Seattle to Victoria, British Columbia
There's more than one Washington in America! Most foreigners think only of Washington, DC, the nation's capital and my home, but on the other side of the country sits the beautiful State of Washington. This was the start and end point for my cruise to Alaska, as the ship departed from Puget Sound in Seattle and returned there seven days later after stopping in various Alaskan villages, and a few hours in beautiful Victoria, British Columbia on the last night.
Seattle is known for many things - its large Public Market, the first Starbuck's, the Space Needle and stunning nature outside of the city areas. However, I remember it most fondly as the birthplace of grunge music, Seattle being the native land of bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains. These bands produced the soundtrack of my early adult life during my 20's. I listened to them all with passion, though I'm not sure if younger kids today are even aware of these legendary rock bands. In my mind, rock 'n' roll is dead. Replaced with over-synthesized music and untalented pretty faces with auto-tuned voices. But, music is not the focus of this post. Just a few pictures of Seattle and Victoria, British Columbia before telling you about the cruiseship on which I traveled. The cover shot is a view of the Seattle skyline, as our ship was embarking for the weeklong journey through majestic Alaska.
1. I've visited Seattle a few times before, but on this journey I was only there for a few hours on the evening before the cruise departure. Cruise season to Alaska lasts only four months a year, from late May - early September, with most cruises departing out of Seattle, Washington or Vancouver, British Columbia. Thus, the city takes full advantage of the huge tourist inflow during these months and charges exorbitant rates for hotels. Something like a Best Western or Quality Inn, modest American hotel chains that usually cost between $50 - $70 dollars a night, cost $300 in Seattle during this time. So, we stayed only one night before our cruise departure. As the cruise ship departs, there are nice views of the city landscape, including the famous Space Needle in the background. The largest automobile and ferry fleet in America, and third largest in the world - Washington State Ferries - operates in Puget Sound. The ferries carry passengers to San Juan Islands and other small islands located in Washington State.
2. The main attraction in Seattle is the Public Market. Huge, full of every type of vendor imaginable. Artisans, fresh fruits, cheeses, vegetables and tons of stinky seafood. The market is famous because fishermen throw the fish to each other at various market shops, creating a very entertaining scene. Sometimes, they even toss the fish to tourists who are watching in the crowd, catching them completely off-guard. It's true - in America we like a show. :))
3. Fish in motion...coming directly from the fishing vessels on which they were caught to the Public Market. Hand-delivered and incredibly fresh. I don't like fish, or any seafood, so I can't comment on the taste of the products sold at the market.
4. Rows and rows of fresh flowers. Elaborate bouquets for very cheap prices - usually around $10 - $12 USD. If you were to purchase a similar floral arrangement at a professional flower shop in the U.S., with a fancy vase, it could easily cost $50 - $80. I'm a huge flower lover, easiest way to win my heart. I prefer flowers over jewelry or fancy clothes any day of the week!
5. The largest fruits I've ever seen in my life! You can buy organic if you wish, but in general I'm not overly obsessive about food products. I'll eat almost any fruit or vegetable, with the exception of brussel sprouts.
6. Grey, cloudy skies common in the Pacific Northwest of America but visually dramatic as you look out over the water.
7. Photo of the legendary Public Market sign, taken at sunset with my iPhone. This market is definitely worth visiting, but caution should be exercised in the area. Only a block or two away, you will encounter prostitutes, vagrants and a lot of drug addicts sitting on the street begging. It's really quite sad to see so many young junkies, wasting their lives away with drug abuse. Seattle - a lot of young meth heads and heroin addicts. I cannot judge them, because every person fights their own addictions and personal battles in life.
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8. After Alaska, we began cruising back to Seattle, with a short stop in Canada in the quaint city of Victoria, British Columbia. We were docked there for only four hours, arriving around 5 p.m., with limited daylight hours and really no time to take photos or explore anything. Victoria is the capital of British Columbia, named after Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. It's one of the oldest cities in the Pacific Northwest and so charming! Sitting right on the water, with lots of cafes, street musicians and even upscale shopping for those who are interested.
10. The area seemed to me to be very wealthy, with a lot of old homes still in immaculate condition. Even the street performers were dressed in nice clothes.
11. Due to some maritime law, all U.S. cruiseships sailing to Alaska must make a mandatory stop in Canada for at least four hours. So, most of the major U.S. cruise lines stop in either Victoria or Vancouver. The limited time in the city leaves very little options for exploration, so my parents and I boarded one of these red buses to get an overall feel of what the city looks like. It was a great orientation, and a chance to hear more about the history and locals, which we would have never been able to discover if we had simply stayed in city center and walked around on our own. People here are very friendly and welcoming. Solid tourist infrastructure makes the city easy to navigate.
12. View of the port from my cruiseship balcony, right before we docked.
13. Cute little water taxis are available at various docks in the city.
14. The Parliament building in Victoria is beautiful! Sorry for the blurry picture, but it's difficult to snap a shot in darkness, esp. on a moving bus.
15. I would definitely come back to Victoria and explore further. Wonderful scenery, clean, fresh air and an overall quaint and pleasant atmosphere. I wish I could show you the colorful homes outside of city center, but I have no clear shots from the bus.
16. Glorious sunset as we drove back to board the cruiseship, for our final night onboard.
17. Our transport from Seattle to Alaska - the Celebrity Solstice cruiseship. Home for a week, but limited time is spent on the ship. Primarily in the evenings, enroute to the next Alaskan city. We spent full days in four Alaskan towns, on average about ten hours in each city.
18. My dinner on the final night, or at least the main course. Chicken with a delicious wine sauce, potatoes and vegetables.
19. Our sommelier during the entire cruise. Btw, "sommelier" - a fancy word for a wine expert. I had never heard of this word until the cruise. It's not my personality or desire to eat at expensive, fancy restaurants where sommeliers are usually present but on the cruiseship it's just par for the course. People waiting to serve you at every corner, with pleasant attitudes and smiles at all times.
I'll explain more about the cruiseship, food and wonderful ship workers in the next post. This was my first cruise, and I think it's an excellent way to visit Alaska!
Have your ever been to the Pacific Northwest? I really want to take a drive along the coast, and explore the States of Washington and Oregon. Someday...