There I was, a needle in the sky, in the Seattle Observatory as my dad picked me up to see the Seattle skyline. As my parents walked around the narrow pathway overlooking a fenced observatory, I excitedly ran around the circular perimeter with my older brother. My dad graduated from Seattle for his training, so it was no surprise that I wanted to explore this city. The mountainous background was a stark contrast to the flat plains of Illinois. I remember the fresh air blowing on my face since we walked outdoors on a balcony. We took public transportation, a bus from downtown Seattle to come to this structure, the Seattle Needle. On our way downstairs, we stopped by the gift shop, and I bought a small miniature Seattle Needle statue to put in my room; I was 8.

Fish fresh just in front of the ocean were thrown hand to hand in the Farmer’s Market: so many different species and bright colors of fish filling the large region. As vendors were throwing fish, swarms of people were buying them quickly. Pike place is famous for shipping fresh fish daily throughout the country, and this place respects the oceans and fishing. Surprisingly, this fish market began in the 1930s to sell fresh fish off the Seattle shoreline. Each fish is sourced carefully and caught not to damage the ocean. It is this standard that has made Pike Place so popular. Next to the Farmers Market, my dad spotted a Thai restaurant. My parents enjoy Thai food, so we went to eat, and to our pleasant surprise, the food was incredible. It was the best Thai food I have ever tasted, and even today, I still haven’t found a fresher, tastier Thai restaurant. 

Walking the streets of downtown Seattle reminded me of my days walking the streets of downtown Chicago, my birthplace. The streets buzzed with people, bikes and rollerblades, cars and pedestrians, and shops sharing walls. I went to the Cheesecake factory and bought some cheesecake to take home to our hotel that night-red velvet. Our hotel room was very small, and the building was very old, but staying downtown was worth it with the ease with which we could explore the city. 

My dad rented a Toyota Camry, and we drove for miles until we reached a mountain full of glaciers, Mount Rainier. My dad told me he always went hiking in these mountains. As we parked the car at the mountain’s base, I followed my family into an information session. After learning about Mount Rainier, we walked trails and hiked this famous mountain for the next few hours. Mount Rainier is over 14,000 feet tall, and an active volcano erupted in 1894. I was impressed by the fact that Seattle had a potentially dangerous mountain that could one day wipe out this city- a fact that kept repeating itself in the short video shown in the information center. I walked miles with my family, cutting through the glaciers and grassy trails. There are over 260 miles of hiking trails. When we reached the top of our hike, I witnessed people on ropes using pikes to ascend the steep portion of the mountain. As I smiled at my dad, he immediately clarified that we would not do anything this dangerous on our trip. After an exhausting, long hike, we drove back to our hotel. I was so exhausted from so much walking that I fell asleep in the rental car before reaching our hotel. 

Next, my mom dragged us to the shopping mall, stores that were no different from those I had been with her at Fox Valley. Even though we did not buy anything, it was still pleasant to walk around and observe the stores, also named brands in the Midwest. 

At the end of my trip, I headed to United Airlines to fly back to Chicago. As I lay my head to rest, I imagined my long hike to Mount Rainier. Suddenly, I woke up in fear as the airplane shook violently. The hostess screeched, and my mom grabbed my arm. I was strapped in my seatbelt but did not expect this much turbulence. Only after this panic did the captain come on the intercom to inform passengers that he was riding through some significant turbulence and that it would pass soon. The announcement was late, given the panic it caused. I was glad this turbulence was short-lived and that the rest of the flight was smooth. When the plane landed, I was sad that my vacation was over. But despite all the adventures in Seattle, I was so glad to be home.