Eagles and Whales and Bears, oh my!!! COMPLETED 3/4/2012 - Page 15 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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We were up fairly early this morning. The shuttle back to Seattle was to pick us up at the Pan Pacific at 8:45 am. We took a few morning shots out the window of our room before heading down to get something to eat. The ride on the shuttle would be about 4 hours but the nice thing is that we’d be dropped at our hotel which was right across from the airport.
We got the elevator and went one more time to the Food Court and the ever popular MacDonald’s. I have to admit that the cost of fast food in Canada is well above the cost in the US. This morning our breakfast (everything you see here) was $11.
Tummies as full as we wanted them to be we retrieved our luggage in the room, a few more pictures from the window and we were ready to check out of the Pan Pacific. I really did love our stay here and would go back in a heartbeat! But, please note it is on the expensive side.
We were to be picked up right outside our hotel but we still had a few minutes to wander around the front of the Convention Center for some last (I keep saying that!) pictures.
The shuttle arrived at the prescribed time and were on our way. There were a few other pick-ups along the way. At one stop an older lady was put on the bus by a younger woman (mother/daughter?) and it was clear the older woman did not speak much English. The bus driver was very understanding and I don’t believe there were any problems and she got off at the correct stop in Seattle.
Some shots from the shuttle as we picked up people and then headed out of town.
We were getting closer to the Canadian/US border and we made, what I thought was, a strange stop. We stopped at a place called the Campbell River Store in Surrey BC. This is just north of the border crossing and one person actually got out. That was the only reason we stopped. Seems like a lot of money to go from Vancouver to Surrey, but who knows??
Soon we had arrived at the border crossing. Here is what the line looked like for cars to cross. They moved pretty quickly.
Again we needed to get all of our belongings from the bus as if we left anything it would be not be there when we returned. The driver got our luggage and we then went through US customs. There were many buses there when we arrived so we had to wait our bus until it was our turn. When we finally got in the building it looked like it would not take us too long and we would be on our way. But unfortunately one person on the bus was giving the customs people a hard time about something and we all had to wait until it was straightened out. What a pain!
Back on the road after FINALLY getting everyone through customs we enjoyed the scenery as we headed south.
Soon enough we started to see signs of the Seattle skyline and notable sights including the Space Needle, Safeco Field, CenturyLink Field, Seattle traffic, the top of the Starbucks building, etc.
The last stop before us was at SeaTac Airport then on to the Clarion Hotel where we would spend our last night before heading home. But wait, we still had time to see a small part of Seattle, one icon, and have dinner with friends!
We got checked in, dropped our luggage off and after confirming with the front desk of the hotel that it would be a safe way to travel, even after dark, we were off we went to catch the “Light Rail” which would take us to the place where we could get the Seattle Center Monorail.
It was a short walk to the station and we purchased our tickets from a vending machine. The funny thing was that the change came back in all US dollar coins!
We were going end to end on the Light Rail. Along the way we again saw the baseball and football stadiums. We also experienced the reason why this was a safe way to travel, even after dark. The hotel clerk had informed us not to be anxious when some guards got on the train and traveled on it for a few stops and then got off. It does go through some tough looking neighborhoods but it appears that these guards keep any thoughts of inappropriate behavior just that, thoughts!
The “elevated” train we were on was also associated with the metro bus transportation in Seattle. It was a most unique system.
We got off at the Westlake Center Mall stop and proceeded to the monorail stop. This we would take to Seattle Center. This monorail is only about 1 mile long and was put in place to transport persons to the Century 21 Exposition in 1962, which was held on the current Seattle Center site.
We had to walk by this food court which was under renovation.
We finally arrived at the end of the line and it was just a short walk to the Seattle Space Needle. Off we went. We decided to purchase a day/night pass. We went in to see what we could see. We started by going up the elevator. As soon as we got off we were asked if we wanted a picture taken. Of course!
Then we walked around and saw the 360 degrees of sights!
We were getting a bit hungry as it was now about 4:15 pm. We were to meet Mark and Cheryl and hopefully have dinner but we had time for a snack!
Then it was back to get some more shots of the scenery. We briefly had a conversation with some newlyweds who were looking for things to do in Vancouver. Boy did we have some good recommendations for them!
One more turn around the walkway. I had just noticed that there were directional markers in the floor so here is what you can see in these directions from atop the Space Needle.
I found Bob walking outside and got a picture of him and a few more things.
Cheryl and I had been texting all afternoon. My goodness did they pack a lot of things in one short day! We agreed to meet at the Space Needle and try a restaurant I had found online that seemed to be only a few blocks away.
So down Bob and I went and met them as they got off the monorail.
We checked the directions to the restaurant and off we went. The early evening weather was wonderful. As we walked along we passed the International Fountain that was built at the same time as the Space Needle. Unfortunately it was being repaired or cleaned so we didn't see it running. I did manage to grab a photo of what it should look like when it is operational.
It was a bit of a walk but we found T.S. McHugh’s and since it was a weekday and still early it was not at all crowded.
We enjoyed our food and conversation and then headed back to the Space Needle in hopes of getting some good sunset shots.
The bonus was that it was a nearly full moon and we got some good shots of the Space Needle and the moon as we walked back.
We also walked by the Pacific Science Center (which I am sorry we missed) and saw a totem pole before arriving back at our destination.
We soon found out that there was a convention being held nearby and the participants had tickets to go up in the Space Needle! So, we got into line and waited a bit.
Once off the elevator we had a group picture taken. I also found out where the main gift shop was and made note to get there before it closed!
Because of the wait we missed the better part of the sunset. However, the shots we got were not too bad! Again, the moon was a bonus.
We spent some quality time on the inside and outside walkways getting some great pictures.
Then it was time to head back down the elevator, hit the gift shop and then return to our respective hotels.
We traveled on the monorail together then Mark and Cheryl headed off and we went to get back on the Light Rail. As you can see the buses also travel in the same area. And, if you look hard enough you’ll find something that reminds you of Disney!
We returned to the Clarion and found the business center so we could print out our boarding passes. Their computers were a bit slow but we managed to get them and then went back to our room to set about confirming that all our suitcases were under weight and ready to go. Our flight was 11:50 tomorrow morning so we didn’t need to be up pre-dawn!
I didn’t take any pictures and my notes at this point are sparse but we probably showered and hit the sack after watching a bit of TV. The trip was almost at an end!
Next up: Back to Milwaukee and celebrating our daughter’s 40th birthday!
I've never seen the top of the Starbucks building (or any of the building, for that matter). Pretty cool!
Sounds like a great day, and you certainly got some terrific pictures - day & night - up in the Space Needle!
Great pics of Seattle Barb! I know we were quite surprised when we got change back in dollar coins for the light rail as well! Sorry it's all coming to an end!
Beautiful photos of day and night Seattle. I'm really looking forward to checking out their transit system--it sounds just about perfect! The city looks so clean and bright, too. You really had amazing weather there at both ends of the cruise!
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You guys seemed to have such a great trip! I am sad to see it come to an end! I have enjoyed reading all about it. We will go on an Alaskan cruise one day. I think when DD is a bit older. Any ideas about what would be a good age for a child to really enjoy and "get" it?
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You guys seemed to have such a great trip! I am sad to see it come to an end! I have enjoyed reading all about it. We will go on an Alaskan cruise one day. I think when DD is a bit older. Any ideas about what would be a good age for a child to really enjoy and "get" it?
We did have a great trip. I would say around age 10-12 would be a great age for this type of cruise. There are lots of other types of shore excursions that meet the interests of kids that age - oh and their parents too!
Our flight out this morning was at 11:50 am so no great rush to get up. Our hotel was literally right across the street from the airport so we knew it wouldn’t take long to get there. However, my DH is always nervous about getting to the airport and since the hotel did not offer a free breakfast we decided to head directly to the airport first thing in the morning, check our bags, and get something to eat.
So off we went after checking, one more time that our luggage was under the 50 pound maximum. The shuttle got us to the airport in no time at all and it seemed pretty quiet. We quickly found the AirTran counter only to find NO ONE there. The sign on the counter informed us (in small print) that it was closed from 7:30 to 9:30 am!! So much for checking our bags, getting through security and then getting some food without rushing around.
Plan “B” – wait for the counter to open. This way we were first or close to first in line when it did open instead of hauling our luggage around to find something to eat and then returning.
So we settled in for our short wait and happily we were close to the front of the line when it opened. This, however, was not the case when we got to security! We spent about a half hour getting through it before finally seeking some food and our gate.
The rest of the airport seemed quiet again, that is, not too many people in the area we were in. Also, food was not very plentiful so we ended up getting some snacks and something to read in the Hudson News before finally moving on to our gate. I have to say that the airport was very clean and had some interesting artwork too. Again we found something to remind us of Disney.
The day looked pleasant so we hoped the flight would be uneventful. We arrived at our gate and I was fascinated by the “artwork” on the windows. I didn’t have time to investigate so I don’t know if this was permanent (faux stained glass) or removable at some point.
Finally we were ready to get on board. One thing I have forgotten to tell. DH and I are AirTran A+ rewards members and we both had enough to upgrade to business class going and coming this trip. That’s the good news. The bad news (well sort of bad news) was on the return flight I was unable to get us seats together. By the time I got ahold of the AirTran offices 24 hours beforehand we were on the shuttle half-way between Vancouver and Seattle. It was a full flight and I snagged the last two seats. Although we were not able to sit together we both had pleasant and mostly quiet seat mates. And, that saved us the cost of checking our luggage too. So we came home with some $$$ credit to be used later. The very worst thing is that AirTran will be leaving our preferred airport in East Central Illinois in June 2012. We are hoping for some sort of replacement so that we won’t have to go to Chicago, Milwaukee or Indianapolis to feed our Disney fixes!
I got a few pictures from the air on the way back but honestly the scenery was not as spectacular as it was on our way out. Oh, and I probably slept some too.
Home again, well at least our DD’s home. We arrived in Milwaukee on time around 5:30 pm their time. We called to be picked up from our park and fly hotel and headed south with a beautiful sunset to guide our way.
Less than an hour to our DD’s house where we would spend a couple more days helping her celebrate her 40th birthday, then pack up again all the luggage and our furbaby and her luggage and crate and return home, finally.
You certainly saw the nice side of Seattle airport, well much nicer than we saw anyway! We were in the Alaska Airlines section that you could see through the window and, although I had no complaints at all about the flight with them, the terminal was nothing special - no stained glass windows for us!
Except for the annoying wait at the airport and then no real food for breakfast, a fairly easy journey back to your neck of the woods and some family time. Looking forward to your wrap-up!
Great last day Barb! You hit the jackpot with the nice area of the airport! The Continental side didn't have anything nearly as nice! Looking forward to your final thoughts!
Well, the Alaska cruise is months behind us but by doing this TR it brought it so fresh in my mind. Remembering all the aspects of the trip, from deciding to book, making the decision to change the cruise date so we could be on the same one as Mark & Cheryl, Sue & Steve, DH and I each making a short list of possible excursions, waiting to be PIF and able to book those we had selected, making the other decisions on how to actually get to Vancouver and where to stay, making plans on what to do in Vancouver and Seattle before and after the cruise, making arrangements for our DD to have our furbaby Nala come to stay with them for almost 2 weeks, and then all the things you can’t plan for – living day to day on vacation and experiencing all it has to offer.
Top on the list was being so thankful that my DH agreed to change from a July cruise to the last one of the season in September although it was a busy time for him at work (yea, he retired in 2003 but went straight back to work at the university doing the same thing (he’s in IT) and that’s the beginning of the school year when almost anything can happen!). It was so kind of Cheryl and Mark to make the offer and for the others, who shared our dining, to include us in those activities. Having only been on two cruises now but both times with people who we knew and shared experiences with I can only say it is indeed the way to go.
I am also thankful for the special opportunity to dine in the private Palo dining room, thanks Marta! And to be introduced to Diversions and the Cove Café, thanks Steve/Sue, Cheryl/Mark. On our last cruise through the Panama Canal those places were so full, loud and overwhelming that we never ventured in to see what they were all about.
The excursions we picked far exceeded our expectations and in some cases went way out of my comfort zone, but they were incredible.
Our cabin attendant was awesome, he was always attentive and keep us “neat and tidy” all the time!
The rotational dining – food was ok, staff was ok. In regards to the food, it started out better than it ended, for the staff they ended up better than they began. I do love that they included us in some shenanigans at the Character Breakfast.
Palo dining – we were so fortunate to be able to experience Brunch, Tea, and Dinner. Brunch is, however, my very favorite and I would do that again in a heartbeat.
Some disappointments – some my fault, some no fault of anyone – I wish this cruise were a few more days longer. It was hard to have all the shore days in a row. I would have loved one or two more sea days. Because of the shortness of the cruise there were things I would have like to do, the show the last night (although dinner with 4 great friends superseded anything that the show could have provided), more time exploring the ship but that would have required either staying up later or getting up earlier. The former I can do, the latter is very hard for me. Waiting to use the patch for motion sickness/vertigo. That was my pride that said I could go without it. Believe you me that even for the shorter 5 day cruise we have coming up this fall I will have that patch put on at the beginning!
The weather – we had all types. Overcast, rainy, sunny, cool, warm, but no real cold and no snow. In Vancouver we kept hearing that the weather was extraordinary as the summer had been cool and wet and we had pleasant temps and for the most part sun or mostly sunny days. In Alaska I think we hoped and prayed for more sun but overall it was great. The one thing we heard here was “Aren’t the bottom of the mountains in Alaska beautiful?” because of course we rarely saw the tops!
The scenery – just one word “Beautiful”
I come back to the very best thing we experienced – getting know people who share the love of all things Disney who we can now truly call our friends. Because of this experience we will be reuniting with Sue and Steve prior to our cruise this fall and get a tour of their lovely “neck of the woods” which I understand is literally in the woods!! One the short and/or bucket list of things to do in the future is to go visit Cheryl and Mark across the pond sometime when they aren’t on one of their fabulous trips!
So, thanks for coming along, thanks for comments, and I am thankful that I have totally completed this TR. There are hopes that I can do that in the future. Maybe I’ll actually have to write one for a past trip as we’ve had a few exceptional ones in the past few years.
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I know we were quite surprised when we got change back in dollar coins for the light rail as well! 
Sorry it's all coming to an end! 
We were in the Alaska Airlines section that you could see through the window and, although I had no complaints at all about the flight with them, the terminal was nothing special - no stained glass windows for us! 
Looking forward to your final thoughts! 
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