Day 8
The alarm clock sounded early Sunday morning, we headed to Seattle, Washington. This was an extra special day-trip because it was the first time Brad and 'Turtle' has been in the USA. The Dodge Journey seamlessly crossed the border at Mission BC, and our arrival in the major western city was just as smooth.
Our initiation to the city began with browsing through Seattle's iconic Pike Place market. I was overwhelmed by the assortment of seafood vendors, it's certainly worth observing. We then met a contingent of tourists near the entrance of the market for a Seattle free walking-tour. Our guide Joe led us up and down the hilly streets, making stops at historical landmarks along the way. I was impressed by his vast knowledge of Seattle.
This was the third free walking-tour I've done; each has served as a great introduction to the respective city I was visiting. Joe's tour specifically targeted history. I enjoyed learning about Seattle's ties to the Yukon gold rush, and its architecture that's built on sandy beaches, but I did feel our guide's history lessons were a little exhaustive at times. The growing tech industry, prolific sports teams, and Seattle-based coffee chain Starbucks were discussed minimally.
The next event on our itinerary was a Seattle Mariners baseball game. We followed the several others wearing white Seattle jerseys to Safeco Field only to wait in line for nearly an hour before we were admitted into the game. We never did find out the reason for the delay, but were assured by a regular fan that this wasn't usually the case.
The Safeco Field staff gifted each fan a replica Edgar Martinez jersey, the giveaway was part of a weekend commemorating the beloved baseball player who was apart of the Mariners up until 2004. Had any of us been more informed of this pro baseball team and, we likely would have arrived earlier.
Overall, I was impressed by the cleanliness of the venue and the design to this beautiful baseball stadium. The strong support of vocal Mariners fans also made it easy to buy into it too. Unfortunately, the Mariners came up short on the diamond, losing 4-2 to the Los Angeles Angels.
Tired out from a long day in Seattle, we exited the city after the game and headed back towards Canada. Right before the border, we pulled into a Red Robin Restaurant in Burlington (identical name to the city outside of Toronto). The burgers and and bottomless fries filled each of us up with truly American food.
I wouldn't give Seattle a raving review as a city, but I would go back and further explore. It was a great way to spend my last full day of our trip.
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