On Sunday we ventured out into our city by foot to explore the surrounding neighborhoods. We had originally decided to head into the mountains again but as much as I love the nature hikes, I wasn’t in the mood for trees. I wanted solid concrete under my feet. After two years in Seattle, we barely know our adopted city. It was a great way to get some exercise and see some neighborhoods that I usually only drive through with a passing glance. When I travel to other countries, all I do it walk – it’s an invaluable way to really see the town, the culture, and the people. We stopped for lunch in Ballard and the woman behind the counter told us she had once took off from her home in one direction and walked until she couldn’t anymore. In a way, I think that’s what we did on Sunday and it was magical.

What I liked most about the walk was the people we met along the way. Our energy was up and we engaged people in conversation that we normally wouldn’t. The clerk at Radio Shack ogled my new camera and was very helpful as we discussed photography and video. The women at Savour introduced me to a sandwich that wasn’t on the menu when I told them of our excursion and desire to try new things. Note: apple, arugula, brie, and fig spread go really well together on french bread. I’m just sayin’. I spoke a small bit of Italian with the fella at Peet’s when he served me my new favorite drink: Mango Tea Freddo. And we ended our day with some of the best blackened anything I’ve ever had. It was a day of food, friendship, and exploration. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Sunday traffic at Ballard Locks

Starting out from our home in Green Lake, we headed towards the Ballard Locks.  They link several bodies of water and is a huge tourist attraction with the boats, salmon, and Botanical Gardens. It may not seem fascinating to watch them move the bridges to let the boats pass but I guarantee you will be mesmerized with the process. Pass over the bridges and make your way underground to watch the salmon waiting to acclimate to the fresh water before heading off to spawn. If you’re lucky, there will be a tour guide to answer your questions.

After the salmon, we walked to Fremont, along Leary Way and then the path along the canal. The area has an industrial marine feel before you reach the canal pathway. It’s

Salmon waiting to spawn

part of Seattle’s industry and I found it interesting to see the various business all related to living in a port city.  It reminded me that many cities have layers of industry. It’s a great way to see the culture and history.

Fremont, Center of the Universe, was our next stop. If you’re in Seattle you HAVE to go to Fremont. The neighborhood is an eclectic mix of local restaurants, book stores, galleries, and antiques. Every time I visit Fremont, I discover something new. It’s like one large neighborhood art piece. They even have a statue of Lenin. After saying Hi to Lenin, we walked through the Sunday Fremont Market where I had to resist the urge to buy a pair of funky vintage sunglasses. We stopped for a cold drink at Peet’s on the corner of everything and watched the people go by before heading over the Fremont Bridge and towards downtown.

Walking to downtown from Fremont is easy, just follow Westlake. Where Westlake turns, we had the option of catching the South Lake Union Trolley which will take you to the heart of the retail area of downtown. I was tired at this point but I’d experienced so much from walking that I didn’t want to miss out. Not too much further and we were at Pike Place Market, just as they were closing. We discovered that downtown closes at 6 on Sundays. A little disappointing when trying to find something to eat. Not all of the restaurants were closing but we were left with few options. Surprisingly, even as the city shut down, people were still out and about. Seattle’s downtown area is THE tourist hotspot and they weren’t ready to give up the experience just because a few shops were closing. There are still all of the beautiful views of the sound as the sun was beginning it’s descent on the horizon.

We opted for a bus ride home because our feet were exhausted from the 12-mile trek around town. I was both exhausted and exhilarated from the day. We had finally experience Seattle in a way I’d been dreaming of since we arrived. There’s an energy in this city that demands to be seen and experienced by foot. Next time we’re heading to the U District and Capital Hill. We’ve only just begun exploring!