Sight-seeing and seeing-Family in Seattle

 

On March 27th, I sprinted out of the bus to my house to embark on my spring break holiday. After a stressful month of tests and activities, it was finally time to take a break. My family and I went to Seattle to visit my aunt and uncle after four years. We flew with Alaska Airlines. Once we entered the security line, we were done in 10 minutes. We arrived at our gate an hour early, and I just finished some homework and watched a few videos. I got to try the new Ube Coconut Refresher from Starbucks, and it was flavorful, however, it was a bit too sweet for me. Then we finally boarded our flight, and I was super excited to fly! After watching one movie, eating two sandwiches, and taking a three-hour nap, we finally reached Seattle. I can honestly say that this was one of the smoothest flights I’ve ever had. I was very excited to see my uncle at the airport, and then I immediately went to sleep because I was extremely tired from the long journey.

The next day, I woke up to a wonderful view of Mount Olympus from the house. It was an incredible sight—I never imagined I would be able to see a mountain from my house! My family and I visited the University of Washington and saw the cherry blossoms. I really enjoyed the beauty of the blossoms; however, the area was very crowded, and I didn't enjoy being in large crowds. After the cherry blossoms, I was starving. We went to Pike Place Market and tried the famous Beechers Mac ’N’ Cheese. I don’t think I’ll ever eat another mac and cheese again from another place because it was so good. They made their cheese on-site, and their workshop was right next to the restaurant. The sauce was very creamy and rich. Afterwards, we explored a market that sold all kinds of items, basically a farmers' market. This market was known for its fish section, and I wanted to take my mom there because she hates anything from the ocean. My aunt, mom, and uncle didn’t join us, but my dad and I walked through the market. It wasn’t as interesting as I expected, and everyone was getting tired under the hot sun. We bought some chai for my mom, dad, and aunt. Then I craved ice cream, so we walked to a place called Hellenika, which had a long line. After 20 minutes, we went inside, and I understood why. I tried a new flavor called Mulberry. The gelato was very smooth, almost tasting like frozen yogurt. It was almost the end of the day, but before leaving, we visited the Chihuly Gardens. On our way there, we saw one of the biggest Holi festivals I’ve ever seen. Holi is the festival of colors, and it looked like a giant bowl of Froot Loops cereal. After that, we entered the Chihuly Gardens and admired the glass artwork created by the artist. As I walked through the museum, I remembered that in elementary school, I had made an art piece inspired by one of his glass bowls. I noticed many of his pieces featured spiral patterns, and I was curious to know why that was a common motif. Then my family and I visited the famous Space Needle. Before heading to the top, we had the chance to take a “free” picture. Everyone was certain it wasn’t actually free, but it was too late to get out of line . When it was our turn, we took the photo, and I still wonder how all of our eyes managed to stay open during the photo! Next, we took the elevator to the top. The staff member giving us a tour was talking so fast, it sounded like Eminem rapping. Once at the top, my first instinct was to avoid looking down, but I eventually did, and my legs started shaking from the height. There’s a café at the highest point of the tower, imagine having a café 625 feet above the ground! I think that’s pretty crazy. Afterward, we went down and finished the day with some gourmet Indian food at Zaika. I tried many dishes, but my favorite was the Kale Chaat. It’s a mix of fried kale and vegetables like tomatoes and onions. My mom said that frying kale is difficult, so they might have used spinach instead. After such a long day, I was so exhausted I felt like I might never wake up again.

 

On Sunday, I woke up to a sky full of clouds blocking the view of Mount Olympus. My family and I walked to downtown Kirkland. It was very cold outside, I had assumed that, since Seattle is on the West Coast like California, it would be warm. I went into a coffee shop that smelled of roasted coffee beans everywhere. I tried a warm lavender matcha, which I had never had before, and it was very good. Afterward, we headed to Kerry Park, where we took many pictures by a small pier and admired the waves in the water. Before heading home, we visited a Peruvian chocolate shop that was giving out free samples. I had never tried Peruvian chocolate before, so I was excited to try something new. We bought two small bags, my dad got a bag of dark chocolate dates, and I bought a small box of chocolate marshmallow treats to share with my friends. When I got home, I relaxed on the couch for about an hour before enjoying delicious food prepared by my uncle and aunt, Tuscany Paneer and Dal Makhani. I loved the concept of Tuscany Paneer because the gravy tasted just like pasta sauce but with an Indian twist. Usually, I save my dal for the end of the meal, but that time, it was the first thing I finished. After that, I enjoyed some Gajar Halwa (carrot pudding) and ice cream. It might sound strange, but Gajar Halwa tastes really good. Later, my aunt taught me how to play the Monopoly Deal card game. It was so fun that I bought it on Amazon when I returned to Columbus. Then, my parents and I headed to my dad’s friend's house. My dad was very excited to meet him because they went to college together and hadn’t seen each other since 2011. When we got back home, my uncle made delicious dosas. I had underestimated his cooking skills! It was a relaxing and enjoyable day.

 

 

On Monday, March 30th, I woke up to a breakfast of waffles topped with honey, strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. After such a tasty meal, I needed to burn off those calories. We went to Snoqualmie Falls, and the view was beautiful. I could feel tiny water droplets on my face, almost like a light mist. I didn’t like getting my face wet, though. My uncle, aunt, and I walked down a trail to a small viewing area near the waterfall. The descent was easy because it was downhill, but walking back up was a different story. My legs felt like they were going to stop working. I came up with a new technique for uphill walking, walking backward. It helped my legs feel less tired and served as a mental distraction since I wasn’t looking ahead and dreading the hike. After the hike, I was ready for some food. We always visit an Indian restaurant, and no trip is complete without Indian cuisine. This time, we tried dishes from a city called Banaras. I wasn’t sure what to order, so I asked my mom to choose for me. The dishes looked great, but I didn’t develop a strong taste for them. I was craving ramen, which was very convenient because a ramen shop was right next door. The  restaurant we ate at also serves Jalebi, one of the best desserts ever, and I was craving that as well. After that heavy meal, we wanted to go on another trail walk, but everyone was too tired. Instead, I played card games with my mom and aunt for two hours. Since I was craving ramen, my uncle ordered some for us, and I was so happy! I remember happily slurping the flavorful broth. After the ramen, I enjoyed a cup of Ben & Jerry’s Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream, my favorite because I think any ice cream with cheesecake flavor is the best.

 

I really enjoyed spending time with my aunt and uncle. I’m grateful that I can see my family easily through video calls, but I wish I could have stayed longer. I’m already looking forward to returning to Seattle because I loved it there—and I hope the food will be waiting for me! Thank you for reading! Looking forward to another trip soon.