The four of us agreed to have breakfast at 7 AM on Sunday morning. The  cafeteria, called the World Fresh Marketplace, was very crowded. It seemed that the rest of the 3,702 passengers  were breakfasting at the same time. I chose the  typical morning meal  that I would have at home: oatmeal with fruit. For Nick, this was the last breakfast on the ship at which he could have foods he would not get at home, so he chose a chocolate croissant and another pastry.

We were told to be on line on the seventh floor to depart from  the ship at 8 AM. When we got to  the line there, we were sent to the gangway. After that, there were many snakelike lines taking us to lower and lower levels, until finally we reached the ground. Huge doors were opened, and we were led into a room the size of Grand Central Station that contained everyone’s luggage. Our suitcases were easy to find because they had color coded ID tags.

The four of us took a taxi back to the Westin Downtown Hotel, where we had stayed before the cruise. Our rooms were both in the north tower. At that point, Nick said he had begun to feel that he was coming down with a cold. He had not escaped it after all! I gave him  the cold meds that I had brought on the trip, and he and Dawn went to a local store to replenish our supply.

We returned to the Dahlia Bakery for an early lunch. The four  of us ordered  a BLT, a bacon and egg sandwich, a bacon and potato quiche, and avocado toast. For dessert we shared  baked mini-donuts. All were absolutely delicious!

After lunch, Dawn suggested that we take a tour on a smaller boat than the one we had just left. We were able to get tickets for a tour of the Ballard Locks, which links the Puget Sound to Lake Union and Lake Washington via Salmon Bay. What a glorious way to spend an afternoon! Here are some of Nick’s favorite shots from the tour. The scenery was lovely and was described by Lars, the tour guide, whose family has lived in Seattle for three generations. The last building that our boat passed was the houseboat that was used for exterior shots in the movie Sleepless in Seattle.

We asked  Lars for a recommendation for dinner, and he suggested Duke’s, a local restaurant known for its seafood. The four of us ordered salmon with pesto sauce, stuffed halibut, fish tacos, and fish and chips. Of course, the fish were all fantastically fresh and perfectly prepared. Another long day ended very well.

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