Day 2 : May 28th Seattle and Bon Voyage

May 28th

Technically we checked in early this morning to a quaint Travelodge. Sketchy at first, but it has free WiFi and free breakfast. 

We begin our adventure in Seattle - home of Fraiser- and the 1960's World's Fair. We will be visiting the Space Needle and maybe the first Starbucks. 

This was the day we were to embark on the cruise, but being on East Coast time allowed me to wake up very early in the morning. Unfortunately for John, I woke up very early. The free breakfast was good enough. We arranged a shuttle to take us to the port at 11am, so we had a few hours to explore Seattle. John and I looked at the Space Needle then decided against it. Tourist trap for sure. Instead, we decided to walk to Pike's Place, which is a market. It was just a mere 0.5 miles, which was about a 20-minute walk. Anyone who knows me, also knows, I'm not physically active often, so walking places is my least favorite activity. This was also our first experience navigating old school style with a map.

Remember, this month's Happiness Project goal is having a better relationship. The day before did not end well, because I was a brat and tired. Misplaced expectations and so on, today I decided I would be better. It really helps to remember and recite those goals over and over to help change my normal reactionary behavior. Rather than getting upset, I focused on appreciating the journey and the company I was with.

Following John's navigation skills, we made it to Pike's Place. We also found the first Starbucks, which does not look anything like a Starbucks. We opted not to go inside, because neither of us drinks coffee. I can't imagine this place starting any trends in American culture, but I never would have expected to ever visit Seattle in the first place. Also, if you do like coffee, Seattle is a must-visit location. There is a coffee shop on every corner.

Making our way across the street, we entered the market by 8am. Many vendors were just starting to set up, but the fresh fish, flowers, and produce were already out. One thing that I regret was packing too much, which also meant less room to buy lots of things. Especially since, this was really our first day of traveling, it was hard not to buy random gifts for people. Markets like these are cool because you see a mix of everything. We did not see anyone buy fish, so no fish went flying across the aisle. Underneath the street-level market were tons of tiny shops. We ended up buying stuff anyway.

We made our way back to the Travelodge and were picked up by the shuttle. I think this is also where we met our first pot head. Marijuana is legal in Washington state. He was very knowledgeable about the city, but rambled on. This shuttle was also where we met an older couple who were also cruising.

By 11:45am we were at the docks. The check-in process was a breeze. Unfortunately, we ran out of room, so we had to carry Alex and my jackets by hand. Bringing your own whale on your Alaskan cruise got a few laughs. Interestingly one of the questions during the check-in process was "Have you or have you been exposed to the flu in the past 4-6 weeks?" We both said no, but I can't imagine what would happen if someone said yes. I feel like that's probably a question they should ask you before you actually arrive at check-in.

We boarded the Carnival Miracle and began exploring the ship. There are 10 decks and food on deck 9. I spent a lot of time on Deck 9. On the top deck is where we took our obligatory Facebook photo and then we settled down for our first meal. At 1:30pm our rooms were ready. I called Carnival in hopes of getting an unobstructed view balcony cabin. It's a longer story than that, but I scared a reservation agent into putting a request into our file. So holding our breath, we entered the cabin on Deck 6 - conveniently located three floors above the formal dining room, and three floors under the deck 9 dining. It was perfect and had a nice little balcony with views of the water. Ironically, the decor of the ship was classic novels. Our room was located near the massive portrait of The Phantom of the Opera. Yet, another hint that this trip was meant to be.

The ship blasted off at 4pm and that's when I turned off my cell phone for an entire week.

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