WA Weekend - Part 2.

Seattle. Only a drive of a couple of hours from Vancouver, but hadn't ever been there. So this summer, decided it was time to visit. Our wonderful hosts became our tour guides for the day and planned our whole itinerary. Told you, they are amazing. And there's no way we would have ever gotten to see so many interesting places, or sample so much free chocolate, without them!

So here goes. First stop, the Ballard Locks.

Then a stop by the Troll. Who lives in the Fremont area of Seattle, under the Aurora Streèt Bridge.

Then off to the Theo Chocolate Factory, where we skipped the tour but ate all of the free samples. 

Famous for their organic chocolate. Orange chocolate. Mint chocolate. Roasted almond chocolate. Coconut chocolate. Coffee chocolate, and more. Tried them all. Loved them all. 

Then to the recently opened Starbucks Reserve on Pike Place. Me, at my happy place. 

You seriously have all of your five senses working in unison here. Watch them roast, bag and label their famous coffee beans. Taste their different brews of coffee and tea. 

Then to Pier 66, where we parked and headed on foot to the famous Pike Place Market.

Seafood section. 

Flowers for sale.

The real-life, green statue. 

The sad and lonely balloon man.

And last, but definitely not least, the original Starbucks location. 

Then the kids rode the Great Wheel. 

                   (photo credit: DL Kazen)

Then we took some family photos on the pier. 

And then scouted out Gum Alley.

Then a visit to Fran's Chocolatier and Coffee Shop. Fewer samples here, but definitely more wow.

This wall portrait is made up entirely of chocolate. Sweet eh? 

Our friends purchased some lovely flowers at the market.

                                                       (photo credit: DL Kazen)

Which the lovely husbands carried to stash away in the parked vehicle.

While the rest of us waited for them to return, and made some rather impolite comments about the two of them. No worries though. A couple of guys wearing skinny shorts and carrying flower bouquets along the streets of Seattle looks perfectly normal here. 

Then we had to say goodbye. And drove home, alongside this spectacular sunset. Photo credit for this one goes to Miss Kayleigh.