Summer Vacation, Part 1

We had a wonderful vacation this summer. We went to Anacortes, WA and visited Mike and Pam. It was so good to see them again, and they are such generous and welcoming hosts.
We arrived in Seattle on Sunday afternoon. We didn't stay long, or at all really, but headed out immediately for Anacortes, which is about 90 mi. north on Fidalgo Island. We spent the day settling in, visiting, and just relaxing. A perfect start to our trip.

Monday the menfolk went off sailing on an overnight trip in Puget Sound, while we women went exploring by land. Pam and I started out on Whidby Island by visiting the Admiralty Head Lighthouse Interpretive Center. The lighthouse is no longer in use (being decommissioned after WWI), and the lens has been removed, but we were able to climb to the top and enjoy the view. The museum area downstairs is filled with interesting artifacts and information about the lighthouse, including a scale model of the military base it was once a part of. Upstairs had some fascinating information about Puget Sound and the animals that call it home. One of the neatest things was a 3-D scale model that showed the depths of the Sound. It is amazing how deep it is, and how narrow the continental shelf is. Outside is a cement platform where the cannons were kept to guard the island that has had the cannons removed, but just down the road is another with the cannons still in place, though not in use.

Next we went to the tiny town of Coupeville. The downtown historic area is filled with beautiful architecture, most of which dates from the late 1800's.


The Gray Goose B&B and the Methodist church across from the courthouse, Coupeville, WA



We stopped and had lunch at the lovely Anna's Tea Room. Our meal consisted of Quiche Lorraine, soup, scones, and, of course, tea. The meal was delicious and the setting perfect, with lots of Victorian style furnishings accented with a delightful teacup collection from which we were instructed to select our cups for our tea. Our repast left us refreshed and ready to explore more of the town.

We went down the street to do some sight seeing and shopping. The buildings were all historic landmarks which now house restaurants, shops, and museums. The shops were filled with items made locally (in WA) and a few from elsewhere to commemorate one's visit to their little town. The street runs along the channel, and the wharf held a restaurant and several little souvenir shops where a purchase of huckleberry syrup (for ice cream sundaes) was made. We were then ready for the next leg of our journey.