Monday, September 9, 2013...
 

Up at 6:30 AM, we headed down to Starbucks in our hotel for the first PSL of the season (Pumpkin Spice Latte), cheese Danish, and banana...as well as the USA Today.  After checking email, we got ready for our Seattle tour and lunch at the top of the Space Needle.  Soon our tour guide, Karen, arrived with the tour bus.  After boarding the bus, Karen introduced herself, and shared that she was originally from Indianapolis, Indiana! 

The famous Pike Street Public Market on Seattle's waterfront

Love the flowers growing out of the gutters

 

Tour bus zooming by Lowells...site of a famous
scene from "When Harry Met Sally"

The very first Starbucks Coffee shop

 

Stopping at another hotel to pick up more tour guests, Karen deftly drove us through the streets of Seattle, pointing out the must see sights, and sharing information about Seattle.  We went to the Pike Street Public Market, waterfront seaport, and 3 "hill" areas...Fremont, Queen Anne and Belleview.  Fremont is considered to be the "hippie" area of town...they consider themselves to be the "center of the universe" and have annual festivals to honor this declaration!  Queen Anne area has amazing views of both Seattle and Puget Sound...and of course beautiful, expansive homes.  We crossed the I-90 "floating bridge" to the Belleview area, a popular area for professionals in Seattle.  We drove by the Mariners' home...Safeco Field, next to Century Link Field, the home of the Seahawks. 

 

 

 

 

 

Surprising waterfall in the town which is
Falls Park built to honor 100 years of  UPS

 

My second "Klondike NP"...Seattle was the starting
point for many Alaska Gold Rush in 1898

Bars of Gold stacked to represent the prize of the  Klondike Gold Rush

As we drove on Hwy 99 to the Historic Pioneer area, Karen explained that the elevated highway was being replaced, due to earthquake concerns, with an underground highway.  This will be the longest tunnel in the world and is being dug by a large machine that the areas students named Big Bertha.  We made a short stop at the pioneer area, got some coffee at Tully's (another Seattle coffee company), walked through Union Falls (a beautiful memorial built on the 100th anniversary of UPS), and Klondike National Park (where I got my NP Passport stamped). 

 

 

 

Seattle Mariner's home...with a retractable roof

 

 

Fremont area of Seattle has this giant hiding under a highway
bridge...note the VW Bug under its left hand.  Karen said
that people come by the thousands to have their picture
taken with the "giant under the bridge"

 

Fremont claims to be the "center of the Universe"...Saturn's
close by though!

 

Yachts in the Lake Washington Harbor

 

Chittenden Locks link Puget Sound to Lake Washington

"Wave" sculptures in the Chittenden Lock Park

Fish ladders at the locks

 

A yacht as it passes through the Chittenden Locks

 

The drawbridge is up to allow a ship to enter the locks

Our next stop was at the locks and fish ladder between Lake Washington and Puget Sound.  Karen explained that the locks were built to allow boats to travel from the Pacific Ocean to Lake Washington.  Of course the fish ladders were built to allow the salmon to swim UP to spawn.  It was a beautiful park area along the locks that were built in the early 1900's and still in use with few modifications.

 

 

 

Our tour guide pointed out the massive yacht in the Puget Sound
Harbor that is owned by a Russian billionaire

One of the grand homes in the wealthy, Queen Anne Hill area

Tour bus, zooming past the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Offices

 

Karen then took our tour to the base of the 51 year old Seattle Space Needle.  As this was our last stop, and our lunch destination we would be exiting the  tour.  Before leaving the bus, Karen explained that the strange looking building next to the Space Needle is called EMP, and built by co Microsoft founder, Paul Allen.  The EMP Museum (formerly known as Experience Music Project and Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame or EMP|SFM) is a leading-edge, nonprofit museum, dedicated to the ideas and risk-taking that fuel contemporary popular culture.  The unique structure was designed by world renowned architect and designer, Frank O. Gehry.  Leaving the tour we thanked our amazing tour guide, Karen, and excitedly headed to the Space Needle for lunch.

The EMP Museum, with a Jimi Hendrix exhibit at the
base of the Space Needle

 

Unique  EMP Museum exterior....beautiful reflective surface

 

Sculpture at the EMP

 

 

A little fog surrounds the Space Needle before we head in there

The beautiful arches at the Pacific Science Center,
were here at the 1962 Seattle Worlds Fair

The glass elevator that wisked us to the top of the Space Needle

As we entered the large gift shop at the base of the Space Needle, we made our way over to the hostess desk, who verified our reservation for 12:45 PM .  She told us that we could be seated right away and directed us the speedy glass elevator, taking us to the "Sky City" restaurant level.  After checking in with the hostess, we were soon taken to a step-up table away from the large windows.  We said that we'd rather wait for a window seat, since this would likely be a "once in a lifetime" event, and were told that it would be a half hour wait.  Not a problem...so within about 20 minutes the hostess took us to our table next to a window with, of course, amazing unobstructed 360 degree views. 

 

 

 

"Outer space-like table setting at Sky City

 

An "out of this world" dessert was being enjoyed near our table

 

Ta-da, our yummy shared lunch at Sky City

Our waitress, Katy, went over specials and made suggestions, while we took in the breathtaking views.  We took lots of pictures of Puget Sound, Mount Rainier, and the bustling city below.  We decided to order a burger and nutmeg crusted chicken sandwich, that we would split and share.  Not feeling rushed at all, we continued to enjoy the views and the sandwiches, along with sides of fries and faro with dried cherries (very good).  It was a wonderful meal, great service, and of course, amazing views.

 

 

The view from the top of the Space Needle with
a Seattle Ferry coming into Puget Sound Harbor

Downtown Seattle with Mt. Rainier in the distance

Queen Anne Hill from the Space Needle

Beautiful Seattle waterfront from the top

 

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Office Complex

Our hotel's rooftop from the Space Needle (gold/white building)

Sailboat headed across the bay

The "Big Dig" project via my telephoto lens...someday the
world's largest tunnel will take you under Seattle!

 

An artist must have had some fun creating this unique
rooftop sculpture

Beautiful Puget Sound from the Space Needle

Heading down the elevator, we spent some time checking out the gift shop, then headed out to walk around the Chihuly Garden in Glass and Sonic Bloom.  During lunch Pat and I had decided to take the monorail down to City Center, and then walk to Pike Street Public Market. 

Sonic Bloom, large musical sculptures in the park below the Space Needle

 

Sonic Blooms giving off sounds, as they frame the Space Needle

Chihuly Glass Gardens

A garden of glass

 

Beautiful Chihuly glass flowers



A Chihuly Glass Cactus?

 

The monorail dropped us downtown, and we then walked the 4 blocks down to the well-known market.  We walked through the gigantic market, filled with booths of fresh foods, coffees, bakeries, beautiful flowers with large $10 & $15 bouquets, and of course lots of fresh "flying" fish!  Not buying anything, we started walking up the street to check out area shops.  We soon came to the ORIGINAL Starbucks, with the original logo.

 

 

We walked to the historic Public Market

 

Love these "pepper" wreaths and arrangements

Watch out for flying fish!

Beautiful outdoor dining area at the market

 

Colorful, fragrant bouquets for sale

One of the many "buskers" entertaining the crowds at the market

 

 

Ladies putting together beautiful bunches of flowers

This was the site of  a famous scene from,
"When Harry Met Sally"

 

 

The original "Starbucks logo" on the original Starbucks

Mount Rainier, glowing behind Seattle

 

We continued walking, and decided we would just walk the 15 blocks back to the Mediterranean Inn, rather than going back to the monorail.  BIG MISTAKE!  It was ALL UPHILL to the hotel.  After making it to the base of Queen Anne Hill Avenue, we stopped to rest and get a drink at a Subway.  I started feeling very bad...very achy.  I thought it was from the long walk, up hill.  We finally made it back to the hotel, and to the room, where dragging, I put on my jeans, turned off the overhead fan and climbed under the covers.  Pat thought I may have a fever, so I took some aspirin, and shook under the covers, aching all over.  I finally got to sleep around 3:30 AM after taking some Excedrin migraine.