It wasn't until I was on my way to San Francisco that I put together that there was a rather large sporting event being held there this coming weekend.
There were signs of the impending 50th Super Bowl.
Luckily I got out of town before the craziness started! Although it would have been fun to take a few laps in this!
See I wasn't kidding when I said I was starting my day with morning walks with colleagues. I'm not typically up for sunrises, but when I travel west, the time difference has me springing out of bed like an early bird.
Speaking of birds, hold still bird. I am aiming for an iconic shot.
Nope. See ya!
Since I am in San Francisco for work I am spending all my time with team mates. We get up and go for a walk first thing in the morning, eat breakfast, lunch and dinner together and all the time in between. This evening on our way to dinner we did swing by the Palace of Fine Arts to take some photos. Orginally built as a location for art exhibits during the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition it's a great spot for taking pcitures.
Foot shot!
Impressive views each way you look.
Here I am squishing the rotunda.
I'm heading to San Francisco for work this week and that involves prepping myself for the plane ride. I don't travel as much as I used to for work but I'm always looking for tips to add to my travel routine.
It's seems like every article of airplane must-haves lists a hydrating mist. This article actually says that using a hydrating mist on the plane actually has the opposite affect.
I cannot resist a bit of beauty product, and I already ordered it so I decided I would use this hydrating mist before and after the flight. It made me feel a wee bit better and it gives you something to do when your flight is delayed, as it almost certainly always is.
I have never been to Seattle so when Aaron had to come out for work I jumped at the chance to join him for the weekend. Today we got to do some sightseeing.
The first stop was the Space Needle. The entire time I had "... tossed salad and scrambled eggs..." running through my head.
The Space Needle is an observation tower that was built for the 1962 Worlds Fair. It's 605 feet tall and has 25 lightning rods.
There are cool intereactive things to do at the top of the Needle, like posting where you traveled from.
After the Space Needle we headed over to Pike Place Market. Started in 1907, it's one of the oldest farmers markets in the US.
We watched fish being tossed.
Looked around at the shops.
There were some funky shops and quirky spots like a shoe show. I didn't need to see giant shoes. I see those in our own house every day.
In Pike Place you can find the first original Starbucks. There is long line, but something I had to visit.
Also in Pike Place is Post Alley, home of the Gum Wall.
The alley under the market has a theater box office. As people would wait they would stick blobs of chewed gum to the wall. Some parts of the wall were several inches thick, 15 feet high for 50 feet the length of the wall.
Just last month, it was determined that the sugar in the gum was eroding the bricks and it needed to be cleaned off. From November 10 to 13 workers scrubbed down the wall and steam cleaned it. Over 2,350 pounds of gum was removed but folks are already starting to add it back again.
We had a hand in that.
It really grossed me out.
It rained while we were in Seattle but that is okay. It felt like we were getting the original Seattle experience. PS - I didn't realized how hilly it was there.
I also didn't realize what huge football fans folks in Seattle are. Fridays are "Blue Friday" where everyone wears their Seahawks gear to work. At one of the shops, instead of saying "Have a nice day", the shop keeper said "Go Seahawks!"
It was a short trip, but we will be back!
I joined Aaron in Seattle for the weekend and while he was working, I went out for some shopping. I found a cute group of shops that were all decked out for Christmas.
So many festive things... I have to be careful I don't get something that would be challenging to take home on the plane.
Like a vintage stove.
I loved this antique shop and spent a good amount of time poking in every corner. I found some goodies there I'll post later.
We have arrived at OBX! Looking forward to a week of walks, BBQ and relaxation.
We forgot our usual Navy flag that we fly at the end of our walk so we had to stop and grab this one at a shop on our way in. These history buffs like the Revolutionary War throwback aspect.
Staying up late to print our beach shirts paid off. Here is the fam sporting them together. Oscar and Hugo look left out however. I clearly need to make two pugs shirts.
Sometimes I forget we are a little over an hour away from what would have been one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World - if they had not refused it - Niagara Falls. We have been there a couple times, but really we should go more often. We had a friend in town last weekend and he had never been so off we went.
There is the US side and the Canadian side... and they are different.
Most would agree that the Canadian side of Niagara Falls is more impressive. The Horseshoe Falls is the largest of the three falls that make up Niagara Falls. The Canadian side is also more commercial. Clifton Hill is a major tourist spot with restaurants like Hard Rock Cafe & Planet Hollywood, Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum, Guinness World Records Museum, Louis Tussaud's Waxworks, a giant ferris wheel, Hershey World, Coca-Cola World... you get the picture.
Everyone seems to know about the Niagara Falls Maid of the Mist (pictured above)... but that boat is on the US side. The Canadian's have the Hornblower.
One of the cool things you can do on the Canadian side is go behind the falls. You decend down wrapped in a plastic hood until you come out on a platform directly next to Horseshoe Falls. Then you can walk down a tunnel until you peep out behind the falls.
I had not done that before so I was glad to have the chance.
The US side of Niagara Falls is much more like a park - which it is... a National Park made up of American Falls and Bridal Falls. There are not as many restaurants and destinations apparent on the US side. It's more about walking around and peering down at the falls.
You can walk out onto a look out, take a ride on the Maid of the Mist or walk down below the falls at Cave of the Winds.
While Horseshoe Falls was tough to see from all the mist, we got a good look at the US falls.
Looking right down Bridal Falls to the Cave of the Winds. Made me feel like flinging my phone into the water.
Looking down on the Maid of the Mist. I do prefer this boat ride over Hornblower.
You aren't going to find the Vegas-like attractions on the US side. This is more of what you might find.
This caught my eye too. It all has it's own charm.
I loved visiting the markets in Seoul. Namdaemun Market was my favorite. (Am I going to regret not getting one of these pillows?)
The colors were like eye candy. And Aaron enjoyed the bargaining.
Look at this shop! One of everything please!
The market also seemed to be a great spot to grab a bite to eat.
Grab a seat and they will cook it right up for you.
So much to choose from.
Radish kimchee to go.
Everyone keeps asking what happend to her other arm.
Spicy!
Besides the food in the markets, there was intriguing street food. Roasted chestnuts.
Roasted corn.
These weird extruded cones filled with ice cream.
We saw these everywhere.
We sampled lots of sweets. Like this green tea waffle with ice cream.
Ooooh honey!
Ice cream topped with honeycomb!
Patbingsu which is shaved ice topped with sweet red beans and fruit.
I spotted this Peggy Pies shop but didn't get a chance to go back and try it.
Look at those drinks!
Speaking of drinks I loved this iced bubble coffee.
We had to try this cane juice.
Aaron said "It's so healthy!" LOL. Very interesting.
I had to try some chips. I love trying potato chips in other countries. Spicy!
So much food, so little time.