a full 6 1/2 hour tour of the greater Seattle area for today before we left Georgia. One of the highlights of the tour promised to be a tour of the iconic Seattle Space Needle; and included in our package were tickets to the observation deck. Our ride picked us up a little after 10:30 a.m. and we were taken to a centrally located hotel to join nearly twenty other visitors and transfer onto a bigger bus to start our day. 

City of Seattle Tour Highlights

The tour driver was named Kim :) and she told us our first stop would be at the Space Needle where we'd have an hour to explore. At first this seemed like a long time for a stop, but we quickly found that this spot was obviously not only a tourist favorite, but also was very popular with the locals as the line to get to the top was a nice wait. As we approached the elevators we noticed that they were taking photos.....well, of course I was going to buy one! But when it was our turn we were told that the photo was FREE! We all remarked that no one just gave away things, especially a nice photo like this, for free. The hostess smiled and said that they did! They took the shot and gave us a receipt; once at the top there was a computer where you scanned the receipt and picked the photo you wanted, then had it emailed to you. Easy-peasy-pie! You see the results at the top of the page!  I had wondered how I would feel at the top of the over 600 foot tall needle, and especially about going out on the observation deck; and I also was concerned with how Kim would react to being up so high and on the observation deck. When we got onto the elevator I was right up against the window, and a bit anxious..... But the elevator ride up was no problem and when we arrived at the top it was such a great view that I quickly knew that I'd have no problems with the height. Everyone else, including Kim felt the same and we moved right to the observation deck for better views and photo opportunities. I will say that the way the outdoor observation deck was slanted down did make me a little uneasy, especially with my still feeling like we were on the ship (as was Dan). The views were great as you can tell from the panoramic shots I took as I walked around the perimeter of the Space Needle (below).  It's probably hard to believe that our tour lasted until nearly 5 pm by looking at the photos that are posted here (and watching the three minute highlights video), but we saw nearly everything there was to see in the city on the tour. And while not much of it is documented here in pictures, it was interesting.....it seemed more to me of just interesting local city color, and not anything truly "wow-like" that I'd take a photo or a video of. But a few of the highlights worth documenting in the pics.  Below you see Kim and I posing near a waterfall. This story has two parts - the first of which is that this site was where the original UPS company was founded and it is a park right in the middle of downtown Seattle. That would have been interesting enough, but the real story was that the bus stopped here for a nearly thirty-minute break. To see the waterfall was a less-than five minute event and it was surrounded by this huge park that was filled, and I mean FILLED with homeless characters! Everyone on the bus was buzzing about how uncomfortable they felt in the area and we were glad to get going again. And yet, just two blocks earlier there had been many things pointed out (like underground Seattle in Pioneer Square where the city was rebuilt following a fire ON TOP of the old city, and you could walk down to the old city remnants) but we did not stop there. We all felt it was an "unusual" stop, especially for thirty minutes. 

At our first stop we were given two hours at Pike's Market - that was interesting, especially the Salmon market where the fish are thrown (see the video). But it was much like the Swap Shop in Ft. Lauderdale and once we'd seen some of it, we'd seen enough so we stopped for lunch - the view was great (see photo of the ladies in the foreground). Back to the bus and there was, as Sue said, "the best ice cream" store (pic of Kim). We stopped in the neighborhood of Freemont to see the "Freemont troll" (at left). This area under a bridge had become a hang-out for drug dealers and so to solve that officials built this art structure....promoted it as a tourist spot and now so many people stop and visit that the drug problem has been eliminated! Finally, we drove through the VERY wealthy neighborhood of Magnolia and came to Carey Park. This spot is where nearly all the best professional photos of the Seattle area are taken (see below). The interesting story was that the site had been a private home for the Carey family. In their wills they left the property to the city on the condition that it be turned into a park so everyone could enjoy the view they had enjoyed while living in Seattle!

We did not have any dinner plans for tonight, but shortly after the tour started the couple sitting behind us mentioned they had eaten at a great restaurant which was right on the waterfront of Puget Sound (across the inlet from downtown) and that if you called them they would come pick you up at your hotel and take you back. When we stopped for lunch in the market we all agreed this sounded like a good idea, so I called them. Indeed that all was true, but the arrangements had to be made by your hotel, so I called them (at Dan's suggestion, rather than waiting until the tour was over - which proved to be a great idea!). Within minutes we were booked.....and we thought that sounded like a nice plan. 

WOW WERE WE SURPRISED!

We went outside the hotel lobby at 6:30 and up pulls a STRETCH LIMO! Our driver introduced himself as "James" and he told us he'd take us to the restaurant and get us a good table with a magnificent view of the city. The trip out to the restaurant was about twenty minutes and it could have served as our city tour - he was as much if not more informative - and it was a private tour, IN A STRETCH LIMO to boot! When we arrived he took us inside and said there was a great table on the deck with a great view. We all agreed, and said as long as it was shaded. We were told it had a big umbrella, so we went out. Well, "shaded" is a term that I guess means different things to different people and I think both Sue and Dan would have been very uncomfortable, though they said it was ok. But within minutes James appeared and said there was a great table inside and he thought we'd be better off inside! So appreciative! The food was magnificent, and the views were spectacular. Mt. Ranier was visible in the background, see Dan's photo, and this was made even more special by the fact that James told us it was a very rare treat for even the locals to see the mountain through the clouds!

We had been at our new table inside for less than ten minutes when the general manager, Chris came up and looked right at me and said, "Is that Miami of Ohio?" pointing to my polo shirt. What are the odds of that Seattle? I said it was indeed, and he told us he was a Redskin alumni and had noticed my shirt and had to say something. We saw him later going around to check on everyone's meal, and he came back another time to check on our meal. But as I noted to Sue and Dan, everytime I wear a Miami shirt I get a comment at some point from someone - that was pretty cool for me! 

I asked the others if anyone had a problem with me asking James for a photo in front of the limo, and everyone thought that was a good idea, so when I did he said he would, but "....let's go out on the deck so I can take a photo of you with the city in the background...." You can see that great shot above, and then the limo shot below. What a spectacular dinner experience!