Travels in the 2nd half

“It is oppressively green!” That is how The Amazin’ Ms. D described what she saw as we drove across Whidbey Island. She was on her way to a two-week retreat at Hedgebrook Farm, and I was going to spend that time driving around the Olympic Peninsula. “Oppressively Green” was a phrase that came back to me time and again during my trip. For me, there are two advantages to passing through Whidbey Island on my way to the Peninsula. One is getting to visit Whidbey itself. More importantly, I get to take two ferries on the trip. I love taking ferries for the same reasons that I love traveling by train. It forces me to slow down. Waiting for the ferry, I can get out of my car and explore. My first ferry on this trip was from Mukilteo, about 25 miles north of Seattle, to Clinton, on Whidbey Island. This is a short ride, about 15 minutes, but it is still worth getting out of the car. I got a memorable view of the coast of Puget Sound on a foggy day. Leaving Mukilteo on a...

I love markets. They have an energy that I find invigorating. A good market draws me in, and then moves me along, from one sight to another. It will also provide a composition of sounds that grab my attention as I pass along. A good food market will add the aromas of spices and cooked food. When I get to the end of a good market, I am disappointed and want to head back in and start again, because I feel like there is always something that I have missed. Pike Place Market, in Seattle, is an excellent market. Pike Place Market is a collection of buildings overlooking Elliot Bay, just north of Downtown Seattle. The buildings stretch 4 block along Pike Place, from Union to Virginia Street. Opened in 1907, the Public Market was created to give farmers direct access to consumers, without having to sell their produce through wholesalers. The main arcade, west of Pike Place, was mainly a place for produce and flower vendors. That is still true today. By Seattle Municipal...