Seattle Walking

Over the last several weeks, I have been involved in a walking group on Bainbridge Island. As a special treat at the end of our series, our leader Ron, takes us to Seattle to do two additional walks. The first week, we were in the Madison Park area. We walked by many houseboats and he showed us where the houseboat he lived on as a young boy (in the late 1940s) was once docked. Now, it is a large parking lot with a major freeway overhead. We meandered through beautiful gardens and parks and ended up on Madison Avenue where we split up into small groups and enjoyed a relaxing lunch. I joined three other ladies at a restaurant called Cactus. It was yummy-licious! We really enjoyed ourselves. Afterward, we all boarded the local bus and headed back to catch the ferry home.

Last week, we walked downtown Seattle. As we boarded the ferry, we learned it was Washington State Ferry Customer Appreciation day. We were treated to a visit from Oly the Whale, and mini cups of Tully's coffee and mini muffins from Alki Bakery. Let me tell you, Ron really knows his way around the city. We went to see the Gingerbread houses at the Sheraton, and as we walked enjoyed the various Nutcrackers that are decorated and found throughout downtown. We stopped in St. James Cathedral to admire the architecture and pause for a moment of reflection. Then, we made our way toward Uwajimaya in the International district. This place is a must see for anyone who comes to town. A huge Asian supermarket, with a bookstore and several restaurants. On the way, we walked over an overpass that had thousands of yellow ribbons tied on is. Each one had a name of someone who has served or is currently serving in our military. We also went into a (now) tea shop, which was owned by a lady who stored many of the belongings for the Japanese that were put into internment camps during WWII. There is a large hole (with plexiglass over it) in the floor that shows the storage area. Bill's office is in the International district, so he was able to join us for lunch at Elysian Fields. After lunch, one of my walking friends told me she thought Bill was very "brave," to meet up with all of us. My husband, as most of you know, is very capable of holding his own, and good naturedly answered the curious inquisitions of our lunch mates. After lunch, Clare and I wandered through a few shops, and then parted ways for more shopping. What a fun time!