shadowmeboy

So we start heading back to the Hotel area to go get some dinner. You can see some of Seattle's homeless campers in this picture. It has gotten really bad. Norwegian Sun docked at the Container Terminal. So we headed to Red Robin in Des Moines, WA for dinner. Tower of Onion Rings! Whiskey River BBQ wrap with Sweet Potato fries Blurry picture of Maria's burger with bacon Trace got a Mushroom Bacon Burger I got a Bacon Cheeseburger, but somehow didn't get a picture. Lets just say, one this day at this location, Red Robin had horrible service. It was such as disappointment. After dinner, we headed back to the hotel to rest up for tomorrow! It's finally Embarkation Day! Yippee!! --

After finishing up at the Space Needle and Kerry Park, we headed to the Ballard Locks. We headed to the Magnolia side, so we could see them without much walking. All of our feet were shot with all the walking we did yesterday and today. Fisherman's Terminal - This is where a lot of the Alaskan Crab and Salmon fleets are based out of. Ships like the Wizard and Northwestern from Deadliest Catch call this home. Ballard Locks with an Argosy Locks Cruise coming out of the small lock. I looked at my phone and saw what time it was! Amtrak Empire Builder Time! This bridge was built in the early 1900's by the Great Northern Railroad. It is in great shape and well made. They just don't make things like they used too anymore! By the way, you can't tell I like trains, right? Here is the video of the Empire Builder! Also here is the video of the Space Needle

So we left Chihuly Garden and Glass and made the long walk next door to the Space Needle. Waiting in line for our time slot to be called. Poster while making our way up the ramp to take the Elevator up. Looking down on the Gift Shop. When you come down the Elevator, you get dropped off in the Gift Shop. Looking North - The three towers are on Queen Anne Hill. Lake Union is to the right. On the far end of Lake Union past the bridge is the University District and the University of Washington. Looking Northwest - Queen Anne Hill is on the right with Uptown laid out in front. The cruise ship is at Pier 91. The hill in the distance is Magnolia. Puget Sound on the left with the Olympic Peninsula and Olympic Mountains in the far distance. Max's M wanted a picture! There we are! Looking West-Southwest - Science Center is at the bottom of the picture with the 4 white Arches; Seattle Waterfront and Puget Sound; Alki is across the water. Looking South-Southwest - Downtown and the Waterfront; You can see the ferry terminal and the Norwegian Sun in the distance near Harbor Island. Another look West-Northwest Looking South-Southeast - Downtown Seattle Washington State Ferries, the Norwegian Sun, and Harbor Island Looking East-Northeast - South Lake Union and Capitol Hill I love watching the ferries. Downtown One floor down from the Observation Deck is where the restaurant used to be. They have made it a revolving glass floor. You are looking down on the Chihuly Garden and Glass. The obligatory picture from Kerry Park on Queen Anne Hill!

I am glad you liked it. So many people just stay Downtown, but there is so much more outside Seattle proper to see and do. We tried to do unique things to give a true Northwest experience.

Video from Woodland Park Zoo Video from Chihuly Garden and Glass -- I am going to stop here for tonight.

I was blown away by the Chihuly Garden and Glass. I was not expecting it to be as great as it was. I highly recommend visiting here as part of your visit to Seattle. Plus its right next to the Space Needle.

We got lunch at a Northwest classic, Taco Time! Somehow I forgot to get pictures. I was not on the food this day. Museum of Pop Culture at Seattle Center - We decided to skip this attraction. Wow! Max's M wanted a picture with one of the Chihuly Glass installations.

The Bear was very cooperative on the pictures! We were getting warm, tired, and thirsty. So we headed out to get some lunch and head to the next attraction.

Nope! No Thank you

I thought Trace was the only photobomber!

Tuesday, July 5th, 2022 - PreCruise Day 3 of 3 Today would have been the embarkation day for the Norwegian Sun cruise. Unfortunately, the switch gave us an extra day of exploration in Seattle. We grabbed breakfast at the hotel. Somehow I missed pictures. We headed into Seattle. Our first stop of the day! Woodland Park Zoo! When we had to scramble to fill two days that would have been ship days, we decided to go with a Seattle CityPass. The pass gets you 5 attractions for one discounted price. https://www.citypass.com/seattle You get admission into the Space Needle and Seattle Aquarium and then choose 3 out of the 4 other choices. Your other Choices are: Argosy Cruises Harbor Tour Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) Woodland Park Zoo Chihuly Garden and Glass Since we had a car, Woodland Park Zoo was an easy choice. African Safari Showing off their best side.

Thanks everyone for your kind words! Sorry I wasn't able to jump on yesterday (Sunday). Life got busy and certain things had to get done and that took priority over this unfortunately.

Mt. Rainier was out and showing. We headed to the Cheesecake Factory for Dinner. How do I choose? Trace got Chicken Piccata. Susan got the Thai Coconut-Lime Chicken Maria got the Bistro Shrimp Pasta I got a Chicken Parmesan Sandwich Maria got the Cinnabon Cinnamon Swirl Cheesecake Susan got the Very Cherry Ghirardelli Chocolate Cheesecake. I got the Adam's Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Ripple Cheesecake We headed back to hotel to watch fireworks on TV as it had been a very long day! --

I spy the Norwegian Sun. The Sun was getting repairs done after hitting the Iceberg. It was also taunting us. You can see me but you can't sail on me. Finally we arrived into Seattle. Here is the video from the ferry ride. If you want to see the drive from Tacoma to Bremerton and the then the ferry ride all together, then check out the video below.

Seattle just coming into view! Mt. Rainier Selfie Time! Puget Sound There I am! I got Susan! Trace and Maria with Seattle in the background. Alki Point and Beach

Max's M wanted a picture in front of the fountain. I was tracking the ferry from Seattle. It was starting to get close, so we headed back to the car. Bremerton Dock 1. The ferry arrived and the cars unloaded. Then it was our turn to load! Our boat today is the Walla Walla (named after a Native American tribe here in Washington State, and also a city and county name as well). Its a boat so nice they named it twice! Departing Bremerton WSF Sealth (named after a local Native American Chief) Sinclair Inlet Passing between the Kitsap Peninsula (right) and Bainbridge Island (left) Max's M wanted a picture on the ferry.

From University Place, We passed over the Tacoma Narrow Bridge heading to Bremerton. Bremerton is a Naval Base and Naval Shipyard. The aircraft carrier in the distance is the USS Nimitz (68) and Decommissioned ship USNS Bridge wears the 10. I believe the ship on the other side of the bridge is a sister ship the Rainier. Welcome to Bremerton! We arrived at the Washington State Ferry dock in Bremerton and had a bit of a wait till the next boat due to staffing and boat shortages. We parked the car in line and explored around the dock area. Fountains outside the gate to Naval Base Kitsap - Bremerton by the ferry dock. The North gate is mainly used by workers coming from Seattle from the Ferry. Submarine Tower outside the gate and in the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Memorial Plaza in front of the Puget Sound Navy Museum. The City of Bremerton has a little park squeezed in-between the ferry dock and the Naval Shipyard. This park has really cool fountains!

We made our way from Northwest Trek to University Place, WA. Chambers Bay is located on the water and was a host of the US Open a few years ago. They have a park right on the water, and we took Trace & Maria there to get some South Sound views. Bridge taking people over the train tracks to the water side. I forgot to mention that BNSF and UP run trains by this park. Unfortunately, none were running past while we were there. Trace brought his drone along. Here is the park from the air!

View of the Black Bear from above the enclosure. Nap Time! Barn Owl Snow Owl This lead us back to the Eagle enclosure We finished up at Northwest Trek and headed towards Tacoma for our next part of the Adventure.

We then headed into the smaller Forest Animals exhibits. We did the upper viewing deck first. This was Trace's favorite! @tgloersen Badger River Otter They were eating lunch when we got there. Porcupine We moved to the lower viewing deck. Beaver Badger Trace hanging by the Racoon enclosure, seeing his friends! Max's M wanted a picture with the Racoons! Another shot of the Beaver

Grizzly Bear Chipmunk! White Wolf Wolf habitat Fox habitat The Fox is hard to see, the whole lot was sun bathing. Bobcat Cougar - sun bathing near the middle of the picture. Lynx

When you do a Northwest Trek Wild Drive ($92 per car for up to 8 people), you also get admission to the zoo like part of Northwest Trek. Bald Eagles Frog Species All of Northwest Trek's animals are native to the Pacific Northwest. Black bear Max's M could not bear not getting a picture with the Bear!

Female Bison Filming with the GoPro as we go by! Mountain Goat Male Bison up on the hill. Here is the video from our drive!

Monday, July 4th, 2022 - PreCruise Day 2 of 3 We have a busy day planned! We head south to Puyallup and go to Tim's kitchen for Breakfast. I had never been before, but I would go back. Great decorations! Trace and Maria looked a little tired from the cross country flight the day before. I got a hamburger steak with brown gravy, loaded hashbowns, and eggs over medium. Trace got the Lumberjack Hobo Hash Susan got Breakfast Pizza - It was amazing Maria got the Nutty Pig - Pancakes topped with Peanut Butter and Bacon After breakfast we headed South towards our first activity of the day. We arrived at Northwest Trek for our Wild Drive Tour of the free range area. Max's M had to get a picture! Female Bison hiding in the tall grass. Head of a Male Bison. A slightly better view of him. Trace watching the scenery. Ferns and other native Northwest plant life

I have looked at that in the past, but it typically is at the wrong time of year for both Susan and myself. I am thinking the week long P of A will work the best, with a few days before the cruise to explore.