Last time I visited Seattle was twenty years ago.  Coming back to the Emerald City was going to be familiar but new at the same time. Ernie and I were looking forward to getting to know the ambience of Seattle during the few days we had to visit.

Because our Amtrak train engine had “issues” (See post:  “The Little Engine that Couldn’t.”), we got to our hotel in Seattle at 7:00 pm rather than 4:00 pm as scheduled.  We had dinner at a Thai restaurant at the Pacific Place mall.  Nice, but my feeling is anything in a mall doesn’t give you the real experience of a city.  But hey, it was 8:30 pm by the time we ordered dinner.  You gotta be prepared for things changing when you travel. So, we wanted to get an early start the next morning – a Saturday.

At 6:10 am we headed out the door of our hotel to explore and catch the city in the early morning as it’s just starting to shake off the cover of darkness.  We headed in the general direction of the harbor area not knowing where the streets of Seattle would quite take us.

In short order we were at legendary Pike Place Market – but it was a far different scene from what most people see when they stroll through.  At six-something in the morning it was empty.  Some of the flower vendors were pulling their wares out of refrigerated trucks.  The fishmongers were getting the crushed ice just right for their fishy displays.  The produce vendors were starting to set up their best displays of brilliantly colored fruits and veggies.

This early in the morning there was no fish throwing going on.  No street musicians singing and strumming.  I stopped into a Starbucks across the street and bought a bottle of water to sip on as we were about to walk back to our hotel to shower and have breakfast.  I asked the barista, “Is this the original Starbucks?”

“No,” she replied.  “It’s down one block and to the left a few doors.” We decided to come back later.

We trekked to 4th Street and then down Wall Street back to our hotel.  Our plan was to return in a few hours.

When we did the area was transformed – with people. Lots of people  Wall to wall humanity, in fact. Pikes Place is like a Farmer’s Market – on steroids. There is every type of produce you can imagine.  Seafood fresh caught from the ocean that morning.  And everything in between.

We started out at The Pike Place Fish Market.  This is where the famous “fish throwers” do their thing.  Every time someone buys a fish, these guys toss it over the big fish display to the guys waiting to cut it up and wrap it to the customer’s specifications – or ship it cross-country.  They are famous for putting on a “show” and shucking and jiving with the crowds.  And you can tell they’re having a good time.  People crowd in just to see these guys toss fish and joke around with the crowd.

I get why they do it.  It’s great marketing.  In fact, the Pike’s Place Fish Market has been written about as an excellent example of how a not so unusual business – a fish market – has distinguished itself by providing an experience that’s fun and unique.  What blows me away is the crowds.  People really dig fish throwing.  All that fame probably is a good thing for all the other vendors, too.

We kept walking through the throngs of people.  Since we had a refrigerator in our hotel room we bought oranges, apples, raspberries and blueberries to keep with us as healthy snacks. Prices were pretty close to what I pay at Trader Joe’s at home.

At Pikes Place you can find wines, cheeses, meats and sausages, baked goods – including a locally famous donut joint known as The Daily Dozen. I almost bought something called Chocolate Pasta.  It’s a dessert.  I guess you serve it hot over a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream with a few berries or toasted nuts. I thought it would be a nice dessert, but I never went back to that vendor for it.

Pikes Place Market is so big and so busy you can even find tours to take you through and “show you the hidden gems in Pikes Place so you can experience it like a local.”  Yes, the crowds can be a somewhat daunting – but I need a tour guide to go through a market?

The flowers are positively amazing.  For a mere five dollars you can get a pretty respectable bouquet. It’s a riot of brilliant color that just makes you feel happy to look at it.  For ten dollars you can get a larger, more lush bouquet.  How they do it so inexpensively – I have no idea.  But I didn’t see any florists shops in the downtown area – they just can’t compete with those prices.  I’ll bet a lot of people who live in the area buy flowers to adorn their dining room or hall table all the time when they’re in season.

I’m starting to get it.  Pikes Place Market is about food (and other curiosities) as entertainment.  It’s crowded but it’s still fun. It’s about the food hawkers who try to tempt you with “just a little taste.”  They’re a little silly while being about business. In a way it’s small business at it’s finest.  In fact, the market is so expansive and varied I’m going to write another blog post about the food we enjoyed in the area.  Stay tuned for more.  And if you’re planning a trip to Seattle – you can’t miss it. You might not get Pikes Place as I didn’t at first – but go anyway.