It's a long way......

from Pike Place Market to Pioneer Square and back when loaded down with recently purchased books from Elliot Bay Bookstore!!

Bev and I had a great day in Seattle today. We drove in with Colleen and she dropped us off on First Street just a block or two from Pike Place Market. On a whim, we headed for the doors of the Seattle Art Museum and waited just four or five minutes until the doors were unlocked for the day.

SAM has just undergone a year-long renovation, and we found the museum to be top-notch with several collections available for viewing. It was interesting to realize how similar Bev's and my tastes are................realism all the way. We saw works that ran the gamut from Andy Warhol to John Singer Sargent (both of which we appreciated). And of course a number of pieces that didn't do a thing for us. One of the most beautiful and fascinating was a small room devoted to porcelain - with all the walls covered with lighted glass-enclosed floor-to-ceiling cabinets full of beautifully displayed porcelain.

By the time we had finished at the museum, it was time to meet Colleen at Cafe Campagne on Post Alley for lunch. This little cafe was even rated by Zagats, and it was wonderful. Bev treated Colleen and me and we enjoyed grilled goat cheese, mixed bitter greens salad, heavenly quiche and some quite exceptional wine. I had a white burgundy and Bev had a rose. Alas, Colleen had to go back to work, so she had sparkling water.

In the afternoon, Bev and I hiked down to Elliot Bay Bookstore, which is a must when one is in Seattle and we both found some books we just couldn't live without. But now with purchases in hand (in shopping bags), we had to hike the eight or ten blocks back (partly uphill) to get north of Pike Place Market where Colleen was to pick us up. But a rest stop for coffee and a sweet helped us to reach our destination.

So now after dinner and some more wine, I am off to bed. We are going to drive south to Chehalis tomorrow to look at some motor homes and a quilt shop, and then we are going on to Mt. St. Helens. Ciao