These past several days, Lucy, my parents, and I have been seeing the Northwest by boat, car, and foot. My mom and dad came ready to visit us with notebooks full of researched destinations, from the Olympic Peninsula to the Troll Under the Bridge. We had a nonstop trip full of sightseeing.
We began in Seattle by car. Here we saw everything and anything historical, botanical, and touristic. We strolled the famous fish throwing Pike Place and ate at a crumpet shop, toured historical Capitol Hill, esteemed the beautiful Queen Anne area (which is so close to my heart), shopped at the University District, viewed the Locks in Ballard, and the pondered the curious Troll Under the Bridge.
On the last leg of my parents' visit, we hopped the ferry to the Olympic Peninsula. The first day we drove all the way to the coast, marveling at all the beauty along the way. We beheld the most amazing lake, Lake Crescent. When we got to the coast, we hiked out to this great beach at La Push. By the end of the hike, unfortunately, my parents were on their death beds. After that, we drove to Forks. (Yes, we were a bit curious about the Twilight craze. If you are a Twilight fan visiting Forks might be right up your alley). All in all, I'd call that day quiet impressive.
Each night during our sightseeing of the Olympic Peninsula, we stayed in Port Townsend. Port Townsend is a quaint, Victorian town overlooking a beautiful bay. On the second day, we took a ferry across the straight to Victoria, BC. This was an awesome day. On the ferry ride, we enjoyed the bluest sky and water and saw several dolphins. Then when we arrived in Victoria we ate crepes, strolled the downtown, and had high tea at the Empress Hotel.
On our final day, we ascended into the Olympics to Hurrican Ridge. I was once again awed by the beauty of the Northwest and God's creation. I wanted to sing like Maria did, "The hills are alive with the sound of music."
We arrived back in Seattle fatigued, but filled with great experiences and memories.
