Seattle Exploratory Visit #1

Lisa just finished classes and just has rotations to do so it was time for a long awaited vacation, what better place to do it than Seattle?  Kim invited us to stay with her for a couple days so we got some tickets, booked a hotel for some of the time and made our way west.  It is by far the nicest city we have ever been to.  The weather was incredible, the people are so nice, the city was clean, and the scenery was breathtaking.  After a short discussion the decision has been made, we are definetely moving there next year.  We will be able to use our kayaks, mountain bikes and other outdoor toys much more often, in really amazing places, and for a longer season too.  We spent a lot of time on our own, wandering the city and then with Kim, learning which areas we might want to look for houses in.  In the 5 days we were there we didn't find a single thing about the city that we didn't like.  We did make it to the famous Pike's Market but for some reason never got any pictures, must have been because we were so blown away by all the fresh fish, produce, flowers and handmade stuff, it was even better than you see on television.  Kim drove us out to a beach on the Sound, a Bavarian village in the mountains, and a crazy waterfall in a small town outside the city.  We had a great time and really needed it, the next year should be less stressfull but is going to drag by, all we'll be able to think about is next June!  Enjoy the pictures. 

Through the haze you can see Mount Rainier, elevation 14,411 FT. The Seahawks and Mariners play in these two stadiums

A great view of the Space Needle from across Puget Sound

We stayed in one of the two cylindrical towers to the left, great views from our room on the 33rd floor

Sunset view of the Sound and Olympic Mountains behind it from our window

Of course the famous Space Needle

The city from the Space Needle, you can see the monorail tracks leaving the park

Another view of the Sound from the Needle, the mountains look so different behind the water

Someone was nice enough to take our picture and everything!

Lisa got to touch the starfish and sea urchins at the aquarium

The Dark Avenger, a 50+ pound giant Pacific octopus, definetely the coolest thing we have ever seen

Snoqualmie Falls, just outside the city, the building in the top left is where they filmed the outside shots of the Inn from "Twin Peaks"

The mountains just outside of Leavenworth, WA, a small Bavarian Village

Another picture of us, crazy

Looking down main street, 3 years ago a wildfire spared the village, the mountains still show it