Seattle Sightseeing: Day 8

This is our last, true vacation day, and we packed in a full day, that's for sure. We were up fairly early and had breakfast down the street from our hotel, at a place called The Mecca. I think we were the only people who weren't 'regulars'. The breakfast was great, and fortified us for the walk to the Pike Place Market.

What can you say about the Market? You can find anything in the world there . . . local art, imported crap, beautiful flowers, vegetables, fruit, low-flying fish, pirates. It's quite a slice of life. Rosie saw her first street people (she had a lot of questions about that), Steve got panhandled by a guy we later saw smoking crack on Pier 66, and a swarm of very realistic pirates came swaggering through the Market, tossing silver doubloons. We sampled fresh fruit, watched the guys at the fish market yell and throw fish, walked down to the pier and fed the gulls. Rosie bought a handmade Seattle pottery piggy bank, and we had a fun conversation with the guy who was selling them.

Lunch was at the Pike Street Brewery so Steve could get a Seattle microbrew. The food was pretty good, and we were able to look across at some apartments at two cats that were coming out onto the deck. Cats . . . we haven't seen many here. Washingtonians love their dogs, but cats are another story. I only saw 2 cats the entire time we were on Orcas Island. We're all needing a serious cat fix.

We walked back to the Mediterranean Inn about 3 pm, stopping along the way at Continental Furniture and at Cherry Street for iced coffee.

In the evening, we walked to the Olympic Sculpture Park and the Space Needle. On the way back, we saw the very bizarre architecture of the Experience Music Project building and the Science Fiction Museum . . . you won't see that in our neck of the woods! We figure we walked at least 10 miles today. I've seen more full-body tattoos and flesh ear tunnels in one day than in my entire previous lifespan!

We bought a bottle of 2004 Flying Fish Merlot at the Space Needle and went up to the 7th floor deck of our hotel to watch the sunset—not anything at all like the sunset on Orcas, but nice anyway. Tomorrow we head back to Indiana, and I think we're ready. Back to work, back to school soon for Rosie, but with lots of new experiences, new friends and happy memories.

Orcas Island Getaway: Our Last Morning

Posting from the Orcas Island Airport, on our way to Seattle.

Orcas Island Getaway: Day 7

It looks like the gods may be smiling on us for our last day on Orcas. We are going to have a beautiful sunset, it appears. Steve and Rosie are on the dock, and I'm sitting on the rise over the beach here at the Beach House.

The pace here on Orcas is so different from ours at home. Is it better here? I don't know. I know sometimes our lives seem humdrum and hectic, filled with the demands of clients, the upkeep of a large house and grounds, the complications of living in a neighborhood of such varied lifestyles. Sometimes it seems overwhelming, and if we didn't have a sense of humor, we'd go crazy.

We've had a wonderful time, even though the weather hasn't met our ideal. We've had so many neat experiences, and Rosie has had the best time on the beach. I was watching her tonight on the dock while Steve photographed the sunset. She was chattering to the people who had gathered on the dock to watch the sunset. I was fearful that she was bothering people who'd come to enjoy the serenity of the sun setting over the ocean. What was she saying to them? I asked her later what her conversations had been.

She told me she'd told people about her hamsters and our cats. Blabber, blabber. Steve said he'd heard people laughing at the things she had told them. Sometimes she surprises me with the things she comes up with. She asked me today, "Is it illegal to impersonate a doctor?" Then later, we were talking about something and she said, "I beg to differ." I don't know where it comes from.

We didn't do much today, just took it easy. We tried to walk around Madrona Point but the Lummi tribe, which owns it, had posted that it was closed. I had to wash a load of jeans at the laundromat, then we ate lunch at a place called Vern's, which was pretty good. For dinner, we had Greek chicken sausages that the organic market in Eastsound was grilling.

Tomorrow, we're off to Seattle. It seems like we have been away so long. I haven't read a newspaper, don't know what's going on in the world. I did get a sad email from our friend, Elizabeth. Her old kitty, Oscar, passed away yesterday at age 17. He was a good old cat. Rest in peace, old fella.

Orcas Island Photos: Day 6

Orcas Island Getaway: Day 6

Another gray, rainy day. We seem to have bad luck with vacation weather. It was really windy last night, but at least it hasn't been cold. We went into Eastsound early, about 8 am, to eat breakfast again at the New Leaf Cafe.

When we came back, we walked along the beach and found 5 or 6 big jellyfish that had washed ashore. They are called Lion's Mane jellyfish, and they are the type that can sting.

Today was our whale watching cruise. The boat left at 1:30 pm from the ferry landing. The captain said whales had been seen on the last 55 trips, so we were bound to see them.

We didn't.

We did see a huge number of eagles, though, at least 20. It was pretty amazing seeing eagles perched on rocks, on trees and flying above us. We saw a number of them on Saturna Island, and on some of the smaller islands we passed, there were a great number of female harbor seals and pups.

The captain said no one knew where the whales had gone, so there was no success in spotting them, but it was still a fun cruise and Rosie had a good time.

After the cruise, we took a scenic drive to Westsound and Deer Harbor. Rosie fell asleep in the back seat. Back at the Beach House, we ate dinner, then did a little eagle-watching from the deck. Steve's pet eagle was back as usual. Later, we watched a movie. Tomorrow is our last full day on the Island.

Even More Orcas Island Sights