OK - maybe a few pictures!

Here is a really bad shot of the eagles from the train - there were so many so close together.

O & K on the very long, very high bridge that we walked over to get to Granville Island. We got smart on the way home and took a water taxi and didn't have to walk about 10 blocks out of the way!

Granville Island - grabbed a bite to eat before heading back to the condo.

Sunset over False Creek

Vancouver

No pictures today! I did try to take some pictures of the eagles feeding along the ocean that we could see from the train but try taking a moving eagle from a moving train! Not easy. We saw dozens of eagles - it was pretty cool! Our condo is great -we are on the 24th floor - floor to ceiling windows - great view. We took some time to relax this afternoon after we got in and are going to go out to look around and find some dinner after a while.

Van Aukens, Robertsons and Jane S. made it in last night and were looking forward to a great day in Seattle. Tomorrow they take the train tomorrow morning and we will all be together to take on Vancouver.

More from Seattle

We decided that we liked our trip over to Bainbridge Island so much that we wanted to go to Victoria which is on Vancouver Island. Instead of spending 8 hours (each way!) on the Washington State Ferry that we would spend the extra money and take the Clipper which only takes 2.5 - 3 hours.

Parliament Building Sailboats in the harbor

The Empress Hotel More sailboats in the harbor!

The Empress is a famous landmark. You can have high tea there in the afternoons which we didn't do. We opted for lunch at a tea room instead. Victoria was settled by the British and has a definate English flair. We wandered around quite a bit and did a little shopping - there were a lot of shops. We were actually a bit disapointed in Victoria - had expected something a little more quaint and instead there are condos all over the place and everything was quite expensive to do.

We watched the float planes land in the harbor while waiting for the Clipper back to Seattle.

LAST DAY IN SEATTLE

We have walked so much in the past three days and thought we would take it a little easier today. HA! We did sleep later and had a leisurely breakfast and then decided we would walk over to the big REI store which is very close to the hotel. And then we walked some more ..... back down to Pikes Place Market area and went to the Aquarium which was pretty good but very crowded being the Memorial weekend - tons of kids.

After the aquarium we ate at Iver's again. There are two parts to Iver's - a really nice place inside where we ate the first night and an outdoor walk-up fast food area. We ate outside this time and the big thing is to feed the seagulls and they part much know that you are going to share your french fries with them! They will take them right out of your hand.

The city of Seattle was originally built too low and would "flood" twice every day when the tide came in. After the city burned down in a big fire in the 1880's, the city planners decided to "raise" the level of the city - but the merchants couldn't wait for the seven year plan and went ahead and built they stores back up at the lower level. Eventually the project to raise the city caught up with those buildings and new streets were built above the lower levels and the sidewalks. Those remain below the streets and one of the "things to do" in Seattle is the Underground Tours - which we did. It was interesting.

Seattle is a great place to people watch! There are these bike taxis all over the place.

Our time in Seattle is up. We are on the train to Vancouver early tomorrow morning. We both agree the trip to Bainbridge Island was the best thing we did while here but enjoyed the Space Needle, Pikes Place, seafood, drinking coffee, seeing Puget Sound and more. The Robertsons, Van Aukens and Jane should be here anytime. It will be interesting to hear what they do and what they think.

Day Two in Seattle

We started the day at the Starbucks (there really is one on just about every corner) and then to the Space Needle. It was really sunny but a little too hazy to see Mt. Ranier very clearly.

The best part of the day was taking the Washington State Ferry over to Bainbridge Island - it was sunny and a beautiful ride over. It only takes about 35 minutes and only cost about $7 for both of us. We ate at Doc's Marina Grill - fish and chips and clam chowder and wandered around a little and then headed back.

Seattle from the ferry

The marina on Bainbridge Island

The return trip

Not Sleepless in Seattle

We (K and O) left KC on the 20th - great flight - no problems. As you come into Seattle, you have a great view of Mt. Ranier (if it is not too cloudy!). We also could see Mt. St. Helens.

After settling into the hotel, we had plenty of time to walk down to Pikes Place Market - a Seattle landmark - the fresh fish vendors put on quite a show throwing the fish around.

We walked along the waterfront and had dinner at another Seattle favorite - Ivers Acres of Clams - our first fresh seafood - it was so much better than Kansas seafood! After dinner we walked up to Pioneer Square and by then the two hour time difference was catching up with us so we called it a day. And we slept great - not sleepless at all!

Not about Alaska!

For those of you who might interested, these are pictures of Kurt and TIffany's new house as it looked the first time we saw it. The picture inside is from that day also and looks entirely different now with the kids' own stuff. It is a great house, wonderful yard and they love the location. Mike walks right through the backyard to the parking lot of the high school.

Aunt Caroline and Oliver's will love these steps next Thanksgiving - much easier to navigate.

A note - my (Kris) picture is pretty lame - Kate and I fixed a tea party to take over to Aunt Carolin's last summer and Kate was very sure we needed to dress up for that - so we did! Unfortunately that was the only useable I could find on the computer - I was pretty glammed up!

KS signing in

Just look at us old folks, blogging away. Next thing you know, we'll have Facebook pages and Twitter!