Pike's Place Markets, Seattle...

I've mentioned these markets in previous posts, so here at last is a post just about them. As we walked along First Ave, we crossed streets, and on our right we caught sight of the market area, which nestles beside the waterfront.

A bit farther along...

After checking out those First Ave shops, we made our way downhill to the markets; in particular we were heading to the Fish Market. DH recounted how he had seen films on Team building and Trust as part of the Professional Development in his job, and that a video of 'fish throwing' at the Pikes Place Fish Company had been used as an example of building trust in a workplace. So we were heading to that part of the market, hoping to see some serious fish throwing. (and fish catching presumably!)

There was such a big crowd standing in front of this shop...all waiting for the staff to throw fish. Cameras poised ready...

Despite DH's best efforts, we weren't really able to get a good photo of the throwing etc...

As luck would have it, there are some Youtube Videos on the net and I've chosen this one so you can see what I'm talking about...
We then just sauntered through the markets...it was very, very crowded in the buildings, which being a   Sunday, is understandable.
The flower markets were so beautiful!

We walked outside beside lots of old buildings...

 Love the name on the next building!

There were entertainers to stop and listen to as we wandered...like this young man...

And this group...

Who happened to be performing outside the first Starbucks store ever opened. There was a huge queue to get into the store, so we decided to give it a miss and just take a couple of photos.

I loved the market stall that was selling chillies (peppers)...they were so beautiful and colourful!

We stopped to look in the window of the cheese factory...

 And DH checked out Tshirts...

And was thrilled to find a shirt featuring the Pike Place Fish Market!

Some shopping on First Ave, Seattle...

Before DH and I had even left Australia, a number of people told us that we must not miss visiting Pike's Place Markets while we were in Seattle. So we set out to walk there on the Sunday morning. I planned our route so we would stroll down First Ave as I knew there were some yarn and patchwork/quilting shops on that street.
I quickly found the first shop on my list, Sew Much Yarn. It was a beautiful shop with so many lovely yarns to admire...

There were so many shelves of yarn!

And lovely samples on display!

And even a lovely view looking out of the back windows of the shop. 

Erica, the assistant who looked after me was able to give me directions to the nearby quilt shop as she said it can be hard to find being down an arcade on First Ave. She told me to look out for a Brewery sign as that was in the same building as the quilt shop.

So what a combination...a Brewery for the husbands to check out while their wives checked out the quilt shop!!

After a little wander around the quilt shop, I went back into the arcade and noticed another shop called Our Fabric Stash. It was filled with not only fabrics but also haberdashery and lots of unfinished projects including quilts that only needed binding. 

I talked to the lady who seemed to be running the business and found out that it was a consignment store. There were lots of items that looked like they were from a sewer's deceased estate...very popular with fashion students apparently and lovers of vintage. (I would have loved to buy some of the unfinished children's quilts that just needed binding as they would have been great to give K4BN, but it was a long way to bring them back home and with those airline baggage allowances...not a great idea perhaps! lol)  

I didn't buy anything from that store but had bought a few little things from the quilt store and the yarn store.

A skein of the softest yarn imaginable...silk and mohair blend.

In the meantime DH checked out the Brewery and bought another T shirt.

 The next photo is the Brewery at street level. There are walkways that people can stand on and look down at the brewery 'workings'.

This is the lower level where all the brewing equipment is, as well as a pub type area for 'checking out' the brews.

That T shirt that DH bought...

Ah yes, DH and the souvenir T shirts...now that's another post!!
After all this craft shopping we still had to explore the famous Pike Place markets. We'd seen glimpses of them as we had crossed side streets as we walked along First Ave. But eventually we headed down the hill to the markets...but that's also another post! :-)