Walk And Eat, Eat And Walk

Tony and I crammed a lot of fun into our week of vacation in Seattle and Vancouver.

The guidebooks we consulted (AAA, Fromers and Fodors) all said a car was a liability, so we chose hotels close to the major tourist attractions.  Even so, we did a lot of walking. We also hiked and rode bikes around the perimeter of Stanley Park (at one point the bike path was right next to the ocean).

In addition to using our feet, we rode on light rail systems and several types of buses (local, sea, and over the road), a train, and a couple of taxis.

The upside of all that activity is that it gives you a good appetite!  When we're travelling, we like to rely on restaurant recommendations from guidebooks, city newspapers and magazines, and local recommendations (although not necessarily from the hotel front desk).  I don't go out of town to eat at a chain restaurant that I can visit at home! Some highlights:

• In Seattle, Niece Jenne and Fiancé Tate took us to their favorite coffee shop.  Then we went to a dim sum restaurant where they did all the ordering for us.

• A trip to the Northwest wouldn't be complete without some seafood, would it?  At different times during the week I had a "salmon burger", which was actually a perfectly-cooked fillet on a bun, freshly prepared fish and chips, and the best clam chowder I've ever tasted.

• For lunch one day we shared a charcuterie tasting plate of local meats, cheeses, and condiments.

• After a long day of activity, dinner was some amazingly good New York-style pizza, served by the slice in a nondescript storefront.

• Each morning at our Vancouver hotel, the continental breakfast included fruit, toast, cereal, and a large bowl of real yogurt (not the watery nonfat kind I buy for myself).  It was quite addictive.