Silver Cloud Inn Renton

... get our bags, and once we did we were just a few steps away from the bus stop. The instant we got out there out bus showed up...our luck really WAS back in full force!! We took a short trip back to Renton, and strapped on our bags for one last walk. We were about two blocks from dad's car when mom called him. Dad had lost his spare key to his car somewhere in Ireland or UK (ugh!) but it turned out mom had a ...

... there is barely a ten yards in between one coffee shop to the next, which do actually make decent coffee, despite me not being a heavy coffee drinker, I bought into it wholesale. The most prolific coffeeshop is, not surprisingly, Starbucks, which was born here at Pike Place Market. So I can boast about being in the 'original' Starbucks, and if that isn't testament to something, I don't know what is ...

... half of a bollywood movie called "Jhoom Barabar Jhoom" which we've been told a dozen different times in a horrible movie, but it's got great music and I kinda wanted to see what it was about. We watched the first half at Devika's house before coming to the airport, and at that point, I was seriously thinking that this movie was just a big train wreck. But now I'm not so sure. I kinda want to write more about it, but I'm already kinda digressing, and it's just ...

... a drive of the boat. Ashton was just excited when Matthew took off quick and spray went everywhere. On the way back from the lake the guys tried on their suits. I am glad we did as it gave me a chance to see how to dress Ashton on the day. He looked so cute and was struting around. I still don't know how he is going to keep clean though. Matt then went and picked up Jason ...

... in time to meet my friend at the registration area. W went down to a Smoothie bar on the lower level and grabbed a couple of drinks. It was nice to catch up and we talked sport and politics for well over an hour. After that we headed up to the exhibition hall to sample the food on offer and check out the exhibits. The nibbles were great, both hot skewers and cold canapés. My friend had to leave around 4:30pm so I went ...

... survive, however, thanks to Justin and Leanne (Amy's co-workers/friends). As travel therapists themselves, they knew what is was like to be orphans for the holidays and they invited us to join them in a Thanksgiving feast at Broadway Grill. The Sunday after Thanksgiving we met up wth our yoga instructor, Brian, who happened to be running the Seattle marathon ...

We left the B&B around 9:00 this morning and took the long way into the Seattle area to wind up the trip today. We spent a couple of hours at Ruby Beach, with its excellent examples of Sea Stacks and other Pacific beach features (smoothed rocks of all sizes, entry of a fresh water stream in constant conflict with the tide, massive ...

... like we shouldn't be there, what with all the rules posted in the cabin too. The cabin was lovely, a double & 2 twin beds, but we wer told we could only use 1 bed - we only wanted 1 bed. We sat on porch, saw a hummingbird, chatted with neighbours & watched the sun set, very cold night with lots of stars in a huge sky. We camped at a NP camp site just outside Divide in the Silver Bow Valley. Basic needs, severe fire threat, no fires, had reserve tin of soup, wrote postcards, bed ...

... I didn't speak any of the native languages - 5 years of German study aside in high school and college. I had no plan, no itinerary. I had a plane ticket into Munich, back from Lyon, a reservation for a rental car, a hotel reservation for the first night in Munich, and a Lonely Planet guidebook for Western Europe. Hard to describe the feeling. Not fear, per se. More a trepidation or nervous anticipation of the unknown. And I liked it. I vividly remember saying to myself "ok, you ...

... Grand canyon was incredible but I think that has a long waiting list. Would include a trip into the Grand Canyon - either a hike down and back or a boat trip on the Colorado through the canyon. Jerome, Slide Rock near Flagstaff, Lake Powell and all its tributaries North (Utah) and South The Grand Canyon is spectacular, but may be farther South than you plan to go. If you do go, make sure to hike down at least partway into the canyon. Flagstaff is a great little town (a lot ...