If It's Tuesday This Must Be Seattle!

I boosted the title of this blog post from an 1969 movie If It's Tuesday This Must Be Belgium. I thought of this movie during our trip and while I write about it now. In retrospect I realize that I spent a lot of time on travel logistics and not enough time on enjoying travel.  Note to self:  Just visit one or two places during a ten day trip, quality not quantity travel.

We are awake early in Astoria and drive our rental car two hours back to Enterprise in downtown Portland. The rental agent gives  us a ride to Union Station (PDX.) We are ahead of schedule so we check our luggage, drink coffee and enjoy the building's old lines. There are neon signs to photograph and a bank of phone booths to admire. Phone booths seem like an anachronism in today's cell phone world.

 Union Station Portland - PDX

We boarded the Amtrak Cascades for a scenic ride to Seattle. This train is more modern,  but a little less plush than The Coast-Starlight. It has a smooth ride and electronic displays showing location, time, and speed. I caught a couple of  peek a boo photos of the scenery at over seventy MPH.

Photos from Amtrak Cascades

We arrived in Seattle and grabbed a cab to the Ace Hotel. I had scouted Seattle hotels on the internet for location and price. The Ace Hotel had lots of great reviews and is in a wonderful location. On top of that it is artsy and hip, that's all good. Maybe I'm too old to be hip. As I stood in the doorway of the hotel, there was a long steep stairway; I looked about for an elevator and didn't see one. I had tons of luggage including many pounds of camera gear. Like a Sherpa I hauled butt up to the reception desk and told Avril I would find the elevator. I asked the desk person "where is the "old people's elevator?" She said there is no elevator, as she kindly jumped up and ran down to help Avril with her luggage. Apparently the hotel is a heritage building and an elevator was not required during conversion. We had booked an upgraded room with our own bathroom-shower instead of shared / $199 plus-plus .  Our overall stay was very good. The desk staff were all nice and helpful. The bed was comfortable and clean and there is kick-ass coffee and a killer waffle machine for the included breakfast. The decor is minimalist-recycled-green chic, which I get. Some things I didn't get.  There is no place to stow luggage, hang clothes ( OK there was two hangers on a pipe), paper towels instead of cloth for the sink and that piece of black melting "soap", ugh. A few inexpensive changes / additions would make a difference for us old, un-hip, money to spend guests.

The Ace Hotel Seattle 

Waffle! Ace Hotel Seattle

We only had a short time in Seattle so we chose to visit Pike Place Market. What a great place I wished we had a kitchen to take the beautiful food back to.

Pike Place Market

Pike Place Market

Pike Place Market 

Next up ferry to Victoria.