Mystery city: Seattle at Christmas time

The mystery city is revealed:  SEATTLE!

 

The Feet and Forks made our annual December ferry trip to the city to look at hotel Christmas decorations, get free samples of  food and tea at Pike Place Market, and to walk. Here we are planning our route on the ferry.

Click on this car art for a better view -- it was near the ferry landing.

My favorite spot for Christmas decorations was the Fairmont, which has this Santa scene (above) in the lobby and an elaborate Teddy Bear Suite (below) that's been a tradition for years.

The Sheraton hosts an elaborate gingerbread display with a different theme every year. This year's theme is nursery rhymes. The displays are done by different groups and you can vote on your favorite.

Chef Jason Scott of the Sheraton came out to answer questions and said his crew churns out all the gingerbread for the groups.

We decided to eat at the Georgian Room in the Fairmont because it had a $16 four-course lunch that looked -- and was -- delicious. We felt so elegant.

What are the holidays without  chocolate? What's life without chocolate?

As we wound through the little shops by Pike Place we found Rachel's Ginger Beer giving out samples. It was really good.

I love birds, so I was on the lookout for bird décor:

Other colorful places that caught my camera's eye:

AND THEN MY CAMERA BATTERY DIED

 ... just as I noticed how the setting sun slanting through a window lit up the inside of Pike Place with an orange glow! Major bummer.

Then we made our annual stop at the donut machine inside Pike Place and I couldn't get a photo. Then we went to the shop down by the ferries where we get free fudge samples and met the woman who makes all the fudge and it would have been a great photo op. Lesson learned: Always bring an extra battery!

But we were happy as we settled onto the return ferry, sailing into the night with our bags of gift chocolates and other goodies.

 And to all, a good night