Summer in the Pacific Northwest-A Walking Tour of Pike Place Market-Seattle, Washington

As many times as I have been to this same spot I seem to fall in love all over again and I am amazed at how new it seems to me.  On a summer day such as this, I cannot think of a better way to spend an afternoon than taking in the sights and sounds of the iconic Pike Place Market.  From the farm stands bursting with colorful vegetables, fruits, and flowers to the myriad of tiny shops and restaurants...it is a place full of sights, sounds, and tastes.

The one thing that I am always drawn to are the fishmongers at The Pike Place Fish Market and the flying seafood acrobatics show they put on for everyone by throwing fish to one another.  It's something that you have to see at least once, and in my case probably 20 or more times. The seafood here is ridiculously good. Sure, it's pricey... but sometimes you just have to say "oh well" and splurge because it's probably some of the best quality seafood you're going to get.

These lobster tails measured at least 12" in length....when they say "jumbo" do they ever mean it! And check out this beautiful wild caught salmon...just delicious.  Can you even imagine this smoked....incredible.  Pacific Northwest Seafood...there's nothing like it!

As we continued maneuvering our way through the tightly packed crowd we came to this crazy guy selling of all things "nuts"...maybe he ate too much of his own product, but he was pretty hilarious.  It is amazing the things they can put on nuts...toffee, caramel, flavored salt and seasoning, cinnamon and sugar.  Something new to me were the "orange almonds"...sounds interesting!

Ok, so moving along....what do we come to?  You guessed it...The Pike Place Bakery.  Anyone who knows me realizes that I have to stop and see what's baking at the local shops.  Ever since I was a kid I remember seeing these gigantic doughnuts.  They are crazy huge! Envision your dinner plate...now, place a doughnut of equal size on that plate.  Ok, you get an idea of the size we are talking here.  Does ANYONE need a doughnut this big?  No, but your kids will love you for it...lol. C'mon-live a little!

Oh yes, and for those with a more selective taste..never fear, they have something for you too!
German chocolate doughnuts...you know you want one ;-)

Of course these are strategically placed right above the "Texas" doughnuts. 

There is even a Texas Apple Fritter...one of my top three horrible for you favorite things

 (biscuits and gravy, onion rings, and apple fritters).

Your trip to Pike Place Market would not be complete until you have taken a picture of "Rachel the Pig".  Apparently, a taxi driver hit the gas when his cab was rear-ended nearby earlier this year and plowed into Rachel the Pig, a 550-pound, bronze piggy bank that has stood outside the market's famous fish-throwing stand since 1986. The crash knocked the downtown icon off her concrete base, which will have to be repaired. The statue itself was also scratched up a bit. The piggy bank collects $6,000 to $9,000 every year. The money helps pay for social services, which is pretty neat to hear.

This guy was so entertaining...he sings, he plays the guitar AND harmonic at the same time, and swings two hula hoops.  Now...are you coordinated enough to do all that?  I think not!  He was singing a catchy song and actually had a great voice.  He was just one of the many performers there that day. The sound of music really adds a lot to the atmosphere of the market.

As we crossed the street from the open stalls of the vendors we walked over to where a lot of the smaller restaurants were located to find some lunch.  We discovered a little restaurant called "Sabra".  It is a small family owned business. The son was extremely friendly and checked with us to make sure everything was ok.   Our meal consisted of two delicious Gyros stuffed with lamb and beef , lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sliced onions, and tzatziki sauce wrapped in a warm pita flat bread. All told, we spent $14 and we were stuffed!  We ate outside in the small courtyard they shared with two other restaurants.  Great place to sit down, have a quick bite, and unwind.  Before we left we thanked the owner for the terrific meal.  He was very gracious and said to please come back again very soon and thank you for coming to their restaurant. 

All in all...it was a fabulously fun afternoon. I hope you get the opportunity to take your family to one of what I consider to be "gems" of the Northwest. After all, life is too short not to have fun, right? Enjoy!