Seattle

Archie enjoying the curtained bunk beds.
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On Friday it took 14 hours to travel from our hostel in Tofino to the Green Tortoise hostel in Seattle through various combinations of car, greyhound bus, ferry and a rather lopsided luggage-laden shuffle. The border crossing wasn’t simple either. For some reason we, the only Brits in the queue, were singled out (along with an old Indian couple) for fingerprinting, interrogation and general frisking, while the rest of the passengers (a shady looking bunch of misfits and miscreants) were speedily processed with greetings and smiles.

Stanley being a floating head..
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But after a final mad dash from the bus terminal through the dark mean streets of Seattle we arrived at the Green Tortoise and within half an hour the boys had been given juggling lessons by one friendly lady and had been shown how to play various showtunes using the industrial plate sprayer and an assortment of pans by the rather eccentric hostel owner (in full tuxedo, and drinking a vodka cup-a-soup cocktail).

in full tuxedo, and drinking a vodka cup-a-soup cocktail

Pike Place Market, a few steps from the Green Tortoise.
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Having only one day in Seattle we focussed on what we Bates’ do best; food and shopping. Archie had out grown some items and so got new Crocs (how middle class of us) and a new t-shirt. And it was only the stubborn under-stains that were holding my old jeans together so some replacements were called for. Sam had a blissful hour at Sephora replacing cosmetics which were half the price they are in the UK.

Apart from this minor detour, the rest of the day was spent in and around Pike market of which we had read great things, and were expecting something to rival if not surpass St. Lawrence market in Toronto. What we got was something resembling Covent Garden; the food offerings far outweighed by flowers, bric-a-brac and general tat - a big disappointment. Still some of the shops surrounding the market were interesting - the cheese shop made its own cheeses in a small production area separated from the shop by a glass wall against which Archie pressed his nose in wonder for ages. Sam and I had a memorable meal at a very cheap Vietnamese caff, and judging by the queue, the Russian bakery was not to be missed either (unfortunately we did).

Stanley & Archie enjoying another healthy meal. Ahem.
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And that was our day in Seattle, that evening we sauteed some king prawns from the market for our tea and drank too much wine (half the price than in Canada by the way) with the rest of the oddballs at the hostel and then to our curtained bunk beds in preparation for another long journey tomorrow.