Just a few minutes from the airport we found ourselves installed in the Travelodge but the fast rapid train line that the website promised into downtown has yet to be built, why oh why do they do that?? So after dumping bags in the room we head out to the road to catch a bus into town. The bus turned out to be good and almost on time but why do buses attract all sorts of strange and interesting characters? The bus ride took about 30mins into the heart of the city and even went underground downtown to loose your bearings all together.

So we spent a happy afternoon wandering around the city, waterfront and the markets. The boardwalk they leaflets promise you on the waterfront turned out to be rather disappointing as they fail to tell you that there are also 2 flyovers that pass within earshot, on further research we were informed that there are plans to rip those out and reroute them away from what is a stunning harbour.

The highlight of the day was Pike Place market where there are fresh produce stalls selling their wares. The most entertaining was a particular fishmongers where they draw the crowds in with a theatrical display of tossing and throwing fish at each other. They could all do really well in a Gilbert and Sullivan opera but I'm not sure about the fish selling. Most people like us were just watching and taking photographs instead of buying fresh salmon, crabs and oysters.

Almost another religious experience was undertaken by a visit to the original "Starbucks" just over the road from the market where the empire was kicked off with a small coffee shop in 1972. We were all a bit confused when the date above the shop displayed 1923 in antique gold leaf. We thought it was the locals displaying their rich sense of all be it modern history but it turns out to be the street number!!

The following day R and I try out the delights of the air museum near the huge Boeing factory and spent a few happy hours wandering around the planes and displays. We were honored to be welcomed aboard Airforce One (all be it by a spotty college student working the summer holiday) and viewed the interior. Then across the tarmac was Concord where we got to walk through the front cabin then admired the outside.

After that it was time to head back into town where the girls had headed into the library and art gallery. They were both really impressed with the library both the building and the activities within. We headed out to the Space Needle on the monorail but the sun was really hot and we could not find the energy to join the long line to reach the top so we found some shade to rest a while before heading back to our room. On the Sunday we had booked the ferry to take us the 90 miles to Vancouver Island and we were very impressed when the taxi we ordered turned out to be a limousine (not a stretch one!) to whisk us to the ferry pier.

They say Seattle is known for its rain but we very hot sunny days the whole time we were there and we never saw any sheep!!