Travelsmartplanet

Rainbow glass art in Seattle. It’s called Facing You by Marvin Oliver.

That first glimpse of the Space Needle is always exciting when you are driving in to Seattle.

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Bet ya didn’t know that Seattle was named after Chief Seattle, a Suquamish and Duwamish chief who pursued a path of accommodation with European settlers.

A slice of the architecture through the decades in Seattle.

Not many public markets have quite the view as Seattle’s. It’s a warren of corridors, be prepared to get lost and have lots of yummy adventures amongst the fishmongers, produce stalls, craft stands and specialty food shops. This 108-year-old farmers’ market has become a Seattle tourist attraction which draws in more than 10 million visitors annually.

Right across the street from the famous Pike’s Place Market is the famous Starbucks coffee shop. Since Starbucks’ original founders were 2 teachers and a writer, it is not surprising to find out that it was named after the first mate of the whale ship Pequod in the book, Moby Dick.

Really. It ‘s all gum. Seattle’s Gum Wall is pretty in a pop art kind of way – until you get really close.

We saw this for the first time in Florence Italy’s market in about 1991 – and it was a pig there too. Many objects around the world are now there for you to rub and receive good luck.

City Fish’s fish throwing fish mongers are one of the reason that the Pike’s Place Market is on the map. We’ve visited many food markets around the world but these guys are the only ones flinging fish across the fish stand and putting on a fun fishy show.

At the waterfront in Sault Ste. Marie, there’s a park named after Canada’s first female astronaut. You find out that she is a neurologist, biologist, pilot, the first female Canadian astronaut and crew member of the space shuttle Discovery.