After stopping to enjoy some wine and bread in the Columbia River Valley, we arrived at our destination for this trip, Seattle.
Mike was excited about seeing Pike Place, home to the original Starbucks, but we first did the obligatory ride to the top of the Space Needle. As I am uncomfortable with heights, this was an accomplishment. What a view, though, and it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.
Next door to this iconic landmark is Chihuly Garden and Glass, a museum dedicated to the famous sculpturer. His work must be seen to be fully appreciated. Oh, the color and the detail! They also have a cafe that serves yummy food and great wine.
The next day Pike Place Market, home to many shops but especially the fish market, where if you are fortunate, you catch the sight of fish sellers tossing their products and what we came for the original Starbucks. We also tried Russian and Chinese meat pies.
Onward to Portland, Oregon, and the Willamette Valley, known for its numerous wineries. Visting only one, it was a perfectly sunny and comfortable afternoon; our wine expert, Jacob, spent three hours educating us on winemaking and its European origins. We enjoyed three different Pinot Noirs, a refreshing Rose, a Chardonnay, and a new one for us, a Passetoutgrain by Domaine Divio.
