Road Trip Adventure: Day 10, Sunday, June 1st, 2008

Locations Hit:
Seattle, Washington

Nearing the top of my list of things I love to delve into while traveling is food. Anyone that has ever traveled with me can attest. Dan and Lisl especially, as it is the primary topic of most of my conversations and thought processes on this very road trip.

In France and even in Philadelphia and home in York, Pennsylvania I gained a deep love of markets. I don’t think there are many more places you can see so much of a culture in such a small place. Here you can observe people in their raw forms and see what types of culinary specialties drive their differentiation.

We started the day at the Pike’s Place Market, a world-renowned daily market in downtown Seattle. Known for housing the very first Starbucks, its charismatic fish tossing seafood stands, and various coffee shops, the market was a highly enjoyable experience. From there Sara and Frank took the three of us to the Seattle public library, and architectural masterpiece that Lisl and Dan had both studied. Designed by Rem Koolhaas, the library opened 4 years ago and boasted some of the most efficient library systems and environmentally friendly designs around. We joined an impromptu tour that was highly enjoyable, even for a design illiterate former-business student like myself.

We then went down to Seattle’s Chinatown and ate one of Sara and Frank’s favorite Pho restaurants, Pho Bak (yes…it is supposed to be funny). Pho is a Vietnamese meat and noodle dish in a steaming hot broth. It was the first time us three had ever tried it but it was delicious and I’d recommend it, especially for someone sick as it really opens your head.

Exhausted from the long day we headed back to the house. We tried to do a little more touring that night but called it quits early to lounge in our robes and absorb the beauty of the house we could call home for yet another night.

Part of the outside of Pikes Place Market

Frank, Sara, Lisl, Me, & Dan on the lookout of the Seattle skyline. Apparently, if Frasier had really had a real apartment, this was the view from the window.

The famous Space Needle.

Pho from Pho Bak.