Seattle, Washington and Victoria, British Columbia,
May 2015




Seattle Space Needle - Mount Rainier in the background.


Picturesque evening photo.


Map of Northwest U.S. and Canada.
Victoria is the Capital of the Canadian Province British Columbia.


Welcome to the Border area of the Northwest U.S. and Canada.

Seattle's large Bay area is known as Puget Sound. North of Puget Sound is the Strait of Georgia
which leads to the Pacific. Northwest of Puget Sound is the Strait of Juan de Fuca which
also leads to the Pacific. The Puget S. area below Downtown Seattle is also known as Elliott Bay.

Vancouver Island is above the Strait of J de F where the City of Victoria is located and
it is the Capital of the Province British Columbia (BC). BC is about 5 times larger (in
square miles) than Washington State.

BC also borders the Southeastern part of Alaska, but most of Alaska is bordered by the
Yukon Territory of Canada. The Yukon Territory land mass is above BC.

The aerial photos such as shown above are obtained from the Internet and the
local photos are likely to have been taken by myself or spouse.

Having been to the other 3 corners of the U.S. - Key West, Bangor, and San Diego, but not
yet Seattle, we made this trip to the Pacific Northwest while we are still able to do so.

We hope you enjoy the photos.




Seattle Center near the waterfront with the Space Needle, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and other Museums.


The Seattle Center previously shown is about 9 blocks North (or left) of Downtown shown here.
Along the Waterfront are several Ferries and Cruise Ships to other places. The next Map shows
the Ferry Terminals to Victoria and Bainbridge Island which we visited a day apart.


The Ferry Terminals for Victoria and Bainbridge Island. Both places were Pleasant and interesting.
Passports are required for Victoria/Seattle, none for Bainbridge Island which is part of Washington.







Could not resist snapping Pix of that Flower bush.


Needless to say, "Flowers in Seattle (and Victoria) do quite well".


The operational functions of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation are in two large buildings.
A Visitor's Center is provided adjacent to the Buildings to explain what the Foundation is doing
to improve the Live's of those living in underdeveloped Countries around the World. The Center's
presentation is superb with Video, display areas, examples, and a well spoken Narrator that explains
much of what the Foundation does, e.g., eliminating Malaria mosquitoes, providing Polio Vaccines,
improving water supplies so it is piped close to the people, so they won't have to carry jugs long
distances. The Narrator informed the visiting group, the Warren Buffet Foundation is a very large
contributor to the Gates' Foundation which has doubled the capacity of Help to those Countries in Need.


The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Visitor Center.


The photo shown above will give you an idea of what the interior of the visitor center
is like. Not shown are several more interior photos due to web page space limitations.



After the Seattle Center area, We decided to take-in Seattle's first neighborhood - "Pioneer Square".
An old section of town with a few good pictures and a very interesting "Klondike Gold Rush Museum".
The Story, Video and the Displays were fantastic and free as it is run by the National Park Service.
Only a few photos of the Klondike museum are shown due to the web page space limitations.
















Notice the News Paper is dated 1897 and it cost two cents.




A tiny Park with a water fall at a Pioneer Square corner!



Pike Place Market - been around since 1927, sprawls with 500 shops, restaurants and vendor stalls.
A popular place for fish & chips and almost everything else - here's a brief glimpse.












Next, we visited Victoria with a catamaran type Clipper Ferry. It is a fast Ferry, passengers only,
cruises at 22 mph and a one way trip takes 3 hours. So, Victoria is about 60 miles from Seattle. Our
clipper left Seattle at 7:30 AM and returned at 9:30 PM. Victoria is beautiful, friendly,
pleasant and interesting. The Harbor's Wharf is part of downtown! Hope you enjoy the photos.


Below the compass Icon, where the Clipper docks is the secure Canada/US Customs. Upon leaving Customs
you will be on Belleville St. Walk one block East and you are in Town.






We stopped to smell the Roses, Just about every bush we saw had perfect roses.




Go sightseeing in style with a horse and buggy.


This is the Parliament building for BC. I apologize for only getting half of the Totem Pole.


Shirley finds herself a bagpiper. He did play the pipes superbly, while marching in place!


This is the beginning of the Wharf, there are few boats because
they are sailing at "The Straits of Juan de Fuca" on such a nice Day.


This is the old and famous Fairmont Empress Hotel.


A short way around that bend is the "Strait of Juan de Fuca" and access to the World.






This is Government Street in Town and leads to the Parliament Building.


This is an upscale Restaurant, formerly a beautiful old Bank building.


Victoria is very nice, I could live there! No Language problem and they
appear to like Americans and I seem to like Canadians!









Next day we visited Bainbridge Island which is 30 minutes from Pier 52 in Seattle.
It's a place of beaches, sailboats, gardens, shops and restaurants. There are a
few businesses, i.e., a brewery, a distillary, an art glass company and a wine bar.
The name of the town where the Ferry boat docks is "Winslow". It is absolutely the
cleanest, neatest, most upscale town I've ever seen and no homeless, or panhandlers.
Most of the folks there seem to be Sail Boat enthusiasts.


At top of Photo is the Seattle skyline. The Ferry crosses Puget Sound right into its dock
at the middle of the picture and unloads passengers at upper level and vehicles at lower
level - extremely efficient.




Upon leaving the Ferry, crossing Olympic Dr. to the widened walkway called "The Waypoint" there
are printed signs telling the history of Bainbridge, but first they explain the word "waypoint".




















Returning to Seattle, snow-capped mountains were spotted in the background.




Farewell Seattle, thank you for having us, thank you Lord for making it possible.



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