Sleeping in Seattle

Our B&B in Seattle was gorgeous…. when we found it!

Situated on 'Millionaire's Row' in Capitol Hill and surrounded by equally impressive homes, Shafer Baillie Mansion was not particularly well lit or clearly numbered for a night time arrival but after the cabbie sprinting up and down the street we eventually located it and were not disappointed.

This 102 year old building was built by a brewer initially but as Prohibition came to Washington two years before the rest of the US, he didn't live there long. The current owners have extensively renovated the building and furnished it beautifully and we had booked the 'Southwest ballroom.'

The best thing about the mansion though, is that it is literally on the same street as Bonnie and Sam's apartment, they are a few blocks walk away (down the non Millionaire's end) but very convenient nonetheless.

After dropping our bags in our room we set off, passing ornate houses decorated with stunning Christmas lights to find Sam and Bonnie's first home. Although we had seen Sam for the bike pick up in Vancouver, we hadn't seen Bonnie for nearly six months and the reunion extended until nearly midnight as we made plans to meet after breakfast the next day.

Next day, with the temperature hovering around a balmy 8C we headed off to Wallace Falls State Park where we met up with Bonnie's twin, her hubby and his parents.

Situated about an hours drive north east of downtown Seattle, the park boasts an 265-foot waterfall and verdant old-growth coniferous forests. We made it to the lower Falls with numerous photo stops en route.

We finished the day in style with a roast turkey dinner expertly cooked by Bonnie and enjoyed with the rest of our hiking party over several glasses of wine.

Thursday brought a typically rainy Seattle day and probably against Sam's inclination, Russell and I wanted to reacquaint ourselves with the iconic Pike Place Market which we had last visited together in 2007.

The market didn't disappoint, we spent some time checking out the local artisans and food stalls culminating in a visit to Sam's workplace and Bonnie's favourite spice store.

Our flight on Friday didn't leave until 6pm so visiting the Boeing factory at 9.30 am made good use of our last day. The 90 minute tour was very informative and nearby Mukilteo provided a waterside brew pub for lunch and a great view of the ferries servicing the nearby islands.

Back in the apartment for afternoon tea, it was time to re pack the bags one last time before saying our farewells to Sam who was heading off to work whilst Bonnie drove us to the airport.

Picturesque Mt. Rainier dominated the skyline as we headed down the I-5 toward the airport, hoping the check in staff would be sympathetic to our excess luggage and wondering when we would be back to visit.

 

 

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