Saturday, September 10, 2011

Seattle Day Trip

Ron and I left Sequim for the Bremerton Elks - $15 a night, but just a ferry ride away from Seattle. Twice in one week, we took a ferry to explore a major city.

There was no comparison in the prices of the two ferry rides. It was FREE to ride as a passenger from Bremerton to Seattle. They do make you pay to leave Seattle, but even that was a bargain at $7.10 for me and $3.55 for Ron.

Leaving Bremerton, we could see the smoke in the Olympic Mountains from a wildfire.


Once in Seattle, we hopped on a FREE bus. Yes, all the buses in the downtown area are free. Amazing. We rode past some lovely old buildings like this one.


Then hopped on the monorail to go see the iconic symbol of Seattle.


When I was there years ago, I remember it costing $18 to ride to the top. Well, maybe I'm remembering wrong, but it's still $18 ($16 for Ron.) We really weren't going to do it, but we figured we could eat a cheap lunch to compensate.


Here are all the people enjoying the views at the top.


You can see the monorail track going into downtown. Both it and the Space Needle were built for the 1962 World's Fair. Ron and his brother attended it and actually ate breakfast at the top of the Needle. They paid $6 for the ride up AND breakfast!


They took our picture with the hope that we would love ourselves so much that we would buy it. BUT, you could use the kiosk at the top to send it to your email for FREE.


After a filling lunch at McDonalds (looking down from the top of the Needle, we saw the big "M" on their roof), we hopped back on the monorail. (Oh, I almost forgot - $1 for Ron and $2 for me.) That strange structure in the background was also built for the '62 Worlds Fair.


As I get older, everybody seems to look younger and younger. Here's our driver, responsible for our lives, looking about 15 years old.


And we zoomed back downtown.


Where we walked a couple of blocks to see them throw the fish at the famous Pike Place Fish Market. What a hoot! And these are not tiny fish! See it in the corner?

Next we hopped on another FREE bus and went to Pioneer Square to the FREE Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park. What a fascinating event in our history. Such hardship the stampeders endured and most of them never made a nickel.

After a short walk back to the ferry, we said goodbye to Seattle. It was really a pleasant surprise how tourist-friendly the city was. They even have people on bicycles roaming downtown to direct visitors to their destinations. It was really a lovely day and not just because it was reasonably priced.

9 comments:

  1. Seattle certainly has a lot going for it and looks a super place to visit. All those freebies, I wonder if the residents and companies in the Seattle area pay a high Community Charge to cover this. Thanks.

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  2. So pleased that Seattle showed you her best side with sunshine. There are few cities lovelier, at least that I've seen so far. Living for years, just minutes away, I'm like most natives and forget to appreciate the good points.

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  3. Every time I see a picture of the tower, I'm reminded of Mui complaining that the only time he has ever left a restaurant hungry was when we dined at the restaurant up there (small, small portions). (Gift certificate from boss, as back in 1983, we were but a young, penniless couple that had no extra $s for frills.)

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  4. You are so good at finding the free things, that you deserve to splurge on a few. I need to go back there and follow your tips!

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  5. The last time I was at the Space Needle I was 6 months prego with my son (he's 23 now). Hubby and I took the weekend to do a little sightseeing ourselves while I was in Bremerton on my two week active duty for the Navy.

    Thanks for stirring up some great memories! Glad you and Ron had a wonderful time too! Cheers! ~M

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  6. Free is good. Great picture of the two of you, too funny you could email it for free.

    I have to see the Space Needle, looks like fun, even if it's not free. :c(

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  7. I just love Seattle. Can't wait until I can get there again. Pike Street Market and dim sum from the street venders.

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  8. Seattle is on my list .. next summer! So glad you are posting my trip itinerary. Got to love that free transportation.

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  9. Revisiting your Oregon/Washington days. Seems you have done all my homework. I had taken notes on my Mac and now it won't come on. This time paper and pencil and I probably won't remember where I put it. I can't believe it was 2011. Where did the time go? One more month to go and west we go!

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