Seattle

 ***Disclaimer: This Post is very LONG with a lot of pictures**
 
As graduation was approaching Brian and I decided to try to find a trip to go on to celebrate our moving on in schooling. When we first began researching weeks back, we saw a great airline deal on flights to New York and thought that that was where we would go. We invited Jan and Spencer to join us since Jan just graduated and it is fun to go to new places with more people.

We soon discovered how expensive New York really is though and changed our thinking. Jan has never been on a true road trip. So we decided it would be fun to go up and visit some friends in Seattle and then drive down the coast to San Fran. It was a great trip full of a lot of memories. So I am writing several posts to make sure I don't miss anything!!

We began our trip on Friday, May 13. We drove through the night straight to Seattle. Kellie woke up to let us in, we really appreciated it since it was four in the morning and we were all exhausted. (The first two pictures are of us in Idaho eating our dinner before the real long haul began.)

After about four and a half hours of sleep we were up, visiting. It was fun catching up with Kellie and Andy, since they live so far away. We then got ready and headed into Seattle. (They live just outside it.) We went straight to the Market. It was so much fun.

They had so many vendors with flowers and fresh fruit. We got some really good samples. Including an interesting sample of chocolate pasta. We went to Pike's Place and watched them throw a fish to a customer. It was really funny. I don't know if I could have done it since I am not the biggest fan of fish smells.

The flower smells I loved though. I talked Brian into buying me one tulip since they just had so many varieties and I had never seen some like them ever before.

After seeing all the Market we headed to the sidewalk just outside it to find the first ever Starbucks with the original logo and a huge line out the door. We stopped to take a few pictures really fast.

It was a really crowded day though since it was Saturday and the second to last day of the Cheese Festival going on. We tried out a few different cheeses. Brian and I are both not big fans of very many and decided after just two to not fight the crowds as much as Jan and Spencer did.

While we were at the market I saw a picture of a gum wall. I have seen other people's pictures of places like these and asked Andy if there was one there in Seattle. He said there was one in Post Alley. So once we were done with the market, we headed to Post Alley.

Kellie saved us by having some gum in her bag. As you first walk into Post Alley you see tons of pictures and posters. Some of them were really cool while others were really weird and creepy. But it was a great unique experience, especially since Kellie had never been before.

We finally got to the point where the gum wall was, I was shocked! There was so much gum on the wall. It was crazy.

We all took the time to chew our gum and then took turns placing the same piece on the wall. All of us didn't want to touch anyone else's gum so it was quite the act getting the gum on the right position of the finger to place on the wall.

Pictures don't even do justice for the true reality of the wall. It is insane. There was so much gum.

After we all got ours on the wall we spent some time taking some pictures so that we could ask someone to take a picture of our group for us. It is just one of those experiences you don't want to forget.

After Post Alley we headed to the dock for a Ferry ride out to Bainbridge Island. I was excited about this since I have never been on a true Ferry before. (You know the ones that take cars on them.)

On our walk there we took a quick detour into Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. The place smelled heavenly, especially with no breakfast in my stomach. I tried not to splurge too much and just got a delicious chocolate chip cookie for Brian and I to share. I wish I had taken a picture of the chocolate caramel covered apple Jan and Spencer brought.

It was an explosion of chocolate and marshmallows. But I did try a piece (since we all encouraged them to get it sliced) and it was really good.

We then got to the Ferry place and purchased our tickets. Luckily for us we had about thirty minutes before it left and a Subway right there for our growling stomachs.

The skyline and ocean view of Seattle is gorgeous. I recommend going there to anyone. The only problem with the ride was once we started out we got wind galore and couldn't get a proper picture for anything.

Even though it was sunny, it was still a chilly wind so it was pretty cold standing there taking in the view.

Once we reached the island we spent the time until the next Ferry exploring the quaint little shops. It was really fun seeing the local stuff that people were trying to sell and some really fun ideas for different things.

After the Ferry ride Andy had to leave to go and meet his family before a soccer game that night. We were ready to hit downtown Seattle and see the Space Needle. So we walked to the Monorail and jumped on. This is a historical thing to ride on since it was built for the World Fair held there years ago.

We decided that it wasn't worth $18 to ride up to the top, especially since it is no longer the tallest building in Seattle. So we just decided to at least come and see the monument.

Plus the city center is based around this whole area. So we had to come this direction.

The international fountain was hit next. We spent quite some time here since we decided we wanted to touch it. However it was way to cold of a day to get wet while doing it. So we had to figure out a plan to get in to touch it.

Just as Kellie and I had thought we could run up to touch it, the fountain exploded. It went crazy with water coming out everywhere. We were both very happy we weren't right next to it when it began doing that.

So we waited until it stopped. However, since it exploded on us the first time we both weren't taking chances and ran for it. We touched it and ran back as fast as we could.

That time however it didn't go off. Spencer was able to even run all the way around it. Brian decided to go down after we had all touched it. He took his sweet time too.

As he was walking away from it it began spraying water again. We sure did enjoy seeing it. Although the pictures don't look that impressive.....I promise this fountain is amazing in person.

We also lucked out because in the same general area of the fountain was the Key Arena. Brian wanted to go check it out and get his picture with it since it is a huge sports thing. ;)

While Jan, Spencer, and Kellie continued to watch the fountain. I was interested in the shakers I had seen the kids playing with behind us.

I decide to try to see if I could get them all spinning at the same time. It was not an easy thing to do. I was really close to doing it but failed.

However, I got everyone else interested in seeing who could do it. So the mission began and it wasn't without injury since they did come back to hit you sometimes and it hurt.

Spencer was the first one to beat them and have them all spinning or maybe he was the one that came the closest and accidentally missed one......I don't remember.

Kellie was just beginning her turn when a little kid came up and got in her way. We were shocked the parents just let her walk right up like she did because Kellie almost hit her with one of the pole shaker things.

Once the kid left we left her have a second shot...but she kept missing some and if you missed one between two it was almost impossible to get without getting hit by one of the other two.

Brian finally got his turn after waiting for a little while since some kids got reinterested in it while we had been playing with it.

He got one turn and successfully got all of them spinning before the first one stopped.

The funny thing was as we were leaving that area, we had another group of people coming through and trying to do what we did but video it. They also tried to have it so that they kept spinning by having the next person go through right after the first. It looked like it wasn't working so well but they tried.

We then found some cool mazes on the ground that you could walk through. So we did. The first one was way easy. The second one was just as easy but went on forever.

We all began by just walking through it. Then Jan and Kellie decided to try racing each other through it by one starting at the end and the other the beginning.

It was really funny watching them run through it. Kellie ended up beating Jan by one little leg thing but they were both exhausted once they were done.

We then noticed we had actually stumbled into the perfect spot to take pictures in front of the Space Needle.

We then decided to head back to the Monorail and get us some dinner. (Yeah the whole day got away from us really fast.)

The clouds set in here and it began raining as we were eating dinner. We ate at a really good Mexican place in the mall that Kellie recommended. It didn't disappoint.

There was only one place left that we wanted to visit on the trip and that was the Fremont Troll under a bridge in Seattle. Kellie had never been and we weren't sure exactly where it was located. Luckily we found pretty easily.

We had a lot of fun taking some fun pictures. Although walking up to it it sure looked creepy it was a really fun place to go.

As you can see we got creative in our posing.

Luckily some people were there with us for a time and we were able to get a group shot.

Then we decided to get some more individual shots. We thought it would be funny for some one to get on the nose. Jan and Spencer decided to go try. It was funny watching them figure out how to get up. Once they had it figured out they began climbing up.....only for Jan to kick Spencer in the face really good.

But they both got up and had fun posing on the troll's nose. Believe me this troll is huge. It is also probably pretty protecting of the elements since a lot of homeless people's things were up behind him.

Brian and I decided to squeeze under his hand. It was a tight fit but it we figured it out. We then had an adventure and a half trying to get to Kellie's car to find Jan's phone. We then left Seattle and began the long drive to San Fran. We sure did have some great fun and get some fun memories in Seattle. Thanks for letting us stay and for being our tour guides Kellie and Andy.