Bainbridge Island

Bainbridge Island is a short 30-minute ferry trip from Seattle. On a gorgeous day like Saturday it was the right trip to make as the journey over was stunning. We watched Seattle’s high rise sky scape slowly fade in the distance and then we walked to the other end of the boat and watched Bainbridge Island with the snowcapped mountains of Olympic National Park behind, get closer and closer. Amazingly, the fare to Bainbridge Island return was $8.20 each! It was lovely to get out of the city and wander about the local Bainbridge Island shops and art galleries, but also to sit on the grass watching squirrels and birds go about their day. The Bainbridge Island Museum of Art is excellent and worth a visit, AND admission is free!

Bellevue Botanical Garden is a 30 minute walk from our apartment. Sunday was another stunning day so we laced up our sneakers and set off. Once there you would think you were miles away in the countryside – and like Bainbridge Island it’s incredibly peaceful! Just as well, as walking over the freeway to get there nearly gave me a panic attack. Looking down over multi lanes of zooming cars whizzing by would have been just bearable IF the only thing between me and them wasn’t a waist high picket fence type barrier! However, the gently undulating paths that wind through the thick bush and through various themed gardens was a tonic and I managed to walk back home over the free way with HG walking ahead and blocking my view to the road below.

I am really surprised (not sure why, should I be?) that all the plants here are the same as we have at home – viburnums, rhododendrons, sedum, aquilegias, heather, conifers, grasses, ferns etc. I don’t think I’ve really seen anything I’ve not seen in New Zealand which makes life here feel a wee bit more familiar. Dare I say though, that I wouldn’t mind flying back to the nest for a big hug with my boys 🙂