I was glad to be heading back to the good old USA, after spending fifteen days in Canada, where my phone was roaming, where I had to convert kilometers to miles, where I had to use loonies and toonies, and where there was a picture of Queen Elizabeth everywhere. Which lead me to ponder, on my many hours on the train, why they call Canadian football the Canadian Football League. I mean, Canada is British right? And to Brits, football is really soccer. So shouldn’t it really be called Canadian American Football League? Anyway, no matter what you call it, the game still doesn’t make any sense.
So I was much more comfortable, more connected, and less confused when we finally arrived in Seattle. We took the Victoria Clipper from Vancouver Island to Seattle. The seats were super comfortable and they had drink service at the tables. It was a pretty ride and went by quick.
The ferry.
When we got in to Seattle we had to go back through Customs. We were obviously a little nervous after what happened to the Husband coming in to Canada (read about that disaster here). But America proved to be welcoming. The agent saw that our passports were US and let us in. No questions. No double checks. I’m pretty sure he didn’t even look at my photo.
Of course it was raining in Seattle when we arrived. We got in taxis and headed uphill to our hotel, Hotel Monaco. It’s a hip, trendy, really pretty hotel. You can even get a pet goldfish when you check in.
The rooms were really spacious and beautifully decorated.
I’m obsessed with the curtains and the wallpaper!
The Husband and I were not ready for bed so headed to the hotel lobby for a drink.
Flight of local wines.
But at 10:30ish the last call was announced and the lights came on. Which was quite a surprise considering there was a good amount of people there. The bartender told us that the pregnant manager decided it was time to close when she didn’t feel like being there any longer.
So we headed out in to Seattle towards Tap House Grill, a bar we loved the last time we were in Seattle. They have a ridiculous amount of draft beers. I mean, a giant wall of taps.
A fraction of the taps.
How do you choose just one beer?
Once we were full of beer we headed back.
The next day we all met at the hotel’s restaurant, Sazerac. The food was pretty good and if you choose not to have housekeeping, they give you $5 off your meal there. Such a cool idea. However, the service in the restaurant was very disappointing. At one point the waiter bumped in to my chair so hard he actually wedged me up against the table, and he didn’t even acknowledge that he did it, let alone apologize. I practically had to beg for coffee, and forget getting a spoon to stir it with.
After our terrible breakfast experience I went with grandma, mother, and John to Pike Place Market. The flowers were so beautiful and it’s always fun to watch the guys throw the fish. I made a mental note to return in the morning for breakfast instead of eating at the hotel.
Grandma’s favorite flower at the market.
After we walked through the market twice everyone else headed back to the hotel and I headed to Yard House to watch football. I really freaking love Yard House. They have the best beer selections and the menu is like ten pages long. In the mood for a salad? No problem. Chicken wings? Sure. Tofu wings? Not a problem. Seriously. I would nearly die of happiness if one opened in Tampa.
So we cheered on the Bills, and of course the Seahawks, while we sat and drank beer all afternoon. I’m just glad the Bills didn’t play at 1:00 that week. Even I would have felt a little weird drinking and watching football at 10 in the morning.
The next morning the Husband and I headed to the market to get breakfast for everyone. We got there early and didn’t have to wait in line for the delicious little doughnuts that had a huge line the day before.
So delicious.
After breakfast it was time to load up our luggage again and head to the airport, where a big surprise was waiting for grandma!