SEATTLE

We've spent the last two days around Seattle.  Yesterday we hopped on the Hop-On-Hop-Off bus and did the rounds around the city eventually getting off at the Markets which are iconic to Seattle.  They are huge and have grown from simple produce markets suggested to farmers by the women in the early 1900s when they couldn't afford to buy vegetables from the middleman, to what they are now.  After walking around and up and down the multitudes of levels we kept going down till we came to the foreshores.  Seattle has hills all around so everything goes up or down hillsides.
 
When we were on the bus the commentary mentioned Ivars for fish and chips and made a point that this is where the locals eat so we decided to try it.  This place certainly stands up to it's reputation and after a clam chowder and sharing the salmon and chips we didn't need dinner.  We did another round on the bus before coming back to the hotel.  Lots of interesting stories told as we drove around.

Today we went up the Space Needle for a view over the city.  (We still haven't been up Sydney Tower but keep going up towers in all these other places). It was interesting to see just how big Seattle is and to see how many different harbours and water ways there are.  When we came in on Saturday morning an old rail bridge opened up for us to get under then we came through three locks before eventually docking at one of the smaller mariners.     Later we spent more time around the Seattle Centre.  This was the site of the 1962 World Fair and the buildings and areas have been well utilised and people obviously make use of the parks and gardens which are really lovely with lots of interesting pieces of sculptures, fountains etc.  There are also numerous buildings for music, art , science etc.

Seattle Foreshores

 

Mr Ivars opened the fish and chip shop in 1938 and it continues to grow.  It was nice sitting in the sun overlooking the water.

 

The Space Needle.  Like the Eiffel Tower, this was to be pulled down after the World Fair however survived and is certainly a draw card for tourists.

 

Looking towards Mt Rainier from the Needle with the Downtown buildings towering in the centre.

 

We fly to Salt Lake City in the morning and pick up a car and start the next part of this adventure.