Seattle, WA

On the way to Seattle, we stopped off to view Mount St. Helen's. Mount St. Helen's looked so serene and beautiful that it was hard to believe that just 30 years ago it caused the deadliest volcanic event in the history of the United States. Once in Seattle, our first stop was the Space Needle. We rode the elevator up 520 feet to the observation deck where we were able to see 360 degree views of the city. The observation deck has both inside and outside viewing sections, which we greatly appreciated because it was extrememly cold and windy outside. We saw dense downtown skyscrapers, a working port, neighborhoods, and the snowcappped mountains in the distance. We were even lucky enough to time our visit so that we were able to see the views during the day, at sunset, and at night. After the Space Needle, we caught a bite to eat at a nearby Thai restaurant and called it a night.


Mount St. Helen's in the distance.


The Space Needle


The view of the Seattle waterfront from the Space Needle.


A view of the downtown area at dusk.


Kim and Lorenzo on the Space Needle.

The next day we took a 15 minute drive out to the Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, WA. We stopped at the visitors center and the Microsoft museum where we learned about Microsoft's history and how Bill Gates started it all and about the company's current and developing technologies. Here you can play XBOX, listen to Zune, browse software on laptops and even test Microsoft Surface. We then browsed the Microsoft store where we saw employees picking up loads of discounted software. We left Microsoft for a late breakfast at IHOP on National Pancake Day, then headed to the REI flagship store near downtown Seattle. Downtown Seattle has a large variety of restaraunts and tons shops and we ended the day by shopping and eating downtown.

Microsoft headquarters


Lorenzo added his picture and message to a screen at the Microsoft visitor center.


Lorenzo joining the Microsoft founders.

Despite the windy and overcast weather, the next morning we walked from our hotel near the Space Needle to Pike Place Market which is located on the waterfront near the downtown. The Market is full of little specialty shops and restaraunts and stands selling fresh seafood, fruits, and vegetables. As we wandered around, we smelled dried lavendar and fresh flowers and saw purple potatoes and a giant octopus. We also tasted chocolate pasta and ate a humongous oatmeal cookie and a delicious apple pastry from a small Russian restaraunt called Piroshky, Piroshky.


Pike Place Market


Giant octopus at Pike Place Market


Kim taking a bite of a yummy apple pastry.


Lorenzo enjoying a mushroom and broccoli pastry.