A Seattle Trip Report of Fun and Anguish (UPDATE)

Day 1 in Seattle (Wednesday)

I like light rails, at least the ones in Minneapolis-St. Paul, so I figured I would try the light rail here. It was a bit of a walk from the airport; about 10 minutes, but not too trying. I had an Orca card but could not figure out where to tap in with it. I asked someone on the train, and she didn't know, but she told me not to worry about it. The train was not really crowded and there was plenty of room, so I didn't feel guilty about using an extra seat for some of my luggage.

Once I arrived at the Westlake, I had a bit of confusion because Google Maps was telling me that the hotel was a 30-minute walk away. I could have sworn that it was just a short distance and I wasn't sure what to do, but I figured I should start walking. So I made my way up 3 escalators then headed out onto street level. I looked at Google Maps again, and suddenly, my hotel was only a 3 minute walk away. Note to self: Don’t get directions while you're three stories underground.

I walked the 3 blocks to my hotel; Inn at the Water, which was really lovely and sat right at Pike Place Market. The room wasn't ready, so I left my luggage, walked back up to the Westlake station and caught the light rail to Lynnwood, as I was meeting up with Mikliz97 from the forum. Once there, I made my way down to the parking lot and eventually found her (there was some confusion on my part about where she was). Once I got in her car, she drove us up to the RoozenGaarde tulip festival. It was raining when I got into Seattle, but Mikliz promised that the rain would stop by the time we got to the tulip festival, and she was right.

We spent the next hour or so wandering the fields and admiring all of the incredible color and beauty. Everything was just gorgeous and the color combinations really set the stage for all its beauty. Afterwards , we had lunch at Calico Cupboard Cafe in LeConner. The town itself was very charming, with lots of cute shops. It was a good thing we didn't stop, or I would have been in serious trouble. The cafe was really nice and my Brussel Sprouts Vegetable Hash was really delicious. And I loved meeting up with Mikliz. She's every bit as charming and fun as she is on the forum, and I really had a blast meeting her!

After that, Mikliz dropped me off at the Lynnwood station and I headed back downtown and checked into the hotel. All I can say is I loved it and would happily stay here again! The lobby was gorgeous, the staff was so friendly and accommodating, and my room was on the eighth floor with a beautiful view of downtown. The bed, especially the pillows, were probably the most comfortable I've ever had, and the whole room was just perfect. And I loved my Nespresso!

I was pretty full from our late lunch so I opted out of dinner and just walked around and checked out the downtown area. So far, Seattle has a really fun vibe, and I loved the archit’ecture, the scenery and all the art that you see on the streets. I decided not to go down to the market, as I had plans to visit there the next morning. My plan was to head back to the hotel’s rooftop terrace.

But first, wine. I googled wine shops and found a nice little shop on 2nd Ave near Stewart called WeRiseWines. It was a great shop with a nice selection and they also served dinner. They specialize in local wines and wineries that are woman-owned or run, and have a great diversity program. It was really interesting talking to her about their mission, and the wine I bought (a red blend from Washington) was quite good.

After that, I walked back to the hotel, grabbed my wine, a good wine glass (yep, the room had those, too) and a book and took the elevator to the fifth-floor roof terrace, which is a really nice feature of the hotel. It has seating areas with fire pits and was a wonderful place for me to sit and enjoy the views of Puget Sound, the boats, and the sunset. It was a perfect evening.

Day 2 in Seattle (Thursday)
It was another early wake up for me so after a quick shower, I walked down to Pike Place Market. It was around 7am and there weren't a lot of people there, except for those handling fish. I was sort of fascinated by it and for the next hour I just walked around exploring the market. I stopped at a place called The Crumpet Shop and had one topped with ricotta and lemon curd. OMG, so good!

When I headed past the initial shops, however, I got a little lost. It was hard to figure out exactly where all the market was and where it wasn’t. My imagination had pictured it as just one big building with tshops and so on, but it's all over the place. By the time I was done, I had sort of figured it out and realized that some of the marketplaces are up on the streets. Along the way, I made the mistake of stopping in another small cafe called Freya, where I bought a pretty wonderful looking pastry and a cappuccino. I was still full from the crumpet, but I stuck it in my bag for later. I told the young woman working there that my granddaughter's middle name was Freya, and so she gave me a couple of stickers for her, which was very kind. They had some beautiful cakes in there that looked incredible.

About an hour later, I pulled the pastry out of my bag and took a couple of bites. I was trying to put it back in my bag when I accidentally hit something and the pastry went flying onto the ground. Sigh. I was trying to grab a napkin so I could throw it away when I suddenly saw a large black bird swoop down, grab the pastry in its beak, and fly off into the air with it. I waved goodbye to my mid-morning snack and went on my way.

Soon it was getting close to 11am, and I was meeting up with KC from the forum, who had offered to come down and pick me up. We were going to meet Linda (also from the forum) at the Nordic Museum so I could see the Ballard Troll and then have lunch. KC picked me up right on time, and I got in her little cute mini sports car and we headed out of downtown and up to the Nordic Museum. She was awesome as well! I've had such wonderful meetups with forum members, and I just love every single one. It's so great being able to put a face to a name, and nobody ever looks like I think they should, so it's kind of a surprise.

Once we got to the Nordic Museum, we met up with Linda and admired the troll. It was really cool! I'd seen photos of it, but the photos really don't do it justice because you don't have a real visual of the size. I was fascinated by the details and how it was built. I would love to have one for my living room! Maybe a small version… 😊 Linda was great too and very funny. I think the three of us really hit it off, and I had such a fun conversation with the two of them. It's always interesting to find out more about people's lives, too.

After the troll, we went into the museum and were getting ready to order our lunch when we heard this huge crash. We looked over and the glass around the fireplace outside the cafe had exploded, I guess from the heat. It was very bizarre, but they were still taking orders, so we went in and ordered our meals, sat down, and enjoyed a wonderful lunch there. Their presentation was just beautiful. And talked about travel and life and lots of things, and finally headed out into the real world.

We said our goodbyes to Linda, then KC took me back to the hotel, although I tried to find out if there was a light rail nearby that I could take because I felt bad about her having to drive me back. However, evidently that's a very controversial subject, as Ballard has been waiting for a light rail station for a while. We chatted some more on the way back, then she dropped me off and I headed to my room to plan the rest of the day.

(Day 2 continued)

Next, I had a hard time deciding what to do. I really wanted to visit the Seattle Art Museum, Chihuly, and see the Space Needle, and take the underground tour at Pioneer Park, but I figured I would leave those for Friday since I would have the whole day to myself. In the meantime, I needed to buy some souvenirs for my grandkids, because heaven forbid I should come back without them.

And that's what I did. I first went to UNIQLO on Pine Street, where I shopped for my 3 older grandkids, as I figured they would appreciate the kind of minimalist casual clothing they sold there. After that, I just wandered around checking out other shops and finding some things for my youngest grandson and my son-in-law. I soon found what I needed at Metsker Maps, which was such a cool store that I had a hard time tearing myself away.

My shopping done, I headed over to Pike Place Market. It was now around 4 p.m. and this is where I can see what everyone is talking about. It was very congested, and not just crowded by people milling around, but crowded with people taking selfies, posing with their kids in the middle of the street (seriously???) and the horrible selfie sticks. I wandered around for a while, checking out some of the goods in De Laurentiis and strolling down Post Alley. Mikliz had mentioned The Secret Garden so I tracked that place down, but even that kind of put me off because it consisted mainly of people rushing in, walking over to the edge, taking a photo of themselves, and then walking out again.

So I left the market and I decided to try the ice cream at Salt & Straw, which is right down the street. I'll be honest, it wasn't my favorite ice cream, and not really even near the top. The two flavors I chose, the Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons and the Chocolate Gooey Brownie, were good, but too sweet for me. Of course, I still ate it all. It's ice cream after all. 😊

After that, I was ready to call it an evening. Shopping always takes a lot out of me, and I feel like I should at some point tell the kids that I can't spend this much time on buying them souvenirs, but so far I haven't been able to get up the nerve. So I went back to the hotel, grabbed another glass of wine, and took it back up to the rooftop terrace and ensconced myself with my book and enjoyed the view again.

Pike Place Market: Someone on the forum wanted to know my impression of the market. I liked it in the morning, as it wasn't too crowded. It was a very atmospheric place and it had some nice shops and places to eat. One yarn shop called So Much Yarn caught my eye, and I wound up buying several gifts for my daughter, including some beautiful wool yarn.

The afternoon was a different story. I can see why everyone recommends that you get there early. It's like a whole different atmosphere between the morning and the afternoon. I would probably avoid it later in the day and stick with early mornings. Even by 9 though, it was starting to get crowded. Between 7:00 and 9:00 seemed to be a good time, at least for me.

Day 3 in Seattle (Friday)

The day started off SO well. My plan was to head to Freya Bakery for another pastry for breakfast (they were really good), then walk down to the Seattle Art Museum as soon as it opened at 10. After that, I wanted to continue my walk down to Pioneer Park, where I would take the Underground Tour. Later in the afternoon I was going to visit the Chihuly Museum and Gardens and see the Space Needle. By the way, when I first checked out Chihuly, I was a little appalled at the price. $45 for a ticket seemed steep, although I soon discovered that the Senior discount brought it down to $37. But it got better. I found out that if you go later in the day, it gets even cheaper. If I waited till 5:30 p.m. to go, it would only be $25. That would still give me two and a half hours to see everything, as it doesn't close till 8 p.m.

The Seattle Art Museum was phenomenal and I loved, loved, loved this museum (including the building, which was so cool). It was amazing and had incredibly creative exhibits here. The indigenous art was just fantastic. I took so many photos because I wanted to remember them forever. I would be in one room and just couldn't tear my eyes away, and then all of a sudden I'd spot something in another room. Pretty soon I was dashing around all over the place. Honestly, I would come to Seattle again just to visit this museum.

Finally I managed to break away and headed for Pioneer Park. The walk was nice, and 1st Ave has some really interesting buildings. As I reached Pioneer Park, I was trying to figure out where the Underground Tour was and began to cross the street. About halfway there, I suddely pitched forward and landed hard on my left knee and right elbow. I won't go into too much detail here since I already wrote a thread about it, but suffice it to say, I was pretty beat up. At least I had the two EMTs that just happened to be there on the spot when I fell and were able to treat me with some bandages and gave me a couple of bags of ice.

They asked if I wanted them to take me to the hospital, but I didn't think I was that bad, so I said no. I knew right away that I wouldn't be able to walk back, and I was debating trying to get a cab. There were none in sight, however, and right in front of me was the Link station, so I opted for that. It didn't occur to me until much later that I could have called an Uber, but my brain was not really thinking. So I very slowly made my way over, figured out where to go to get back up to Westlake, and was soon seated and hoping I would get back to the hotel soon.

I made it back to Westlake, and the only obstacle was when I opted to take the elevator up to the street level. Big mistake. I stepped in, and as the doors closed, I realized that the elevator stunk of urine. I wanted to get out, but I was already moving upward, so I basically stood in one place without moving and certainly without touching anything until the door blessedly opened to fresh air. It was the only bad experience that I had with Seattle, other than the fall, of course. I did see a number of street people, both in the area around Target and then in Pioneer Park, but nobody seemed aggressive.

Anyway, I finally made it back to the hotel and pretty much just laid on the bed, using the ice packs that the EMTs had given me and keeping my leg elevated. I also wrote a thread on this forum so I could figure out how to get a wheelchair at the airport tomorrow, and as always, everyone came through! I don't know what I would do without this forum sometimes. So I called Alaska Airlines, and they were so nice and helpful and told me exactly what to do in the morning. Later on, I slowly got up and packed all my stuff, but luckily I didn't bring that much with me, so it didn't take too long.

Last Day in Seattle (Saturday)

I actually got a decent amount of sleep that night. I fell asleep around 9 pm, and woke up the next morning at 5:00am. I didn't have much to do, so I went down to the lobby early, and requested a cab. The desk clerk told me that it should be a $50 flat rate, and said, "Don't let him tell you differently." The cab got there within just a few minutes, and pretty soon we were zooming our way to the airport. When I say zooming, I mean that he was really driving like a bat out of hell. It was kind of scary, and at one point I asked him if he wasn't worried about getting a ticket (he was going at least 15 to 20 miles above the speed limit). He looked surprised and said, "No, I don't speed." Sure you don’t! But he got me there in one piece.

I walked into the airport, and there was someone waiting with a wheelchair for me. She took me to check my bag and did everything for me there. After that, she wheeled me through TSA Touchless security, and again took care of everything. She finally dropped me off at the gate. It was a weird experience; feeling like an invalid. I wasn't sure what the protocol is for tipping someone like that, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to offer one, and she accepted very graciously.

Soon I was in the air and heading home. Once again, Alaska Airlines came through. My seat wasn't in premium class this time, but it was still comfortable and had plenty of room. Since I checked a bag, I didn't have anything to put under the seat, so I had plenty of room to stretch my leg out. I had a pleasant conversation with the guy next to me, who was a helicopter pilot in the army, stationed in Alaska, and had flown from Alaska to Burnsville, Minnesota in order to buy a used fifteen-year-old Subaru. He told me that he saved $6,000 by doing this, and I believe him. It took him four different flights from Alaska, and then he's driving back.

Finally I was back in the Cities, took the hotel shuttle to my car, and soon was driving north to Duluth. My leg was fine during the driving because I didn't have to use it, thank goodness. I'm really glad at times like this that I have an automatic transmission.

I finally made it home and was happy to be there. The family loved their gifts, so it was worth getting them, and it was nice to relax and not have to worry about getting around with a gimpy leg. Tomorrow, Ortho Urgent Care!

Oh, no! Sorry to hear about your fall. Next time, do the tourist stuff before the souvenir shopping! Glad you were able to get up to see the tulips and to meet up with Mikliz and the others. You have a good list of activities for your next visit.

Mardee,

I’ve been thinking about your trip over the last couple of days because of the lovely weather we were having on Friday (and since). How lucky Mardee is, or so I thought.

I was enjoying your report … until I got to your fall.

Next time you come, I’d love to show you gems you missed at the Market.

Heal well.

Thanks for the report. Sorry to hear of your mishap! Looks like you'll be watching for another cheap flight to Seattle to catch all the other activities.

Terrific trip report, Mardee. It's great to hear you found Seattle and environs in fine form and I hope you heal quickly from your painful spill. Funny how while the mishap was unfortunate at the same you had good luck with the EMTs being in close proximity. Hope you feel you have good reason to return, lots more to enjoy including Overlook Walk, Olympic Sculpture Park, Seattle Center, Ballard Locks and of course the Underground Tour that you missed this go round.

I forgot you were going to Seattle until I saw this trip report title. So happy you (mostly) had a great trip! That fall is a bummer for sure and one big reason I walk around cities (especially) looking at the ground until I can stop and look up at the sights. We used to live in Seattle area and know the places you visited, you picked the good ones! Hoping the Ortho people can give you some options for your pain and figure out exactly what’s wrong. So glad you went tho :-)

G3rryCee, yes, I definitely need to do that. I just figured Friday would be a full day to myself, and it'd be easy to hit all the sites that I had missed so far. Oh, maybe I should just get a better pair of shoes, which is what I plan to do and not shuffle as I walk, which I'm prone to do.

fred, I would absolutely love that! And I will be back, as there are too many places that I want to see and things to do. I really, really loved Seattle. I think next time I will stay longer as well.

CamAmCherie, definitely! At this point, I'd be willing to come out there paying regular price for a fare. I really liked the city a lot.

Theresa, thanks! I definitely have good reasons to return, and I will return. Although maybe next time, I should borrow my granddaughter's shin guards, lol! Or just add padding to my knees.

Sounds like a great trip until the...trip. You made the most of it and the forum folk definitely showed you the best of the season. And sorry your Salt & Straw ice cream experience wasn't as supreme as my typical experience there. At least it wasn't Thanksgiving flavor week (they have things like turkey & gravy...but I usually skip those). I am glad you are home safely and I hope the follow up medical appointments are smooth sailing.

You went to the Nordic Museum but not the Locks? Just 3 city blocks away
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballard_Locks

I think you would have enjoyed the gardens, even if boats going through the locks isn't your thing.

Something to put on the 'to do' list for the next trip, perhaps?

A trip for the books! Glad you were still able to enjoy your time before the other trip.

Great trip report. Your hotel choice sounds perfect- ending your day with wine, a book and the view- what's not to love?

And how fun to meet up with Mikliz, KC and Linda.

I'm glad the EMTs were around to assist you after your fall. To me, that's one of the few cons of traveling alone. Not having anyone to share the mishaps with. Well, that and having to drag your luggage into the stall when using the airport restroom.

Best of luck at Urgent Care tomorrow!

Thanks for the report! I’m glad you saw one of the trolls. They really are awesome. I hope your leg continues to improve.

I'm glad you did have some fun. Thanks for the report, I have visited Seattle SOOOO many times, but now, I've learned some things. A Nordic museum? I've seen the troll, but hadn't heard about the museum. I've been to the Chihuly museum several times, but its so expensive I haven't gone back. I didn't know about the discounts. I'm going to look into the tulip garden you went to. I've heard of Skagit but not where you went.

I agree with Joe, the locks are great. The gardens, exhibits, the salmon, fun and pretty area. My son used to live in Magnolia on the other side of the locks.

Your hotel sounded great. Love me a roof terrace. It sounded much nicer than the couch I usually sleep on when I'm in Seattle! I'm certain I've ridden in the same elevator. PeeU!

You are just so kind everywhere you go! I'm sure the woman on the plane was very grateful for you.

EDITED TO ADD: there is combo pricing with Chihuly and the space needle. Though, a person really needs to go to the space needle, once, if that. Chihuly is definitely worthy of a repeat visit.

I looked up Salt & Straw. I've been there, they are known for innovative flavors. When I was there, some were quite innovative!! I did like my selection, tho, Mardee, yours sounds better. Nothing is too sweet for me, unless we're talking cocktails.

Thank you for your great and detailed trip report. So sorry that you were hurt and I, too, hope you get the care you need so you are in good shape for all the trips you must have upcoming!

Just a quick comment on the Chihuly Museum and Garden: we were there last year and absolutely loved it! My husband didn't really know what to expect and balked initially at the admission price. Once we walked in though, his tune changed immediately. Well worth the cost, to say the least. One of the most stunning places I have ever seen......oh, the colors and shapes! I highly recommend you be sure to go the next time you are in Seattle.

Ouch! Mardee. Glad you had a mostly good trip. Sorry about your mishap. Wishing you speedy healing.

Sorry to read about your fall. Sending healing vibes for a quick recovery.

Luv2Travel, it's so hard, and it seems to get harder when you get older to keep remembering to look at the ground as you're walking, lol! I did have a wonderful time, though, and will hopefully get a chance to go back in the near future!

CL, ha ha, that's a good line! I love it! Seriously? Turkey and gravy ice cream? I'm a bit spoiled because I love Graeters ice cream from Cincinnati so much. If it's any consolation, I'm not crazy about Minneapolis's ice cream, either. And it's all good—ice cream is like pizza. Even when it's bad, it's good, but I think everyone has their favorites!

Joe, definitely something for the next trip! There were so many places I wanted to see. I was hoping to get to Bainbridge Island and didn't get there, either. I just didn't have enough time, and of course losing most of Friday didn't help.

jeanm, last, you're exactly right about the whole being alone part. It does make a difference when you're struggling with everything yourself. Luckily, I didn't have much luggage, and both my bags were pretty light since I didn't bring all that much stuff. Actually, the bathrooms weren't bad. Both MSP and SEA had decent-sized stalls. And MSP just had a big renovation, and they must have done something to the bathrooms, because when I went to the one there, I was able to easily walk in with my rolling spinner. They also had a niche cut into the wall to put your bag so it didn't get in your way.

Trotter, thanks! And I hope to see more trolls on my next visit!

Jules, yes, I don't splurge that often on hotels like that, but I was glad I did. It really was nice and such a great location. I will definitely make it to the locks next time! I did know that there was combo pricing with Chihuly and the Space Needle, but I have a bad fear of heights, and there's no way I'm going up in the Space Needle. I once went to the top of the World Trade Center when I was in my 20's and almost passed out when I got to the top. I pretty much crouched next to the elevator until my friends were done. They made me go. 😂

And I get that about favorite ice cream flavors. Everyone has different likes and dislikes. My favorite Graeter's ice cream is black raspberry chip, which has big chunks of chocolate in it, but the black raspberry flavor is not overly sweet. Another favorite is Goat Cheese with Red Cherries from Jeni's in Columbus, Ohio. I dream of both of those. Neither is overly sweet. I don't know why, because I do love sweets, but I'm the same way with cereals. I can't eat any kind of cereal with sugar in it or that's sugar-flavored.

Sue, I will definitely go next time! I love Chihuly. I saw an exhibit of his once in Salt Lake many years ago, and it was so fantastic. I was really looking forward to seeing it, but I will definitely go there when I get back.

BB, thanks so much!

Barbara, thank you! It feels a little bit better every day, so I'll keep you posted as to what ortho says today.

Mardee--I had so much fun with you, once we found each other! For others here, she was across the small road and we were on the phone trying to find each other so I started waving my arms like crazy and I had a hot pink jacket on, so I was fairly easy to spot at that point, lol. The tulip fields always brighten my day, but even more so wandering around with you. I think your fall though means you get a do over for the trip;)

Mardee, having had both a knee & hip replacement last year I am absolutely terrified of falling. I do wonder what I'm missing always looking at the ground ahead of me, but every once in awhile I stop to look around me and concentrate on the birds singing and the flowers and trees budding. I didn't go to the Chihuly last time I was in Seattle due to the cost, so thanks for the discount tips. I, too, love Seattle and don't go often enough. I've flown Alaska and agree, they are great. They used to have a San Diego to MSP flight which I took often. I plan on checking out the stay & park tip for MSP next time I fly. Since I live an hour away from the airport this would also allow me to take earlier flights. Be sure to let us know what Urgent Care says about your knee.

Oh, I forgot to add I laughed about your trip up to the top of the World Trade Center. That's what I did when my family talked me in to going up the Space Needle. I got off the elevator and don't think I ever walked more than a foot from the elevator and had my eyes closed most of the time. Needless to say I've never been to the top of the Empire State Bldg either and when I go to Paris the 1st level of Eiffel Tower is about all I can enjoy. I went up to the 2nd level once, but again ended up staying near the elevator and taking the next trip down.

Hi Mardee

I’m so sorry to hear about your fall. Yeah, it’s a drag having to watch your feet every step of the way. I’m trying to train myself to just stop before I add another activity like looking at my phone.

Great trip report, as always! I love all the details and your side comments like telling the kids you can’t spend that much time shopping! It’s so challenging for me to say no or feel like I’m disappointing my grandkids. It’s a work in progress.

More trolls! We have a Thomas Dambo troll very near us at Filoli Gardens in San Mateo. I love her. She is called Rose Wonders. Maybe when you go to Scandinavia, you will see some more. I know there are some in Denmark but maybe there are some where you will be.

Waiting to hear the results of your ortho visit. Fingers crossed, nothing is broken.

Katie

Alright, you've convinced me to add Seattle to my long list of US cities I still need to visit in between Europe trips. And I definitely want to go to that Crumpet Shop! My Trader Joe's has been out of stock of crumpets for months (and they aren't super authentic anyway, but if I squint and put on enough marmalade, I can pretend).

What an eventful trip - exploding fireplaces, pastry thieving birds, racecar cab drivers.

I'm so sorry about your fall 😔 Also, I vote you just buy some local chocolate and that can suffice for the souvenirs next time.

Now I'm curious about Salt and Straw. We don't eat ice cream much anymore, although I've recently heard that ice cream is not so bad for diabetics or pre-diabetics.

So, is anyone else a fan of licorice ice cream? Licorice ice cream (was always black when I was a kid) with orange sherbet....

I have been to Seattle twice both before cruising Alaska.

I was fortunate enough to have a friend there who was a big help. What a wonderful city.

I am a faller and i did take one fall one time in Seattle. Fortunately I did not get hurt but it was right on the sidewalk and very embarassing. No one even made any attempt to help me up. I am glad that you got help from others but regret you injured yourself.

I live in fear of falling like others. At our age, falls can prove fatal and I have known of more than one person who died after taking a fall.

Pikes Place can be fun and can be a challenge. I am someone who had to take the elevator from the lower or lowest level. Learning where the elevator was was a challenge to put it mildly but I did it. My hotel was very close but I often had trouble getting to the sidewalk to where I walked to my hotel.

Pikes Place is heavaly touristed as you found out and very overpriced but still fun.

I took Alaska Airlines once or twice. I am not a regular, Very nice and friendly staff but I had bought an inexpensive ticket for my flight and it did not include any refreshments, not even.snacks. Maybe I was given a glass of water. Other passengers who bought the budget ticket knew enough to buy snacks before they got on the plane. I was very hungry before I got to Austin. It was a long flight.

But I remember complimenting Alaska Airlines for their extremely friendly staff.

Alaska Air is the best! We are so delighted we can fly non-stop to MSP and looking forward to trying them overseas soon.

Seattle is fun to visit and I really want to try Inn at the Market. Lots of good restaurants thereabouts. Haven’t been to Duluth in too long so if we can make that work, I’ll let you know. Love the North Shore!

Mardee, sounds like you took "Trip" Report literally. Glad you made it back safely and are hopefully healing. And yes, always tip the wheelchair assist folks at the airport!

MEDICAL UPDATE: Well, it turns out that I have a patella fracture. Who knew? Even the ortho PA who saw me was surprised. So I'm now wearing some kind of brace that locks my leg in place, but you can gradually open it up as it gets better, and I have a pair of crutches. He said it's not a bad break and I won't need surgery, so thank goodness for that. He estimated that I would have to keep it on for 4-6 weeks. I have an appointment with an ortho doctor on May 11, and they will see how it's doing at that time. In the meantime, I'm laid up a little.

The PA asked how I fell, so I told him my story about falling in Seattle, and he started laughing. He said that last year he treated a woman who had been hiking in Scotland and broke her patella about one week into a two-week trip. She had it checked there, but continued on with her trip. So by the time she got home and came to Ortho Urgent Care, her knee was swollen like a balloon and she had to have surgery. He kept asking her why she didn't come home early, and she said that she liked Scotland too much to leave. Geez, I like Scotland too, but I like my leg better. 🙄

Yikes, Mardee!! I'm sorry for the bad news but happy you have a definitive answer and are on the road to recovery. Take it easy and heal quickly.

Mardee: great trip and great report. Bummer about the bump; here's to your speedy recovery!

Mount Vernon: RoozenGaarde is magical, and I'm happy a friend recommended a visit for the many tulips.

Pike Place Market: I don't mind this place in small doses; the place is never boring. It was fun to photograph the area, and go through Seattle Archives to figure out the location of the very first Starbucks shop (1971-1976).

Ballard: There's a lot packed into the neighbourhood with countless cafes, restos, bars, and pubs; National Nordic Museum; Ballard (ship-) Locks; weekly Ballard Farmers' Market; the walk to Golden Gardens Park and a view of Puget Sound ("whulge", "whulj").

neighbouring Fremont: a walk through and any time spent here, and it's no wonder why it's called "The Center of the Universe." There are many little mysteries here to discover. (There's an indigenous version of the Troll at the University of Washington's Burke Museum.)

Seattle Art Museum: some of my favourite works by regional indigenous artists are in their permanent collection. Outside the museum entrance, you might have also noticed Jonathan Borofsky's "Hammering Man". There are other versions of this sculpture installed around the world, and I'm fortunate to have seen the sculpture in Frankfurt am Main and in Basel.

I guess you'll have to go back, because to name but a few: Gas Works Park, Kerry Park in Queen Anne, Capitol Hill, Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) in South Lake Union (also, sea-planes to and from Lake Union), West Seattle and Alki Point. And perhaps, even Licton Springs (líqtəd), officially designated in 2019 by Seattle as the city's 1st indigenous landmark.

Thank you for the excellent trip report, and the medical update. It sure was fun to meet you! What an adventure you had! Sorry to hear about the kneecap break, and kudos for getting prompt treatment. I broke my kneecap years ago and thought it was worse than childbirth, so add "bravery, gumption, and high pain tolerance" to your list of attributes. Come visit again soon.

Oh Mardee, as we say down here in Texas, Honey, bless your heart! A patella fracture. Ouch! No wonder it hurt. Thank goodness you are avoiding surgery. When is your next trip?

I fly American a lot here out of DFW and I really have no complaints with the flight crews. But we also fly Alaska at least once a year seeing our kids and grandgirls in Fairbanks and the Alaska folks are just almost always that one step above nicer. They just seem more real and never robotic.

Your trip sounded so great until the unplanned calamity, I don’t know why I haven’t done a trip like that to Seattle before. I’m always looking for a terrific art museum.

Take care of yourself. Time for a good book and trip planning?

My first job out of Engineering School was at Boeing (long time ago). One of the Senior Engineers had a Cabin Cruiser and one morning we all met up (I forget the spot) and cruised through the Ballard Locks and down Lake Washington to the Boeing Renton Plant at the bottom of Lake Washington. A beautiful day.

Mardee, thanks for updating us. Ouch! A broken knee cap - I'm surprised you managed so well. But it's great you won't need surgery.

Take it easy so you're ready for your summer adventure with your daughter.

Oh, Mardee, I'm so sorry. I hope you can graduate to a walker soon. At least for me, crutches were awful. It hurt under my armpits and I was so clumsy with them. But, maybe you'll be better at it than I was. Be sure to go to physical therapy as soon as they suggest it to be sure you get range of motion back. And do your home exercises when they tell you it is safe to start them.

P.S. Can you tell I was raised by a physician and both his parents and his sister were also doctors. As was my brother.
At least you should be well on the road back to 100% when the weather gets really nice so you can enjoy our MN summers.

Oh Mardee! I am so glad you got it checked out, and whew on avoiding surgery. I have had 5 knee surgeries, so know it all too well. You were quite the trooper with that! At least it should be healed before your big trip:)

Oh geez, sorry about the fall, Mardee. But if you have to fall, you did it about as well as you could. Hope it heals soon so you can get back on the road.

Is this the new theme for Trip Reports, great start to the trip followed by an accident that ruins the end? The problem with getting older and retiring so you can travel more, it's that your body gets older and isn't as willing to travel more, and then takes longer to heal.

He kept asking her why she didn't come home early, and she said that
she liked Scotland too much to leave. Geez, I like Scotland too, but I
like my leg better.

I get it. About 15 years ago I broke my wrist playing hockey. At least I thought it might be broken, but decided not to get it checked and didn't miss a game. About 5 weeks later the pain was still there so I finally got it Xrayed and the doctor confirmed it had been broken but was healing nicely. I asked if I had to stop playing hockey and he said it was healed up enough that I could keep playing. When I got home my wife asked if I'd learned my lesson about not gettingit checked. I said I had, I told her that I learned that if I broke my wrist, but didn't go to the doctor then I wouldn't miss any hockey.

Mardee, I’m sorry to hear that you’ve broken your patella! I hope your recovery goes smoothly, and I’m very glad you don’t need surgery.

@MArdee - I had to search "patella" and realized it is the kneecap. Ouch. I'm sorry to hear about the fracture but it seems not as serious. Glad you can avoid surgery!
And you will be better in time for your Scandinavia trip. That's in July, right?

Mardee, I’m so sorry to hear of your fall in Pioneer Square. Knee pain is nothing to dismiss and I’m glad you sought treatment as soon as possible. Now, heal and feel better so that you can enjoy the trip with your sister. Thanks for meeting up with me in Ballard; next time, even if the weather isn’t optimal, we should get to the Locks. Well, that next time may be a while from now, since you’ve got other places to see and experiences to savor. But know this, you are welcome back here in Seattle any time. Meantime, take care.

I definitely feel for you, Mardee! I broke my kneecap back in 1985 slipping on ice and was in a hard cast from my thigh to my ankle for six weeks so thankfully you don’t have to lug that around! Hopefully the pain lets up more and more. Will be thinking about you. Take good care!

Well, my word! I hope your knee heals quickly and that this doesn’t impact your next trip!

Thanks for your great trip report!

Mardee, what a lovely trip report, until it wasn't. Isn't it fun to meet up with Forum friends when we travel. Thank goodness you landed at the feet of some EMT's and got the help you needed to make it home safely! Hoping to hear a progress report on how you're doing & thanks again, I love Seattle, it has a 'certain vibe'.

Mardee, first of all, sorry to read about your accident. Sounds like you handled it as well as possible though and I hope you are completely recovered soon. I appreciate that none the less, you shared such helpful details of your trip to Seattle. I haven't been in years and I am considering a return trip. Well written reports such as yours provide great info!

Trotter, Yes, I'm very happy I have an answer. Hopefully, everything will be downhill from now on. Thanks!

HLfotoeins, thank you, and I'm definitely hanging on to your list. I still have tons of stuff from my post before, and I'm just hanging on to my Wanderlog Seattle trip and will just keep adding to it until I get out there again. This place is all like amazing! I think next time I might rent a car, which could make things easier. Yes, I did notice that incredible sculpture outside the Seattle Art Museum and loved it. I'll have to look for it in Frankfort next time I'm there. And that was the thing I loved the most about the Seattle Art Museum—all the indigenous art that was there. It was just breathtaking.

KC, it was so much fun to meet you, and I had such a wonderful time! I will definitely get up there again at some point in the hopefully near future! I loved the city, and I loved the company, and it was just a great place to visit.

Lyndash, I know what you mean about the Alaska crew. I feel the same way. I usually fly Delta and I never have any complaints about the flight crew, but yes, I think the Alaska crew just went much more out of their way to be really friendly and warm and fun. And my next big trip isn't till July when my daughter and I head to Iceland and Scandinavia for three weeks. So, knock on wood, everything should be fixed by then 😊

Robert, That sounds like a wonderful thing to do!

jeanm: Yes, I'm so glad I have some time to recuperate before the summer trip. That would have just crushed me if it had interfered with that!

Laurie Beth, I don't know if I'm better with the crutches. They don't really hurt under my arms, but it's just awkward, and I still haven't figured out how to carry something when I'm using them. I've had to put one down and just use one crutch to carry dishes to the kitchen, lol!

mikliz, Oh yikes, five knee surgeries! And here I was feeling sorry for myself. 😊 Yes, it should definitely be healed before July! I'm so happy about that.

Carroll, ha ha, that's true—it could have been a lot worse! Thanks!

Allan, a new theme is right—it does seem like falling is constantly on my mind, and I know others here have talked about that as well. And with regards to your g hockey story, it shows that you are a typical guy. 😂 Only a man would do something like that! Your poor wife was probably about ready to brain you, lol!

Barbara, thank you! I'm glad, too! 😊

Joy, I have no idea what the patella was either, although I do now! Yes, the trip is in July, so I should be right as rain by then! 🤞

Linda, I had such a good time with you and can't wait to come back so I can meet up with you all again and see some more places! Thanks so much for getting together!

Luv2Travel, Oh yikes! That would not be fun! I don't really have a lot of pain as long as I don't put weight on that foot, so that's good. It's just awkward getting around. Thank you!

Pam, Thanks! I hope it heals quickly, too. I think I need to find some exercises that will help me to remember to lift my feet when I walk. 😊

Sandancisco, thanks so much! I really did love the vibe of Seattle, and it's such a cool city, and I really hope to get back. And it is always fun to meet up with forum friends!

Lisuza, Oh, thanks! I really enjoyed Seattle, even with my mishap, and I honestly can't wait to go back!

So sorry, Mardee!!! You - as always - write a great trip report. It’s fun to read a report on a city I know so well:)

Take care and here’s to uneventful healing!!!

Thanks Mardee for re-introducing me to Seattle. It’s been years since I visited Seattle and longer since I went to UW. Your trip reports are always descriptive and informative.

Thankfully you don’t need surgery on your knee. Take care and swift healing.

Spent my growing up years in Seattle so it was fun to read your report. Glad you don’t need surgery on your knee, ouch!

Glad you got home safely and had a diagnosis.
Feel better soon so you can keep on traveling!

Katiecem, Thank you! And that's what I need to do: just think about how I'm stepping and stop before I have to do anything. I am terrible at multitasking anyway, and of course it gets worse if you're walking outside. And that's pretty cool that you have a troll near you! I know there are some trolls in Norway, but I'm not sure if we will get there. I should look them up and see, though. Thanks for the reminder.

Mary, Ha Ha, I'm now enabling cities! Oh, that crumpet shop was so good. They had so many different toppings and it was much more authentic than Trader Joe's. Although those aren't bad. It's evidently very popular because there was a line there, but it was worth the wait. Ha ha, yes, there were quite a few eventful episodes happening! That makes me think that I have to come back to get the good karma going.

CanAmCherie, I'm not a fan of licorice in general, so I know I would not be a fan of licorice ice cream. My son-in-law would like it, though. I brought him back some black licorice.

BostonPhil, careful, I learned that it is Pike Place, not Pikes Place. 😊 You have to be careful or you will be corrected, lol! The Alaska Airlines flight that I took had food available, but it was for purchase. They did let me know ahead of time that you could order it if you wanted, but there was a cost. However, they passed out complimentary drinks and Biscoff cookies, though.

Laurel, Let me know if you plan to come to Duluth! I would love to meet up with you! Yes, the North Shore is something else. I love Grand Marais myself and try to get up there at least once a year.

KD, ha ha, I guess I did! That's good to know about tipping. I just never thought about it before.

Valerie, thank you, Valerie! And yes, I'll drink to that!

Horsewoofie, thanks! Yes, I've been lucky. I've had two fractures in my life, both in the last three years, and both were very simple, clean breaks. The first was my humerus, and all I had to do was just wear a sling for a few weeks and take it easy. And then this one. Fingers crossed that's all I ever have.

Tammy, I didn't realize you grew up in Seattle. That's fun!

SJ, thank you—and I hope I do!

Mardee, having used a walker twice for at least 2 weeks each time in the last year, one of the advantages of a walker is you can attach a bag/tote to it and carry things that way. The other trick is make a trail of tv trays (just a few steps apart) from your kitchen to your favorite chair so you can carry your coffee or snacks from one tray to another. One advantage of my small condo is the great kitchen with a big island in the middle. Very soon I was able to walk around there without the walker-what freedom.

Good to know, Laurie Beth. I've started just using one crutch when I need to carry something so that I have a hand free, and that's actually working pretty well. Luckily, my injury isn't on a weight-bearing bone, so I can put my foot down lightly. Unfortunately, I live on the lower level of our 3 level house, and it's got kind of a weird layout, so it's more of a U shape. I have to walk a lot to get from the living room to the kitchen. But I'm dealing with it, and can even make it upstairs if I go very slowly and use a crutch as support. Mostly I'm just hanging out down here, though, and using my grandkids bring me things I need. 😂

Thank you Mardee for the correction. Another time you corrected me when I was saying Yens and you informed me that it was Yen. Never made the mistake again.

Pike Place not Pikes Place ... Got it

Glad you seem to be doing ok. Glad it happened in Seattle and not abroad.

Leaving for Paris on Monday and will be keeping forum updated

Wanted to talk about my Paris trip last virtual but just as I was coming up next, I got. a text message from a friend telling me she was on her way to pick me up and take me to lunch.

Next time!

Glad you are healing and will be traveling and writing more enjoyable trip reports in the not too distant future! Now you have discovered Alaska Airlines and the Pacific Northwest, give thought to a visit to Vancouver Island. Alaska flies twice a day into Victoria (the airport is actually 22kms from the city, 5 mins from where I live).

BostonPhil, ha ha, the only reason I mentioned Pike Place was that I think it does matter to the Seattle residents here, and I found that it happened also on Reddit. That's why I made that note about it. It's not a big deal to me, but I like to be accurate, so I figured other people do too. 😊 I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time in Paris, and I look forward to hearing about it.

Lesley, I would love to come to Vancouver Island. One of my brothers has been there and loved it, and I really do want to get up there and explore the whole Pacific Northwest area. I'm not sure when, probably not this year but maybe next year if I can find the time. Thanks for mentioning that, and also about Alaska Airlines. I really do like that airline, and it's good to know they're flying all these new places.

Thanks for such a great trip report, and I hope your kneecap heals well.

I truly enjoy these trip reports, it’s a great community and has given me valuable ideas on past trips to Spain, but this one I read with a different interest…

I have lived in Seattle over half my life and absolutely love it here. I’m that aunt that takes her family around to see all the sights I think they’d like when they visit from the upper Midwest. I used to work at DeLaurenti decades ago, know the market well but it still surprises, and have been enjoying watching our waterfront as it develops into an extraordinary place. I work near Seattle center, so I commute on light rail to the monorail, interacting with tourists on the daily is a spark of joy to me.

I laughed at how many places I adore that you found…the crumpet shop! (But I’m also not a fan of salt and straw, and I confess I hold my breath in the westlake elevators.)

When you return to Seattle I hope you’ll see more, and we have more!

(Incidentally, I love your city of Duluth, but haven’t been in awhile. We are planning a little trip to the twin cities in august to go to the renaissance festival, but a still need to figure out our hotel and what else we’ll do there. Hoping for someone’s twin cities trip report!)

Ivana, feel free to PM me or anyone else here from the Twin Cities if you'd like some advice. Or post a question yourself! I lived in Minneapolis for a little over a year when I first left Cincinnati after retirement and loved the city. And there's a good probability that I, my daughter, and her family will be moving back down to the Cities in a couple of years.

And I'm a local that can actually give you some advice about hotels, at least in the Cities, because I do stay at hotels when I come down from Duluth a lot. Sometimes I stay with friends, but there are times where I just want to come down for a couple of days, do some quick shopping, and then head back up. 😊

And thanks for the comments about Seattle! I really did love that city. By the way, I've been to the Renaissance Festival before, and it's a hoot!

@Ivana, I agree, many of us "Minnesota Nice" folks would be happy to give you advice for our beautiful state if you would start a post. I just wanted to mention that the very well known Minnesota State Fair runs for about 10 days at the end of August if you would want your plans to include that. I believe it is the biggest or among the biggest state fairs in the country. This year it runs from August 27 to September 7, which is actually kind of late, I would guess its because labor day is late this year.

Ivana, what kind of hotel are you looking for? Budget?

My husband and I will be in the twin cities from August 21-25, so not too long. Saturday the 22nd is our big ren fair day. Mostly we were thinking of a little urban getaway...not even renting a car. (The last 2 years of my mother's life, I was so used to flying into MSP, getting the rental car, and driving hours south. And often wishing I could linger in the twin cities for awhile.)

Ideally, a hotel that is well situated near places we can walk and take light rail. At some point, we might get an uber to my cousin's place on Lake Phalen for a visit.

Unfortunately, the charming Nicollet Island Inn is booked during that time! When I think of downtown, I imagine staying in the Foshay tower or the IDS tower, but don't know.

(Not sure where to post a new thread, not wanting to hijack this Seattle one...)

Oh, hijack away! It's my thread, so I give permission. 😂😂😂😂😂

Ivana, I think the Foshay would be a fun place to stay! It was one of the hotels with rooms blocked for the last wedding we attended, but we opted for something a hotel a few miles to the west which had parking for our car. The last one we stayed at downtown was the Lofton (also for a wedding).

In 2026 we've stayed in Vadnais Heights, St. Paul, Roseville, and Inver Grove Heights, but with the exception of St. Paul, I wouldn't recommend any of them for your trip. The area around Mall of America would work, or you could look at Stillwater.

Yes, a lot depends on what you're going to do. When I go down, I'm usually shopping because there's not a whole lot up in Duluth, and I miss shopping at Trader Joe's and IKEA and places like that. So I usually stay in Bloomington (close to MSP and Mall of America), where there are a ton of options and it's close to everything. Plus I can get downtown and get to see friends using the light rail if I'm not driving. It's a nice convenientspot, but you're not going to find much that is charming or interesting there.

So if you're looking for something more interesting, then the others have some good ideas. And Stillwater is a beautiful place. That's a good option as well. I love visiting there.

Mardee—always fascinating to read people’s perceptions of Seattle, where I have lived all my life. Actually moving soon—ha ha. For me, the city has become too big and too crowded. But so glad you enjoyed your time minus the accident. Just out of curiosity did you mean to say Pioneer Square instead of Pioneer Park? The Seattle area has five of the trolls. It is an adventure to find each of them (in town, outside of town, and on neighboring islands).

I guess I did, Pete 😂 I've been calling it Pioneer Park in my head the whole time for some reason, so I appreciate the correction. Thanks!

I second Lesley’s suggestion of visiting Vancouver Island. If you rent a car and come up Island, I’d be delighted to show you around my piece of paradise.

There actually is a "Pioneer Park" according to this -- https://pioneersquare.org/poi/pioneer-park/

I think most locals just call it 'where the Pergola' is, at 1st and James

I second Lesley’s suggestion of visiting Vancouver Island. If you rent a car and come up Island, I’d be delighted to show you around my piece of paradise.

Susie, that's very kind of you! I will definitely take that into consideration when I'm planning my next trip to that area! I would love to visit Vancouver Island.

Joe, that's interesting. I did see the pergola while I was there, so I know exactly what you're talking about. That was right before I fell. 😂 Maybe it was a punishment for getting the name of Pioneer Square wrong, lol!