Through my mini-vacation, that is.
Thursday was great. I love going down to the waterfront and the Market. First thing that hits you at the waterfront is the smell. Not a bad smell as in stink, but the smell of salt water and creosote. I guess some people wouldn't like it, but to me it has always had pleasant connotations.
Throw in the cry of seagulls, a few ships horns, the ferry boats, and it is a rich sensory soup. We always stop at Ivar's to get fish and chips. It is as much a part of the outing as having a hot dog at the ball park.
Ye Olde Curiosity Shop is way cool. The upper walls and ceiling are covered with everything you can imagine, and some you couldn't Antique guns, stuffed animal heads, your miscellaneous two headed calf, fake stuffed "Mermaids", a four foot long whale whanger. No matter how many times you have been there, you will always spot something you never saw before. Shrunken heads and two, count-em two real mummies. Oh, and they sell stuff too. Mainly schlock, but some nice native American artwork, and odds and ends. Souvenirs and stuff.
And what can I say about The Pike Place Market. I suppose you should start with the world famous fish flingers. They throw fullsize salmon from the display to the cutters, while doing a comedy routine. It is worth the trip to see them. Nothing like seeing three feet of salmon flying through the air. Once in a while they grab someone from the crowd and put them in between the two counters to supposedly fling a fish over their heads. Only they don't. They have a likesize, lifelike fake they throw right at the hapless victim, who is usually young, attractive and female. Said victim screams and ducks, only to realize they've been had.
Fresh cut flowers, Farm fresh produce. Hand crafted jams and jellies. Crowds of people. A cheese maker. A Bavarian butcher. An Ice Creamery, and of course the original Starbucks. Lot's of little shops selling everything from antique toys to used CDs, leather goods to jade.
We dragged ourselves home, weary, sore of foot, packages firmly in tow, vowing to go back soon.
6 comments:
That sounds like a GREAT DAY!
I would LOVE to visit a store that has shrunken heads! Are they for sale?
(Another blogger friend, Shari, lives in your area. She takes her daughters to that shop as a special treat!)
Renn: I don't think the REAL ones are for sale. but lots of schlocky reproductions are available.
We do the whole tour a couple of times a year.
It never get's old.
I love a good adventure! :)
PQ: I try to mak this particular trip a couple of times a year. We always find something new, plus see some familiar sights. It is always a fun trip.
Pike Place Market is one of my favorite places to hang out in Seattle. Along with the Ivar's right next to the ferry dock. They're both fun places, and fun to people watch from. And good for killing time when I'm heading to/from Port Townsend!
Sarah: It was weird, but when I was away from here for a long time, it was the smell that I missed.
But I still love all of the shops and people watching that can go down around the heart of the city.
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