Laura-Jane Adventures

During my fall break I was extremely lucky to be given the chance to travel with my host family to Washington and Oregon. Our first stop was Seattle in the state of Washington. Seattle known for Greys Anatomy, rain, coffee and of course the classic film Sleepless in Seattle, was a delight. The weather for our visit was perfect and allowed us to take advantage of what the energetic city had to offer. First stop was Chihuly Garden & Glass; this is a museum located in the Seattle Centre which exhibits the extraordinary work of Dale Chihuly. In my opinion I was slightly pessimistic as to how entertaining I would find the museum. However, this view was completely unwarranted once I began to take in the stunning glass and art work of Chihuly. The pieces were mesmerising and nothing short of unique, definitely something I would like to be able to purchase in later life.

During day one, myself and my host family, also went up the Space Needle. Due to the weather being so lovely and there not being a cloud in the sky, we enjoyed amazing views of the city of Seattle. If you do not like heights I would encourage you to try and put those fears aside and push yourself to go to the top of the Space Needle. You will not be disappointed with what you see.

A personal highlight of getting to travel to Seattle was the chance to go whale watching on a trip to Friday Harbour. My host family very generously gave me this amazing opportunity. The day spent on the boat and exploring Friday Harbour was peaceful and soul-satisfying, it made a great contrast to a busy day in the city of Seattle. Whale watching is all down to luck and timing, unfortunately, because of the time of year there were not many whales left in the area (they had began to migrate). Although, we were lucky enough to find one whale and catch a glimpse of them as they came to the surface for air. The experience was truly breath-taking.

To conclude the trip to Seattle of course we had to do a trip to Pike Place Market. Pike Place Market is a collection of farmers, craft makers and small businesses who all individually bring something unique to the marketplace. If you get the chance to visit and have more time in the city I would recommend visiting more than once as there is a lot to see, take in and try. One of my favourite places within the market was the roof top garden which celebrated the culture and nature of Seattle. Allowing visitors to enjoy being outside, letting them document where they were from on chalk boards placed around the space and not to mention the awesome views of the Seattle Ferris Wheel.

In addition to the market itself the Gum Wall is a must see. It is located at the back of the markets and is disgustingly great. I was thoroughly amused to chew a piece of gum and carefully add it to the wall of germs. Even if you think it is a horrible concept it is completely unique and has to be a must see, even if you just take a glimpse at it for a second!

For anyone that knows me in the slightest, you know that I love coffee and am never out of Starbucks. So when my host family told me we were going to Seattle – the home of the original Starbucks – I was just a little bit excited! The original store is located in Pike Place Market just a short walk from the entrance. As expected there is normally a wait to get your coffee but the atmosphere makes the wait worth it. If you fancy something a little less ‘grab and go’ (as there is no seating) then I would say visit the Starbucks Reserve Seattle. It truly is an experience for coffee lovers as you can indulge in unique blends, alcoholic coffee beverages, handmade pastries and watch the coffee beans being roasted and bagged. I could of spent all day there.

My adventure to Seattle would not have been possible without my host family and to them I will forever be grateful for giving me my first taste of North West America. I indulged in the cities culture, leisure and of course the food. All the whilst in great company. Make sure to add Seattle to your travel bucket list, you will not regret it.

Lots of love,

Laura Jane x