Nick and I have different opinions about how much time before a flight we should leave for the airport. He wanted to leave at 4 AM, and I, at 3 AM. 3 AM won, because one never knows how much extra time one will need in order to get to JFK, our only choice, because LaGuardia has no flights to Seattle. There was a cloudburst on the way, but no serious issues. Our Uber driver told us that he drives at night so that he can care for his sickly mother during the day.  At the airport we were greeted by a sign that said, “Thank you for visiting JFK.” I hadn’t thought that what we were doing was visiting JFK!

We actually arrived before the Alaska Airlines personnel  were ready for travelers. We were scheduled to depart at 7:30 AM, but at that time, our plane had not arrived yet. Several passengers were worried because their cruises were to begin today, and they feared that they would arrive after the cruise ship had left. We always arrive a few days before the tour begins, in case there are departure issues like that.

We enjoyed the extra legroom that Alaska Airlines provides for its passengers. However, the only foods on the plane were pretzels and cookies. At the airport we bought a salad to share that contained lettuce, blue cheese,  peppers, chick  peas, and sunflower seeds. That was to her our lunch, but it was actually our breakfast. During the  flight Nick began reading a new novel, while I started working  on my book of crossword puzzles.

We arrived in Seattle at 4:30 PM and Ubered to our hotel. Nick wanted to eat in the hotel, but after sitting for so long,  I wanted to walk a bit. Yelp told us about a Greek restaurant nearby called Lola, so off we went. We shared a lamb kabob platter with a Greek salad (cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, feta, and red onions, but no lettuce), smashed baked potatoes, and of course, pitas with tzatziki. Yum!

After our meal, we walked to the famous Pike’s Place Market, where we saw lots of seafood and produce for sale as well as many crafts. Being exhausted, we returned to our hotel room for a nap. Our room was gorgeous, with a huge picture window displaying a fantastic  view  of Puget Sound as well as many  illuminated buildings.

We awoke in time for a late dinner, so Nick checked with the concierge fora Chinese restaurant that might be open. The concierge found us a Pan Asian restaurant called Wild Ginger Mackenzie, so off we went.  We ordered spring rolls followed by Fragrant Duck breast  with plum sauce that was absolutely delicious.

Back in our hotel room, my Fitbit was in the charger, so I asked Nick for the  time, and he told me that it was 10:12. I replied, “I am going to be asleep by 10:13,” and I was.

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