Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada

They love tourists in Nanaimo, especially as there are only a handful of cruise ships that stop here each year.  2013 is no exception with only 7 ships.  We will be the only ship in port on September 15^th!  The new cruise terminal was completed in 2011; before this, ships had to tender passengers to shore.

I contacted the downtown management board of Nanaimo and got a nice response.  Tourism Nanaimo will be at the cruise ship terminal to welcome passengers and advise them of the things the city has to offer. They will give you a come ashore package with lots of information, maps, coupons and so on in it.  There is a free shuttle that navigates the downtown and has four different stops in Downtown Nanaimo.   The first stop is on Front Street, steps away from the scenic Harbor Walkway. The second is just off Commercial Street voted the best street in Canada. The third takes you into the Old City Quarter where there is an array of little shops and cafes. Finally the bus stops on Victoria Crescent, home to the China Steps. Then it is back off to the cruise ship terminal.  Passengers are welcome to hop on and off the buses as they please.  There are two information booths in the Downtown, one on Front Street and the other in the Old City Quarter, to help guide passengers and advise them on what to do and see. 

Nanaimo (pronounced na-NYE-mo), is located on Vancouver Island in a protected harbor setting. It's the gateway to some wonderful scenic and cultural opportunities such as the thriving Cowichan Valley wine country, First Nations compounds, world class dive sites and salmon fishing opportunities, to name a few.

The downtown area is very walkable. From the cruise ship terminal to the old city quarter is probably about 15-20 minutes. 

Victoria’s “pickle boats” will be in operation and provide a fun way to see the island from the water.  

The Dinghy Dock Pub, Canada’s only floating pub, is a great spot for a brew & a bite. It's located on Protection Island, a ferry hop away from Nanaimo. By the way, I just love pubs called Dinghy Dock - there's one in St. Martin that's a favorite of mine!

And last, but not least, while in Nanaimo, you MUST have a Nanaimo Bar, the pride of Nanaimo!  It’s a bar dessert that supposedly originated in here.  It requires no baking and consists of 3 layers: a cracker crumb and chocolate base, a custard flavored icing and topped with a chocolate coating.
Download the self-guided Nanaimo Bar Trail Guide and try some of the many varied concoctions built of the this tasty treat!  Hint: it may be difficult not to overindulge!

Recipe for Nanaimo bars that I found online; I'll be making this soon!

Bottom Layer
½ cup unsalted butter (European style cultured)
¼ cup sugar
5 tbsp. cocoa
1 egg beaten
1 ¼ cups graham wafer crumbs
½ c. finely chopped almonds
1 cup coconut
Melt first 3 ingredients in top of double boiler. Add egg and stir to cook and thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in crumbs, coconut, and nuts. Press firmly into an ungreased 8" x 8" pan.
Second Layer
½ cup unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. and 2 Tsp. cream
2 Tbsp. vanilla custard powder
2 cups icing sugar
Cream butter, cream, custard powder, and icing sugar together well. Beat until light. Spread over bottom layer.
4 squares semi-sweet chocolate (1 oz. each)
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Third Layer
Melt chocolate and butter over low heat. Cool. Once cool, but still liquid, pour over second layer and chill in refrigerator.

If we were to be in Nanaimo in July, we could perhaps attend the world famous bath tub races!  You can learn more about the bath tub races at the Great Race website.

For more information on what to see & do, visit these websites
www.dnbia.ca  and www.tourismnanaimo.com

Seattle, the Emerald City

Seattle’s nickname is the Emerald City.  It was known as the Queen City from 1869 to 1982 when it was given the nickname Emerald City as a result of a contest held in 1981. 

Millennium will be docked at Pier 66 & it appears that we will be the only cruise ship visiting Seattle on September 16^th… so that’s a good thing! 

I’ve been fortunate to have visited Seattle a number of times because Ken’s brother lives in Seattle.  Located between the saltwater Puget Sound and Lake Washington, it’s in a major earthquake zone, situated in the Pacific Ring of Fire.  Like Rome, Seattle is said to lie on seven hills so be sure to bring some comfortable walking shoes as you will be tromping up & down these hills as you explore this beautiful city!

Mt. Rainier is a volcanic mountain that is the highest mountain in the Cascades and dominates Seattle's southeastern horizon on clear days.  In Seattle it is known simply as The Mountain.

Ever heard of the travel guru, Rick Steves?  Well Seattle is "almost" his hometown... almost because he has his headquarters a hop, skip, & jump away in Edmonds.  Being both a travel junkie and a huge fan of Rick Steves, I'd love to see his "digs" but I think this will have to wait for my next trip to the Seattle area.  

A day is not enough time to do justice to Seattle!  That’s my word & I’m sticking to it.  If you’ve never been before you will get an appetizer taste and will likely want to come back for more.

What to do?  The list is endless but here are some of my picks:

Savor Seattle:  Being a foodie (as well as a "winey"!), I'd love to take a Savor Seattle walking tour.  This is a fun way to explore the market, learn the history, and sample great food.  There are several options to choose from including a Pike Place Market tour, Gourmet Seattle, Chocolate Indulgence, and a Booze 'n Bites tour!  There's something for everyone!  Reviews on tripadvisor are excellent! 

Pike Place Market:  You just can't go to Seattle without visiting Pike Place Market, right?  Founded in 1917, it covers 900 acres and is, in my opinion, a mandatory place to visit.  You can see the famous fish throwing Pike Place fish boys in action, sample world class smoked salmon (I hear the pepper & garlic smoked salmon is excellent), enjoy a cup of hot Pacific Northwest clam chowder, savor a cup of joe at the original Starbuck's, sample jams, chocolates (think cabernet chocolate cherries!), donuts, and cheeses.  You can shop for antiques or artisan jewelry or even ostrich eggs!  Be sure to check out the infamous gum wall on Post Alley; Huffington Post lists it as a quirky thing to do in Seattle while Tripadvisor lists it as one of the world's  germiest attractions!  Humm... I think I may skip this one!

Bill Speidel's Seattle Underground Tour

This is an interesting way to learn some of Seattle's early history but with a twist!  Be aware that there are lots of stairs to climb  up & down so high heels may not be so practical!   Bill Speidel's underground tour is a leisurely, guided walking tour beneath Seattle’s sidewalks and streets. As the website describes, as you roam the subterranean passages that once were the main roadways and first-floor storefronts of old downtown Seattle, the guides regale you with the stories our pioneers didn’t want you to hear. 

Pioneer Square is the heart of Seattle's original downtown, dating back to 1852. 

Ride the Ducks Tour 
For a wacky, quacky, fun tour of land & water  on a WWII amphibious landing craft, Seattle's Ride the Ducks Tour fits the bill (no pun intended)!  You can even purchase tickets in advance online.

How about time for shopping?  Seattle has several famous Flagship Stores including Nordstrom and REI. Think shoes; think Nordstrom!  Thing outdoors; think REI!

You can take the monorail to Seattle Center and go to the top of the  iconic Space Needle for some photos! 

Do you want to see the "big toys"?  How about a visit to Boeing?  Located about 25 miles from Seattle you can tour the facility that is home to the 747, 767, 777 and 787 Dreamliner production lines.

The Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour offers the only opportunity to tour a commercial jet assembly plant in North America.

It's Wine Time!!!  Of course Washington state is known for excellent wine!  Woodinville, home to over 90 wineries and tasting rooms, is located about 30 minutes from downtown Seattle.  Click here for a map of Woodinville's wineries!  I'm investigating a private tour for our group through Seattle Wine Tours and here's their response to me: "Woodinville is the heart of Western Washington Wine Country, and is home to Ste Michelle, Columbia, Silver Lake and 95 other world class wineries.  A 6 hour tour, visiting 3-4 wineries and having 75 minutes for lunch would start at $115.00 per person.  This would be all inclusive, except the cost for lunch."
The tour company would pick us up at the pier.  Please let me know if you are interested in joining Ken & me for this tour.

Is it time for food, cocktails, and wine?
Seattle has a plethora of restaurants, bars and pubs to satisfy every palate!  New York & Chicago are famous for pizza, Boston for it's baked beans, Charleston SC for shrimp & grits, New Orleans for jambalaya and gumbo... what about Seattle?  Here are some Seattle staples:

•  Coffee of course!  Try local roasters!
• Rainier cherries - large and decadent!
• Copper River salmon - yum!
• Washington state apples & pears, oh my!
• Wine - of course!  

My "must visit" list includes most certainly a dining occasion at one or more of  the Tom Douglas  restaurants!  He is known for winning the 1994 James Beard Award for Best Northwest Chef. On May 7, 2012, he won the James Beard Award as Best Restaurateur.  His restaurants offer a variety of dining options and include Serious Pie (a pizzeria),  Dahlia Lounge (classic Northwest cuisine),  Etta's (for seafood... this restaurant is named after his daughter Loretta)... all get great reviews on tripadvisor.

The Pink Door is also on my list, as it was the highlight of my first visit to Seattle about twenty years ago!  I had a memorable dinner there for sure!  Being a Southern & Carolina girl, it was the first time that I had ever been served cioppino... and I was quite surprised to see "sea shells" in my bowl!  Yep, it's still on the menu!

Oliver's in Mayflower Park Hotel
For lunch or a cocktail, Oliver's in the Mayflower is the place to go.  It's classy & cozy with great atmosphere and quite possibly the best martini in town!

Tully's Coffee Shop - Are you a fan of Grey's Anatomy?  If so, you must grab a cup of coffee at Tully's!  Tully's filed for Chapter 11 last October and Patrick Dempsey won the bid to buy it!  My wish is to have a cup of Joe with Patrick if he is lucky enough to get time off from his neurosurgery duties at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital (formerly Seattle Grace)!

Purple Cafe & Wine Bar
Be sure to try the gorgonzola stuffed dates and lobster mac  'n cheese along with a glass or two of wine.  You will love the spiral staircase surrounded by wine bottles!

Knee High Stocking Company -  Slip into the Knee High Stocking Company for a speak-easy style experience, according to The Seattle Times!  This prohibition-themed speakeasy bar is located in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood and features craft cocktails & small plates.  It's a must do for me because of the name alone!

Elliott's Oyster House - Waterfront restaurant with great views and fresh oysters and local seafood... can you ask for more?

Zig Zag Cafe is the place to go for cocktails & appetizers. I wonder what the name means... do you zig zag as you leave... are the drinks that strong?

OK... I think I've said enough about Seattle, at least for the moment!

I can't wait!