Julia and Scott in the Great
Northwest
The Journey
An otherwise uneventful Friday. Save
for the departure of two young travelers, bound for adventure (after a very
long plane trip).
Cut to
1. Cousins Rhonda and Greg, 2. Mini family reunion, 3.Olympic national park, 4. Victoria, 5. Vancouver Island, 6. Vancouver, 7. Curlew, Washington, 8. Outside of Portland, Oregon, 9. Mt. Hood and the Deschutes River, 10. Seattle
After a grueling 7 hours of travel (aren't 20th century people wimps), we
arrived at the home of our delightful hosts for our first 2 days in the Seattle
area, Scott's cousin Rhonda and her family, Greg, Danielle, and Dustin.
As for the quality of our stay, let me just say that I highly recommend
the Greg and Rhonda Bed and Breakfast to any traveler. (But I hear it's really
tough to get reservations.) Thanks again, guys, we had a blast.
On Saturday, we drove down to Tacoma area, where several of Scott's
relatives met us for an amazingly good Salmon dinner (caught by my cousin in
Alaska) and get together at Scott's cousin Renee's house. Uncle Ed and
Aunt Jane, Cousins Renee, Rhonda, and Deana were there with their families.
On Sunday, we drove through Seattle to a Ferry and crossed Puget Sound over
to the Olympic National Park. We leisurely drove up along the coast of
the sound, stopping in little towns to shop and site see, then headed up
Hurricane Ridge for some fun in the snow (yep, snow).
Views of the Puget Sound Coast
Julia on the Ferry to Victoria A view from the top of Hurricane Ridge
On top of the ridge
The wildlife on Hurricane Ridge was practically tame. We saw dear, bears, and mountain beaver (or malamute [?], we couldn't quite tell).
From the park area, we ferried across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the City
of Victoria. Victoria is like a miniature England, complete with flower
gardens and high tea.
The Empress Hotel (a landmark), and a street performer.
Lots of Native American art, like this totem pole.
A view of a residential area in Victoria from the scenic coastal drive.