I managed to spend a few extra days with my friends Brad & David, by sacrificing days in beforehand in Portland and later in Boise, and I stayed with them at their home on Fort Lewis, WA (8 - 17 April). While with them, we went to a Mariners baseball game and a Sounders soccer match, both of which were a great deal of fun, the last professional sporting event I had been to prior to that was probably the basketball games I went to for company events.
We took a ferry over to Vashon Island, where we had brunch and visited a [plant] nursery – where Brad purchased a crow statue, I believe he named it Henry. The trip to Vashon Island was a lovely experience, the ferry rides while very short, had great views.
I’ve really enjoyed the time I’ve spent in the Pugent Sound area; in addition to this trip, I’ve spent 2 months in Olympia and another month just north of Seattle. Much like Vancouver, the area has a mix of city, mountains, and water, which provides the area with a wide variety of activitites. Combine that with an environmentally-conscious population, and it certainly makes for an area where I can see myself wanting to spend a lot more time.