Seattle: Pike's Place Market (August 17, 2008)

When people talk about tourist activities in Seattle, there tends to be a recurring theme:

"Are you gonna see them throw fish at the market?"

Ah yes-- the flying fish of Pike's Place Market.

For those who don't already know, the famous "flying fish" can be seen at Pike Place Fish Market, where the staff of fishmongers throw fish, crabs, lobster any time they ring up a sale. Crowds form a semi-circle around the shop, waiting for someone to make a purchase so that fish will fly.

Want a preview? Check out the fish market's live webcam.

If you're looking to see the market in person, you'll find that the weekends are the most crowded time -- which is both a plus and a minus. Naturally the downside is there's more pushing and shoving to get around. But as a postive, if there are more crowds, there are more people purchasing fish, which means the fishmongers are more likely to throw fish, and... You get the picture. The weekends may be a little busier, but they're still the best time to see the market in action. As a bonus, on the weekends, the fishmongers will often let passersby sample complimentary salmon.

Recommended Pike's Place Market indulgences:

• Market Spice. Sample their Cinnamon-Orange Tea, or purchase fresh, unusual spices from among their shelves and shelves of choices.


• Chukar's Cherries. With "cherries" in the name, this shop doesn't need much explanation. From dried cherries, to chocolate-covered cherries, to cherry jam, it's a sweet, fruity, delicious experience. They also offer a variety of fruit and nut assortments that provide a fresh alternative to the chocolatey staples.


• Beecher's Handmade Cheese. Bring on the cheese please! I'm a personal fan of their Flagship Cheese (it's muy delicioso on sandwiches, crackers, or by itself). The Blank Slate Honey Cheese is also always a big hit when I serve it with friends and family.


• The Confectional. From big slabs to delicate little morsels, The Confectional offers cheesecake. Oh yes, and Colombian hot chocolate. Mmm-mmm-mmm. It's thick, chocolately, and available in convenient "shot" sizes.


• Any of the fresh fruit and vegetable stands. Presentation of the agriculture is an important consideration for any market vendor. During farm season, you'll see shining eggplants and apples. You'll see a rich rainbow of colors. And you'll appreciate that the farmers are the cornerstone of the market.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WORDSMITH'S SISTER-IN-LAW (WITH MANY THANKS).

The San Juans: Whale Watching (August 16, 2008)

There are many ways to get out to the San Juan Islands from Seattle. Having once taken a whale watching tour that departed from a Seattle pier and sailed from there to the San Juans, we learned our lesson.

Specifically: Drive to Anacortes, Washington. Take the big ferry from Anacortes to Friday Harbor. Then go on one of the whale watching tours that leaves from Friday Harbor.

It's still basically an all-day outting. But, sailing from Seattle to the San Juans and back (and whale watching in between) amounts to all day on a boat. Driving to Anacortes and taking the ferry to Friday Harbor means a pleasant day on Friday Harbor -- with an hour on the ferry each way and few hours for whale watching on a separate smaller boat.

We took the 8:45 AM ferry that put us into Friday Harbor around 9:50 AM. The boat ride provided ample opportunity for viewing the many islands (small, plump, rounded land masses formed by glaciers and covered by evergreens). When we arrived at our destination we strolled to the nearby pier from which our pre-booked whale watching tour was leaving at 10:00 AM.

The San Juans are known for their summertime orca viewing opportunities. Depending on when you go and various circumstantial factors, you may see different types of orcas. In a nutshell -- There are three types of orca populations, each with their own distinct culture, dialect, and diet:

1. Resident orcas. These guys travel in big groups. They tend to be more playful and easier to observe by humans because they do not need to be as stealthy as their seal-hunting counterparts. The Residents eat fish, which in the the San Juans means they're mostly eating salmon.

2.Transient orcas. The Transient whales travel in smaller pods and hunt for sea lions, seals, and such. Like the Residents, they can be found in the San Juans -- though usually at slightly different times of year.

3. Off-shore orcas. These orcas live far out at sea. Apparently not much is known about them, and you're not likely to find them around the San Juans.

In July especially, there are greater opportunities for seeing Resident Orcas (on a previous July whale-watching day, we saw a pod of more than 20 orcas, swimming together with their matriarch "Granny" at the helm). But on this warm August day, we knew we were likely to encounter orcas of the transient variety.

After riding far enough out to sea, we caught sight of our first tall black dorsal fins. What a thrill. The whales' trademark black and white faces would often emerge in unison as they coordinated movements. Then their slick bodies arched as they dove back underwater.

Okay, so I'm going to just bring out the cheese: It was hard not to be in awe of such big, strong, and beautiful animals, totally in their element. And needless to say, if you're in Seattle, and you're up for a day-trip to Friday Harbor, whale-watching is totally worth the excursion.

We spent several hours at sea, observing the whales and wildlife. We saw sea lions on tiny islands, and when passing Lopez Island, saw dozens of orange and purple starfish clinging to the rocks. Waves lapped against their fleshy, colorful arms. On other occasions, we might have observed stellar seals, bald eagles, and minke whales -- the wildlife you see has a lot to do with happenstance and plain old luck.

When we returned to Friday Harbor, it was almost 1:30 in the afternoon, and we were getting hungry. Discovering a good restaurant with a deck that overlooked the water, we decided to give it a whirl. We'd already missed the 1:00 ferry, and the next ferry to Anacortes was not leaving until 5:00. After slapping on some sunblock, we sipped lemonade (which unfortunately attracted a particularly persistent bee) and enjoyed a leisurely lunch in the sunshine.

With time to spare, we even jaunted a few blocks away to The Whale Museum -- where you can listen to whale songs, learn all about the local pods, sit inside a (presumably plaster) orca rib cage, and so on. It was a fun supplemental activity to our morning at sea with the whales.

We docked the ferry a little after 5:00 (it happened to be running a few minutes late) and plopped into seats by the window. Despite tired feet, we were happy and still reveling in the day's events. Now it was back to Anacortes.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE WORDSMITH'S SISTER-IN-LAW (WITH MANY THANKS).