Sightseeing in Seattle

After an awful night's sleep originating from a combination of jet lag and poor quality pillows (what you would expect from a 2 star Days Inn), we set off to check out Seattle starting with the 'waterfront'. Well, apart from a few piers adorned with cruising companies, there really was nothing else to see. No people, no open shops, no traffic, no life. A rather industrial looking place, we made a call to go and get breakfast instead - the steep sidewalks running up and down from the waterfront getting the heart going.

After a US sized portion of charcuterie hash we opted to visit the Space Needle. $60 (for 3) and an elevator ride later we found ourselves peering through a mesh fence out to the views of Seattle and Mount Rainier. A trip full of commercial nonsense but a must to see the sights and get a birds eye view of Seattle.

We headed to Lake Union where we clocked up a 10 mile walk - for future visits, a car is a must. A few pit stops were made along the way including an authentic American bar (complete with diner stools) and a store to finish our xmas present shopping.

Despite every intention to head out to dinner later that evening, we all fell asleep by 7 - so rock n' roll!

Day two of our sightseeing trip starts with a tour of the underground tunnels in Seattle, by far the highlight of the trip, traipsing around the tunnels underneath the sidewalk listening to the history of the city from a midget comedian named Dan.

As always with Dylan and I, we start to plan what we will have for meals way in advance and for today's lunch, Dylan has decided to recreate man vs food at The Crab Pot. For those that haven't heard of this, man vs food is a TV programme that follows an American guy around different restaurants, challenging himself to eat wacky food or consume huge portions. On this occasion, the guy ate two Alaskan crab feasts and it is this dish that we choose when ordering (albeit only one...and to share between 2). We are each given a bib, a wooden mallet and board to thwack the crabs into submission, within seconds, an eager Dylan has crab shell flying in all directions.

Bibs off and crabs pulverised, we took a short walk to Pike Place Market. A trip here can't be complete without a coffee from the Original Starbucks. The queues were coming out of the door but we persevered and bought a coffee that tasted exactly the same as one purchased back in London - who knew! Totally worth it though I thought; although Nicholas (Dylan's brother) would tend to disagree, having waited outside for the past 20 minutes twiddling his thumbs in the rain as there is no inside area to sit down.

The next day we wake very early and catch a ferry from Seattle, across the border to Salt Spring Island, Canada via Victoria, Vancouver Island. Orca whales came to say hello as we left the Puget Sound, unfortunately too quick for my amateur photography skills to capture (note to self - read the camera manual now I have time on my hands). At Victoria we were greeted by Dylan's mum and post the kisses and hugs, headed for yet another ferry to our final destination - Salt Spring Island.

It was a chilly, overcast day, yet it lost non of the overall beauty of the place. A flat sea separates a clumsy arrangement of rocky islands. In the distance you can see the snow covered mountains belonging to the mainland. The occasional boat putters between the islands and save for the odd car noise, the place is dead quiet.

I could get used to this!