Yakima, WA

Saturday, July 20, 2017

I haven’t written for a few days so will update everyone as to what is going on.  We did not go into Seattle on Wednesday as we were too exhausted from the day before so rested up and did a bit of local shopping fighting the ever congested traffic in this area.  Our dinner meal was at this unique place called XXX Root Beer which was like an old 50’s dinner with so much stuff on the ceiling and the walls and in the aisles that you did not know where to look.  We had root beer in very large glass frosted mugs which was delicious along with a dinner meal.  Interesting place as you can see from the pictures. 

Ceiling

Thursday we went to visit my high school friend Pat and husband Dale at their lovely home in North Bend.  What a gorgeous place, spacious and sitting on three acres among the trees.  We had fun catching up on our families, trips, etc. and then went into town for a nice Italian dinner at a locally owned restaurant.  Thank you Pat and Dale for a lovely visit.  Hope we will see you again when we next get up to Washington.

Friday was a travel day for us going from Issaquah to Yakima, WA.  Terrain is completely different in this part of the state with mountains covered in golden grasses,  farms, orchards vineyards and hops.

That's Mt. Rainier in the background

Yes, hops for making beer.  Had never seen this growing before.  

The vines or whatever they are on are on some sort of framework that looks like a V.  Interesting.  Will have to learn more about it. 

We are we are staying at an Elks Lodge.  What a find this place is.  Trying to find it was our first problem.   I have to call the Lodge for help finding it.  This Lodge owns a golf course, has a lovely Lodge meeting place with pro shop, restaurant, lounge, and 30 spaces for RV’s set on a large field of grass among large locust and pine trees.  Since there was no one else in any of the RV spaces, we were able to choose the one we wanted under a large tree which provides us with shade on at least part of the RV all day.  Great to have shade with temps in the high 90’s and low 100’s next week.  Get set up and pull out our chaise lounges and sit in the shade while watching some golfers using the driving range.  Nice breeze and relaxing.

Later on we go to the lounge in the Lodge for a drink and are invited to join a local couple whom we spend the rest of the evening with.  They gave us lots of advice about places to see and how to get there and shared some of their own adventures as forest rangers in the local area.  Nice evening.

Downtown Seattle

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Today we took the bus and left the driving to them.  We arrived at the Transit Center here in Issaquah about 9:30 thinking we would find a place to park in the multi story parking garage.  Wrong.  It was completely full but fortunately across the street is an overflow lot where we were able to find a place.  Our bus arrived just after we walked across the street to the location.  This is the second stop for this bus and we made about 4 others before we got off.  Buses are able to use the HOV lanes into the city and boy, do they travel.  I would have had to close my eyes if I had been looking out the front window.   Ron thought it would be cool to use the HOV lane for the RV but not sure if it is legal. Ha! Ha!

Arriving in town without a mishap, we alit at the Kings Street Station where the Amtrak train leaves and the in town light rail departs.  We walked a couple of blocks west toward the waterfront (this direction is all downhill) to pick up the Emerald City Trolley which we will use to get to different attractions.  It is a hop on/hop off trolley with a commentator giving information about the city, buildings and history of Seattle along the way.  One interesting fact he imparted was that Seattle  no longer has the most coffee consumed.  Anchorage, Alaska now has the honor.  Here in Seattle it seems there is a Starbucks or other coffee shop on nearly every corner.  You can certainly get your caffeine fix here. 

Our first stop was at Pike Market where we watched the men throw the fish which everyone has heard so much about. 

 One fish kept falling out of the ice scaring some young children as it popped out.  (It is on a string and they keep moving in back.) After watching this for several minutes we wandered on to see what else there was to see.  The produce vendors had some beautiful displays as did the florists.  I would have bought some of both if I hadn't had to carry them all day. 

 Lots of vendors with all kinds of wares and restaurants of every description.  It is an interesting and fun place filled with lots of people.  

Leaving Pike Market we walked a couple of blocks to catch the Trolley to continue along the route

Chief Seattle Statue for whom city is named

 to the Space Needle and Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum.  It was a slow process as traffic was beginning to snarl a bit.  The Space Needle was built for the 1962 Expo and was supposed to be temporary.  The Needle sits in the Seattle Center which is a large complex of buildings which includes a large park area where there is a playground, Museum with changing exhibits, Children’s Museum,  the Chihuly Garden and Museum, street vendors and musicians and much more.  We walked near the Space Needle but decided we would not take the trip to the top due to the wait time (well over an hour).  We have been in a similar structure in San Antonio.  It is impressive, however, and really does stand out in the skyline of Seattle. 

We stopped for lunch at the Collections Café which is attached to the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum.  A number of Mr. Chihuly’s collections are housed in this Café including a display of accordions on the ceiling, bottle openers, and much more.   Our hostess showed us to a table in a glass room with open doors and windows where we enjoyed the outdoor breezes.  Very pleasant.  The menu was fairly limited and expensive (as we were finding everywhere in this area).  We opted for salads which were nicely presented and very tasty.

Our tummies full, we ventured around the other side of the building to enter the Museum. 

 The Museum showcases the glass creations of Dale Chihuly and is hard to describe so I will just attach pictures here for you to see.  It is worth the cost of entrance and should not be missed if you are ever in Seattle.  

 Among the exhibits are his artwork designs for some of the pieces.  This Museum was the highlight of our day.

Several years ago, Ron and I with our Good Sam chapter toured the Spencer Theater in Ruidoso while there for the weekend and saw this incredible glass work on display in the building.  When I saw this man’s work today, I knew that it was the work of the same person we had seen in Ruidoso.  His work stands out.  The man is a genius and has such vision. 

We are not as young as we used to be and by 2:30 had decided we had had enough of playing tourist for the day so returned to our Trolley for more tour of the city while enjoying the sites sitting down.  We alit from the Trolley near our bus stop and walked up hill a block and over two to catch the bus back to Issaquah.  Another hair raising return on I-90 but we made it back safely.  

Taking the Trolley makes it easy to get around and saves on finding parking lots; however, there is a great deal of walking to and from the Trolley to see the various attractions.  Seattle does have other mass transit systems (buses, light rail, monorail) besides the Trolley so getting from place to place can be done once you figure out the system and where you want to go: however, there is lots of walking as well.   


We'll see what tomorrow brings.

Issaquah and Snoqualmie Falls

Monday, June 24, 2017

White settlers began arriving in Issaquah in the 1860’s drawn by the fertile farmland.   Issaquah was officially incorporated on April 29, 1892 under the name Gilman after Daniel H. Gilman who brought the railroad to town, but in 1899 residents petitioned to change the name to a closer approximation to the Native American name of “isoquoh.”   Issaquah was a small mining town developed to service the mining industry on nearby Squak and Cougar mountains.  Today it is a bustling suburb area of Seattle with a population of over 37,000. 

We drove around downtown taking in some of the old historic buildings among which are the Issaquah Depot, Shell Station and the Darigold Plant.   

Issaquah Depot was completed in 1889 with rail service through the town until 1958 when freight service ended. 

The Shell station and Hailstone Feed Store was operated in the 1940’s.  

The Darigold Plant has been in continuous use since 1909.  These murals appear on the walls of the Plant. 

Leaving downtown we headed to Lake Sammamish State Park just to the north of town.  It is a lovely large lake with a nice sandy beach and picnic areas which are being well used today. 

Driving further north along the Lake Sammamish Parkway we wind our way above Lake Sammamish with beautiful homes sitting right next to the sparking blue water as we head to the communities of Redmond,  Fall City and Snoqualmie where there is a gorgeous falls. 

The Snoqualmie Falls is located in a lovely wooded area just north of the town of Snoqualmie with a covered pedestrian bridge to walk across the highway to the Falls.    Over a million people come to see this Falls every year. 

The view from  the pedestrian bridge

In the town of Snoqualmie we find yet another restored old railway station with a number of train cars and engines parked nearby and a museum in the depot. 

We also found this totem pole displayed. They are very common to the Northwest.

 One of the things we have been finding interesting on this trip are all the murals on the sides of buildings in the towns we visit.  They are all different and interesting. Here is but another.

Further on we arrive in North Bend where we end our day taking I-90 back to Issaquah.  Tomorrow we will head into Seattle to see more attractions.