FALLS, TROLLS, NEEDLES ... OH MY! A WEEK IN SEATTLE
During our week stay in Seattle we had heard about some magnificent falls a short drive out of the city. We have seen waterfalls here and there throughout our travels, but never one quite as large as the one we kept hearing about. When Shutter Tours invited us along on their Falls and City Tour we were both ecstatic, we were ready to see this waterfall for ourselves.
We walked down to the Seattle Farmers Market on an early Thursday morning, greeted by our lovely guide, Terry, and a group of other excited travellers ready for the day ahead. We scrambled into a brand new tour bus and headed to the Snoqualmie Falls... and we were not disappointed.
FALLS AND TROLLS SEATTLE
FALLS AND TROLLS SEATTLE
FALLS AND TROLLS SEATTLE
FALLS AND TROLLS SEATTLE
As an added bonus to the tour, Terry is a professional photographer and was happy to spend sometime sharing his photographic tips and tricks to assist novice photographers on the tour.
After many photographs where taken we got back on the road and headed to one of Seattle's chocolate factories, Theo. Along the way Terry pointed out houses that are or have been home to some of Seattle's rich and famous. We had a glimpse of Bill Gates' mansion, drove through the neighbourhood where Jimmy Hendrix grew up and also passed the last home of Nirvana's Kurt Cobain, pictured below.
FALLS AND TROLLS SEATTLE
Theo Chocolate is an organic and fair trade chocolate factory with some very unique flavours. We had a taste of spicy chilli, ginger, coconut and of course good ol' milk chocolate. It had a very cool vibe, with a wooden fire place burning in the corner, the smell of chocolate filled the air as the walls were lined with chocolate samples for visitors to help themselves. We left on a sugar high.
FALLS AND TROLLS SEATTLE
FALLS AND TROLLS SEATTLE
FALLS AND TROLLS SEATTLE
Next stop was a unique one. We had heard from a few readers that their was a troll within Seattle we had to see, and luckily this tour took us right to it. Standing at 18 feet and weighing 13,000 pounds this is one large public sculpture. The piece was the winner of a competition back in 1990, in part with the goal of rehabilitating the area under the bridge, which was becoming a dumping ground and haven for drug dealers.
Still standing now, the sculpture succeeded in helping rehabilitate the area and is now a little tourist attraction for those visiting Fremont. We loved the clever idea of having a troll under the bridge.
FALLS AND TROLLS SEATTLE
FALLS AND TROLLS SEATTLE
FALLS AND TROLLS SEATTLE
Next stop was the Ballard Locks. We had never visited a lock before and didn't realise how many people it drew to spectate the workers bringing boats in and out. It ended up quite a nice pace to photograph.
FALLS AND TROLLS SEATTLE
FALLS AND TROLLS SEATTLE
FALLS AND TROLLS SEATTLE
FALLS AND TROLLS SEATTLE
On our walk back to the bus we noticed large black dots scattered through the trees above us. After a closer look we saw there were hundred of nests, springtime is finally approaching here in North America!
FALLS AND TROLLS SEATTLE
The last stop of the day was one we had been looking forward to. We asked our readers earlier on in the week where the best view point was in Seattle and many mentioned Kerry Park. When we arrived we could see why it was the number one answer. We were able to look out and see the city skyline, Space Needle and all, along with the famous Mt. Rainier visible in the distance. It was a stunning spot and we too now recommend it for any photographers travelling through Seattle wanting an amazing shot of the city.
FALLS AND TROLLS SEATTLE
FALLS AND TROLLS SEATTLE
FALLS AND TROLLS SEATTLE
If you are in Seattle and looking for a tour that takes you to Snoqualmie Falls and a few good photo spots around the city then check out Shutter Tours Falls and City Tour. It is priced at $65pp for a 2 hour tour spending time at all landmarks mentioned above.
FALLS AND TROLLS SEATTLE
We filmed our experience if you want to see more.
https://youtu.be/E0NRMH0_7sM
Have you ever visited Seattle before? We would love to hear about your experience.
Many thanks to Shutter Tours for hosting us for the morning. As always, all opinions are our own.
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