Back to the glorious North West (Part 1)

November 2007 and its back to North America; but this time we wanted to go touring with our good friends. Sadly they couldn't make it, so we went with the Nearys instead ! We've known Sean and Eva for many years; we were at their wedding & they were at ours (its always useful to keep witnesses handy)

First stop Vancouver, and a few days (4th to 6th) in this lovely Canadian City with sites such as Gastown, Grouse Mountain, the Capilano suspension bridge & Granville Island. There can be few Cities to rival Vancouver's stunning setting; with a backdrop of mountains, forests and the deep blue waters of the English Bay & Burrard Inlet - every office & apartment window seems to enjoy a great view. Best day ? enjoying the sunshine, unusual snacks & quirky little shops on Granville Island ... or was it Eva's face as she negotiated the swaying suspension bridge.





















Thence by train to Seattle for a couple of days - it should have been a spectacular journey, but England is not the only place where trains are delayed & by the time we finally got underway (4 hrs late) it was so dark, Eva could only just see the booze bottle !

The characteristic rain & sea mists didn't stop the girls shopping or Sean & I visiting the huge Museum of Flight at Boeing Field. Easy to reach on the free metro bus system (the decorated tunnel station system is worth checking out) a day is hardly enough time if you wanted to see everything. From the history of flight to scores of restored planes, from science fiction to science fact - the experience left Sean "spaced out"
Whilst the rather drab & neglected Seattle Centre (with its famous, but mist shrouded Space Needle) looked decidedly dated (it was built for the 1962 World Fair) the monorail trip was still worth taking. Sean snapped the nattily dressed character & his zoot suited owner at Pike Place Market; a must see.

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