The Rocinantes reunited in Seattle, Washington in what was supposed to be a two-month stay. We booked an Airbnb in a very nice neighborhood, Ravenna. This area is near major bus lines and easy access to groceries, restaurants, shops, and light rail. Unfortunately, Paul had to travel to Wisconsin for a family emergency four days after his arrival. Kim stayed in Seattle to spend time with their daughter, Kate, and her partner, Ben - having a wonderful week exploring the area. After Kate & Ben returned home, Kim flew out to Wisconsin to help, and we quickly determined we both needed to relocate to Wisconsin for the time being. On August 11, Paul's dad passed away at the age of 87, and we decided to stay until his affairs were settled.
Kim returned to Seattle on August 15, arranged for the motorcycle to be picked up for repair, then packed all remaining items and took a train back to Wisconsin on August 17. Thanks to the generous help of family friends in Seattle, everything was less stressful than it might otherwise have been. We are both determined to return to Seattle when it makes sense to do so.
Here are some pictures from our time in Seattle.
Mount Ranier dominates the Seattle skyline, except when you can't see it at all. Here are some views of the mountain from a window in our bnb in Ravenna.
The neighborhood where we were staying was abundant with flowers - formal gardens and naturalized ones. These are from the last week of July.
Paul and I managed to get in a visit to Pike Place Market. He had gone the day before I arrived, and had fabulous clam chowder. When we went together, we picked up some spices and some of the freshest, most flavorful tea bags I've ever use to make a cup of tea! We had fried oysters and pina coladas on the water. It was unusually hot the first week we were there - mid-90s, without air conditioning. The following week, Kate, Ben, & I returned for a Pike Place Market Chef's Food Tour, which was great!
We are lucky to have close family friends who have lived in Seattle for a long time. They shepherded us lots of places in a relatively short time, and took us to their favorite eatery, Salvatore www.salvatoreristoranteitaliano.com, where we were warmly greeted by the owner. The food was fabulous, as was the service and the company!
(left to right: Kim, Patty, Terry, Kate, Ben)
Kate, Ben and I took the ferry to Bainbridge Island. The fare is $9.25, and you can use the public transportation (Orca) card. You only pay from Seattle-Bainbridge Island, but not the other way. The ferry ride was a perfect way to see the bay and beat the heat. The island had nice shops, restaurants, and an art museum. There is a Japanese-American internment memorial on the island, but we didn't make it there that day. Kate and Ben took some of these pictures.
Our friend, Terry, drove us t Mr. Ranier National Park where we saw incredible views and hiked in a wildflower meadow in view of the glaciers. A lot of these pictures were taken by Kate.
Kate, Ben, & I went downtown to see the Space Needle, which was built as part of the World's Fair of 1962: "The Century 21 Exposition". The iconic space needle and monorail were built for that event, along with what is now called the Seattle Center.
Adjacent is the more modern Chihuly Museum of Glass, which is a "must-see" as far as I am concerned. Pictures do not do justice to these glass sculptures.
One room had a collection of Chihuly's Navajo and Pendleton blankets, woven in Oregon's blue mountains, alongside pots inspired by indigenous artisans.
In another, there were ocean-inspired room-size sculptures.
He made giant boats inspired by Japanese motifs.
Giant vases.
A light-filled atrium sculpture.
The garden was amazing. Glass mimicking plants artfully crafted, with the light shifting.
Also in that area is the Museum of Popular Culture, in a building designed by Frank Gehry. There, we saw a collection of some local icons such as Jimi Hendrix & Curt Cobain, and exhibits about Science-Fiction, Horror film, and Hip-Hop.
My final photos are from the last few days I was there by myself. Now going into late summer (mid-August), there were different blooming flowers in the neighborhood.