Remembering Pikes Place

My love. I am sad that we have lost some pictures from our honeymoon, and sadder still because I know how much having those pictures meant to you. I am so impressed by and touched by how important documenting our memories is to you. It is something I value too, and though I was not as affected by the loss of our pictures as you were, I was affected by your response. I love your passion and the deep emotion you expressed and think it was well suited to the situation.

Though I haven't given up on trying to retrieve our photos, and though I know this is not a satisfactory substitute, I thought I would try to remember some my highlights from our visit to Pike's Place Market and borrow the experiences of others to help us remember our own. I do not mean this is a quick fix or a permanent solution. I simple wanted to spend some time letting you know I love you and highlighting memories form our trip.

If I remember right, our journey started here...these stairs look great but they lead to a pretty sketchy looking set of switchbacks to get to the main entrance to the market. It spits you our right by the gum wall. Yum!

 (The main entrance to the market)

Across the street from the market entry is Beecher's Handmade Cheese. We stood right on that corner and watched them stir the big vats of (milk? butter? cream? how do you make cheese? heehee).

 They consistently made the rounds to spray off the equipment and to spray the mixture.

The first stop (and one of my favorites) was to the daily dozen doughnut stand to get some traditional, fresh, warm doughnuts. They were dished out in a brown bag and they went fast!

 (These were a delicious treat--Thank you my wife)

Just across the way was the pike place fish company. Michelle had told me all about this place and how when there was an order they would yell, and sing and toss fish around. There was quite a large gathering here to watch the process.

Deeper into the market there were loads of fresh flowers, produce and souvenirs/trinkets to buy. One booth even had chocolate pasta they were using to entice the masses to their wares.

We both really like Chinese and were getting famished so we went to the lower levels to eat at Pike Place Chinese Cuisine.  The menus were misleading and the food somewhat overpriced but we got some great Chinese take out to eat at the nearest park.

While we waited for our food we went across the way to the Lion Heart bookstore to peruse. We had been looking for coffee table books and did not find much but they had a great fiction novel section and some fun books from our childhood. While we were in the shop the fire alarm went off. All of the patrons started to scram but none of the vendors even flinched and they encouraged us to stay and keep perusing. The alarm passed quickly and there was no real emergency but it was funny to see the terrified visitors running around and fire doors being shut while the guy at the counter just kicked back in his chair.

I did not know the place had a name until after we left but we ended up eating in Victor Steinbruer's Park just up the street from the market. I am not going to lie. It was a little sketchy and there were hobos and mall cops all over that place. A couple of people that looked like homeless folk/transients were stirring up the pigeons and gulls nearby and I thought for sure we were going to have some unwanted dressing on our food.

(If we were two white males from the 70's eating at the park on a sunny day this would have been us. They stole our seats!!)

(A view of the market from the edge of the park)

I know these aren't our exact pictures but they are our experiences. Let's find more to help us remember this fun beginning to our eternal lives. I love you so much Michelle. I know I said this before--if we cannot find those pictures now, at least we will be able to look back with a perfect recollection of these experiences in the eternities. I look forward to watching reruns with you in the Heavens!!

Here's a bit o' the aquarium too!