Looking out the front of the monorail. The round towers are the Westin Hotel where we were staying.
We left Walla Walla a bit after 8am after taking breakfast at the same spot as the day before. Our route retraced our eastward leg on US 12 along the Walla Walla River, returning to the Columbia. We continued north-northwest crossing the Snake River, then the Columbia and Yakima Rivers where the interstate ran on the southwest side of the Yakima. The golden wheat fields of the Walla Walla valley give way to the greener farmlands along the Yakima.
North of Yakima, the highway crosses a series of desolate hills and ranges before descending again into a valley green with farmland. Catching Interstate 90 in this valley, this highway runs northwest into the Cascades. Mount Ranier and another glacially crowned volcano were visible as we entered the valley. The highway gradually rose into the eastern foothills as farmlands gave way to grazing lands, and isolated conifers began to announce the beginning of the vast conifer forests that gown the slopes of the mountains.
The highway continues to rise through the passes through the mountains as large pines rise along the steep slopes. Numerous ski and winter sports areas are located in this area. The highway seems sparsely settled until about 17 miles outside the city and terminus of I-90 at Interstate 5. We navigated Seattle streets making some false turns locating the Seattle Westin, arriving at 1:30pm.
We got settled in our room and had lunch in the hotel restaurant. Before heading out to explore, I asked the concierge to make reservations at the Space Needle, and to my mild surprise were successful in getting a reservation for two at 7pm. We walked over to the Pike Place Market and moseyed around for a while until Jonathan declared himself done with the place.
We waited until a little after six before we walked up a block to pick up the monorail to the Space Needle. Given that there are only two stops on the line, navigating the system was relatively easy.
The check-in for the restaurant on the ground floor was in the gift shop that surrounds the base of the structure. The elevator took us up to the observation deck where we wandered around with the pager until it summoned us to descend the stairs from the observation deck to the restaurant. We were seated a few minutes after seven at a table that had us sitting side-by-side on a banquette facing outward. As the restaurant rotates, we started facing west with the late evening sun in our eyes, but moved steadily into shadows before emerging again into sunlight as the sun set over the Olympic range where we were to walk the next week. The meal was good but not especially memorable. The ambiance was very nice and for me it was a nostalgic trip, reminiscing about the time in 1969 that the King family with two Sumner cousins drove across the country and back. The trip included a stop at the Space Needle and lunch in the revolving restaurant.
Looking out the front of the monorail. The round towers are the Westin Hotel where we were staying.
Just as the rail curves by the Westin, the Space Needle comes into view.
The view southward towards downtown Seattle from the observation deck.
Jonathan on the observation deck outside. I went back inside shortly as the height was making me uneasy.
Another view towards downtown.
The restaurant decor didn't seem to be much different that I could recall from by visit 35 years earlier.
I like light on the martini glass in the foreground with the scenery to the Olympic Range in the background.
This was one of my attempts to capture Mt. Ranier. The gentleman in the foreground had the same idea.
Sunset over the Olympic Range.