Seattle
Originally posted @ 8/31/2005 5:28 AM
Three days of pure bliss. I never would have imagined taking a four year old on vacation could be so relaxing and fun. Hearing her greet everyone in a uniform with "Hi pilot!" The smile on her face as the airplane left the ground was priceless. Emma realized something the rest of us took for granted: she was flying. As the ground rushed away and the clouds filled the portals, she squealed with delight. For four solid hours, she was in awe. From the tray table to the tiny potty, it was truly the adventure of a young lifetime. Then came the landing, no detail escaped her. The sound of the landing gear opening, the initial bump when the plane hits the runway, the flaps opening and the overwhelming whoosh that accompanies it all. Children have the power to make anything seem magical.
The city itself is a marvel. For a child of Generation X, it will always hold a certain cache that no other place can match. Napa may be paradise on earth, but Seattle is just plain cool. The mountains, the trees, the lakes, the islands, it's just unbelievable. Standing at Pike's Market and being able to see mist swirling around Mount Rainier in the distance is overwhelming. We visited so may amazing places: Pike's Market, the Seattle Aquarium, Woodland Park Zoo, Boehm Chocolates in Issaquah (a mandatory stop for the two chocolate addicts in my life), Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville (a beautiful town), Red Hook Brewery, and downtown Bellevue where the waitress at SeaStar was nicer to Emma than she needed to be and the food was better than we expected. Emma proudly exibited her best manners throughout the trip. She even went so far as to explain to us that her manners were going to be so good that she wouldn't even pass gas (not an exact quote). Sue and I even got to enjoy a tasting at Chateau Ste. Michelle, a destination we've always talked about but never expected to see on this trip. All with this wonderful, amazed, smiling four year old in tow.
Oh, did I mention the coffee? I always thought it was an exaggeration but, there truly are coffee shops everywhere in Seattle. I don't just mean Start Buck’s although, you can’t throw an empty Star Buck’s cup without hitting one. Tiny photo-mat looking drive-thru coffee shops, hip Bohemian coffee shops, chains I've never heard of, you could try a different place every day and never have to visit the same place twice.
I could live anywhere in the world as long as I had my two girls with me. If I had my choice, I'd want to live in Seattle. There's always retirement. I can't forget to thank my wonderful wife for arranging absolutely everything. All I have to do is show up and enjoy the ride. Thanks honey!
Three days of pure bliss. I never would have imagined taking a four year old on vacation could be so relaxing and fun. Hearing her greet everyone in a uniform with "Hi pilot!" The smile on her face as the airplane left the ground was priceless. Emma realized something the rest of us took for granted: she was flying. As the ground rushed away and the clouds filled the portals, she squealed with delight. For four solid hours, she was in awe. From the tray table to the tiny potty, it was truly the adventure of a young lifetime. Then came the landing, no detail escaped her. The sound of the landing gear opening, the initial bump when the plane hits the runway, the flaps opening and the overwhelming whoosh that accompanies it all. Children have the power to make anything seem magical.
The city itself is a marvel. For a child of Generation X, it will always hold a certain cache that no other place can match. Napa may be paradise on earth, but Seattle is just plain cool. The mountains, the trees, the lakes, the islands, it's just unbelievable. Standing at Pike's Market and being able to see mist swirling around Mount Rainier in the distance is overwhelming. We visited so may amazing places: Pike's Market, the Seattle Aquarium, Woodland Park Zoo, Boehm Chocolates in Issaquah (a mandatory stop for the two chocolate addicts in my life), Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville (a beautiful town), Red Hook Brewery, and downtown Bellevue where the waitress at SeaStar was nicer to Emma than she needed to be and the food was better than we expected. Emma proudly exibited her best manners throughout the trip. She even went so far as to explain to us that her manners were going to be so good that she wouldn't even pass gas (not an exact quote). Sue and I even got to enjoy a tasting at Chateau Ste. Michelle, a destination we've always talked about but never expected to see on this trip. All with this wonderful, amazed, smiling four year old in tow.
Oh, did I mention the coffee? I always thought it was an exaggeration but, there truly are coffee shops everywhere in Seattle. I don't just mean Start Buck’s although, you can’t throw an empty Star Buck’s cup without hitting one. Tiny photo-mat looking drive-thru coffee shops, hip Bohemian coffee shops, chains I've never heard of, you could try a different place every day and never have to visit the same place twice.
I could live anywhere in the world as long as I had my two girls with me. If I had my choice, I'd want to live in Seattle. There's always retirement. I can't forget to thank my wonderful wife for arranging absolutely everything. All I have to do is show up and enjoy the ride. Thanks honey!
posted by Steve at
12:41 PM
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