Sep 17, 2015

Hello there! Sorry for a bit of a long pause between posts. I had a such a dreamy weekend out on the western side of the US + this week I am watching my parents’ puppy (he is the cutest, fluffiest, and most active thing ever.) Getting back into the blogging groove has been a bit of juggle.

Before last weekend I had never been further west than Salt Lake City, as I typically travel east to visit family.  Needless to say I was anxious to finally spend a weekend with friends in a  new place.  Our weekend was filled with quite literally breathtaking views one day and with the hustle and bustle of city life the next.  And of course we snuck some wine in every day – all thanks to Seattle.

Our first day was spent hiking up to Summit Lake. My friends are one of those awesome outdoorsy couples who absolutely love spending the weekend away in the woods, so they make the perfect guides for an outdoorsy newb like me.  They took me to their favorite lookout spot that literally looks like it’s photoshopped with Mount Rainier looming in the background.  Summit Lake was unbelievably clear (and unbelievably cold!)  We had hopes of taking a quick dip, but letting my feet soak for more than a minute was almost unbearable.

I have grown up around mountains all my life, but no matter what, I couldn’t get used to the view of Mount Rainier.  For those used to the Rock Mountains like me, imagine if they were about 20,000 feet high compared to their 14,000 feet maximum – that will give you a rough idea of just how much Mount Rainier towers above everything.  I could go on for days about how breathtaking Mount Rainier is, but the only way you can truly understand is to go see it for yourself!

Our second day was spent in downtown Seattle.  Of course I had to go and see Pike’s Place, the original Starbuck’s, and the infamous Seattle pier.  As a current Wyoming resident, seeing so many flowers and so much fruit in the same place at the same time was unreal!! (Apparently other places have more than just tumbleweeds growing.) 

We were lucky enough to see a couple of fish thrown!  And only some were dropped.

I also learned that there is an underground sidewalk system in Seattle!  These purple skylights were once clear, but due to the manganese buildup over the years they have changed colors.  The sidewalks are no longer in use, but they do have tours that take you to the underground parts.

One of the weirdest things I saw was the infamous gum wall in Seattle.  For those who have yet to hear of this phenomenon, it’s quite literally an alley way filled with old gum stuck on the walls. I’m not gonna lie, it was so so gross… 

But by far my most favorite part of the trip was taking a quick ferry ride out to Vashon island.  We spent the afternoon roaming the island for wineries and soaking in all the views.  I honestly wish we could have devoted an entire day to this little island since we only got to visit one winery and one distillery!  Oh well.  All the more reason to return.

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After a weekend literally filled with wines and pines, my cubicle life is seeming especially drab.

Have any of you lovelies been out to the Seattle area?  I loved it so much, and thanks to Lauren, my friends have some great places to check out for their next Seattle trip.  My next visit… to the west coast shoreline!