Seattle, WA
Dad and I hit the highlights in Seattle, stopping first at the hustle and bustle of Pike Place Market before a stroll on the Seattle Waterfront, a fantastic Cuban sandwich at Salumi, and a rainy ride to the top of the Space Needle.
Pike Place Market
Pike Place Market is one of the epicenters for tourism in Seattle. Running parallel to the Seattle waterfront at Elliott Bay, it is one of the oldest continuously operated farmers’ markets in the United States, going back to 1907. It is a colorful, bustling collection of browse-worthy stalls known for fresh seafood as well as everything from flowers to candy, jewelry, books, crafts, speciality foods, and restaurants.It can also be packed with people, even during the waning stages of a global pandemic. The market receives more than 10 million visitors in a typical year, making it the 33rd most visited tourist attraction in the world. This was by far the most people I had been around since early 2020 and, even fully vaccinated, it was hard to escape that nagging feeling of unease being around so many humans from all over the world gathering in one spot. But all of those people and the bright, cheery shops beckoning them felt equally liberating and alive after more than two years of social distancing.
The biggest draw in the market is the tossing of fish to be wrapped, with the fishmongers calling out the orders and where they are headed. The practice reportedly began as a prank on an employee, but its popularity among tourists has made it an institution.
We went down to the lower level of shops, where things were much quieter. Several places seemed to be continuing their temporary closure. As someone who wears a size 13 shoe, I was particularly sad to miss the World Famous Giant Shoe Museum.
Seattle Waterfront
I left Dad for a bit to walk down a long series of steps to the Seattle waterfront, an area undergoing significant redevelopment. The $750 million project will include a new promenade, a park at Pier 58, and a widening of the street running along the waterfront, Alaskan Way, to accommodate two lanes in either direction.This strip of harbor on Elliott Bay is home to cruise ship and ferry terminals, plus the Seattle Aquarium and the Seattle Great Wheel. I made my way to the latter for a few shots of gray-on-gray before returning to Dad.
Salumi
We drove south through downtown Seattle, stopping just short of T-Mobile Park for lunch at Salumi. The deli was founded 25 years ago by Armandino Batali, whose own father opened Seattle's first Italian grocery more than 100 years ago -- and whose son is celebrity chef Mario Batali. Now owned by Martinique Grigg and Clara Veniard, the deli offers traditional cured Italian meats with a Northwest sensibility (such as humanely treated, vegetarian-fed pork).Dad had penciled in Salumi on our schedule as soon as we had settled on a Northwest trip. This was the correct decision. I had the Cubano sandwich: braised pork shoulder and black forest ham, house-made bread-and-butter pickles, Dijon mustard, and fontina cheese. Perfection.
Space Needle
Our final stop was the other tourist epicenter in Seattle, which is in fact called Seattle Center. A large public space with museums such as the Pacific Science Center and Chihuly Garden and Glass, its focal point is the icon of the city, the Space Needle.Constructed in 1961 for the World's Fair the following year, the landmark stands 605 feet tall and is built to withstand earthquakes of up to 9.0 magnitude. At the time of its revealing, the Space needle was the tallest building west of the Mississippi River.
There is a restaurant and an outdoor observation deck at the top of the Needle, plus a revolving section with a glass floor inside. We dutifully enjoyed what views we could, with the misty rain and clouds obscuring the beautiful city.
We had a little time left to stop in at the Museum of Pop Culture, which looked interesting and fun. But tickets were close to $30, and we had to pass. However, we did admire the building’s creative, flowing architecture, with 21,000 cut-and-shaped shingles made of stainless steel and aluminum. Each panel of shingles gives off brilliant color that shifts with the changing daylight. That we got for free.