Trina & Gina's Holiday Day in Seattle

Yesterday, Gina and I ventured out to Seattle for a day of fun! We live across the street from the Bellevue Transit Center. I'm embarrassed to say that Dick and I have lived here for an entire year and it wasn't until yesterday that I took the bus. Gina is a pro at the bus system - she started using it immediately after she and John moved here over the summer. I asked her if we could plan a day in Seattle, taking the bus, and to look at all the holiday decorations in downtown Seattle. We had an absolute ball! I also feel great about having my first bus ride under my belt. It's a very simple (and nice!) system, and now I'll feel comfortable taking it on my own.

The buses are really nice. I mean really nice. I think I'm a little too used to riding MUNI around San Francisco. The buses in San Francisco aren't as clean, and we tend to get some more colorful characters riding with you at any given time. The buses here in Seattle are like "resort" nice! They are large, clean, and everyone who I saw riding them yesterday was quiet and respectful of the buses.

We took the bus from Bellevue to the University Ave station downtown. (it first stopped in the International District and around Pioneer Square). We hopped off about a block away from Pike's Place where we started our morning.


Gina, showing me how to use the Orca Card machine


Pike Place, with a few Christmas decorations

First stop: Breakfast!
We ate at an adorable crumpet place at Pike Place Market that Gina has had her eye on, but hadn't visited before. It was SO good! They make fresh crumpets while you watch. We had the seat right next to the window to watch them being made!!


crumpets being made


Gina with her crumpet, and the perfect spot in the store

We walked around Pike Place for a while, then walked into the Downtown area.

We first went to the Sheraton Hotel to see the Gingerbread houses. Gina and her husband had come on a weekend a couple of weeks ago, and she said it was really crowded with people and it had a huge line to see. Lucky for us, we went on a Wednesday afternoon, so there were only a few people.

Here are some photos that I took of some of the Gingerbread "houses":











Next, we walked over to the Fairmont Hotel. The Christmas decorations (and Tree!) here were beautiful!


the main entrance to the Fairmont Hotel. Very nice display with Santa checking his list


The main tree in the Fairmont Lobby


one side of the Fairmont's gingerbread house


the Fairmont Lobby

We also came to the Fairmont to see the "Teddy Bear Suite" that apparently, they put up each year in one of the hotel suites. Gina and John came here a couple of weekends ago, and John was pretty freaked out by all the bears. Admittedly, it was a bit overwhelming, but lots and lots of cute teddy bears!


the entrance to the Teddy Bear Suite


Gina made a new friend


the bed of bears


more bears on the bed!


We took this selfie with the bears to send to John at work - just to freak him out all over again! ;)

Walking around Downtown, we saw the Seattle Humane Society's Adoption Bus. Gina volunteers at the Humane Society here, so it was nice to see this bus and and about with lots of kitties looking for their forever homes.


Bus 'o kitties


a cool Jimi Hendrix statue downtown

After walking around downtown a bit, walked about a mile and a half up to Capitol Hill. Gina and John's favorite bakery is here, so we stopped in for a twice-baked chocolate croissant! Oh, my!! So delicious!


Bakery Nouveau


twice baked chocolate croissant!

After our snack, we walked back downtown to catch the bus back home. The bus ride in the morning only took about 20 minutes, but the one back home, during rush hour took almost an hour. It was a really nice ride, though!


One of the bus transit centers downtown


We walked 7.5 miles! not bad!!