5 Fun Ways Seattleites Beat the Rainy Blues

If you have never lived in the Pacific Northwest, you might wonder how Seattleites cope with so much regional rain. We who do live here ask ourselves the same thing, of course, especially by the time January and February roll around. But true Seattleites find a variety of ways to ward off the seasonal blues. Here’s our survival guide:

1) Go climb a wall.

If the seemingly endless gray skies make you feel like climbing the walls, why not do just that? Visit the REI flagship store where you can Climb the Pinnacle for a mere $7.00 (members) or $20.00 (non-members). Just be sure to make a reservation first and prepare to sign a waver of liability.

Or head to Vertical World at one of several locations where you can sign up for a range of classes or packages from “Intro. to Climbing” to “Lead Climbing.” How better to test your strength and resolve before tackling mountain climbing in the Northwest? Of course, if you’d rather simply stop by and climb the walls, you can do that, too.

2) Hop on a ferry.

When you’re ready for a short skip out of town, Washington State Ferries are ready to be of service. With so many routes available, your only challenge lies in choosing where to go. For a quick getaway, you can board a ferry to several nearby destinations: bucolic Vashon Island, the artistic community of Bainbridge Island, the town of Bremerton on the Kitsap Peninsula for a visit to one of the world’s largest U.S. Navy repair yards, or Whidbey Island, for saltwater beaches and hiking trails. For longer visits, the San Juan Islands (Lopez, Shaw, Orcas and San Juan), Alaska and British Columbia beckon.

3) Make a museum date.

One day you feel like viewing the paintings of renown artists, another day exploring your fascination with dinosaurs. One day your mood runs more to rock n’ roll, another day to aviation, natural history or sci-fi. Whatever your inclination or budget, Seattle has a museum for you.

4) Embrace the rain.

That’s right. If you can’t beat the gloomy weather, you might as well get out and enjoy it! Just don a waterproof hat, jacket and pants and you’re all set. You’re not going to let a little drizzle dampen your spirits, are you?

5) Follow the Sun.

When all else fails,  Seattleites start planning their escape to the Sun Belt – Arizona, California and Florida are popular destinations. But sooner or later visions of tropical paradise, swinging hammocks and island living spring to mind. And when they do, Hawaii lands at the top of the list. Honolulu and Waikiki, Kaua’i, Maui and “the Big Island,” are perennial favorites with Seattle locals.

What about you, Wanderboomers? How do you beat the winter blues? What’s your favorite place for sun n’ fun?

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Thanks to Starbucks, Seattle’s fame as the “Coffee Capital of the USA” remains secure. But in keeping with the spirit of the PBS Masterpiece Theater hit series Downton Abbey and the London Summer Olympics, this travel gal has another Emerald City destination in mind: the Queen Mary Tea Room.

For the last several years, celebrating the end of summer with Afternoon Tea at the Queen Mary has become a mother-daughter ritual. Early on, I had visions of our having heart-to-heart conversations over tea, scones and finger sandwiches in an elegant, intimate setting.

I imagined sharing tips on tea etiquette as we reflected on the past school year and her dreams for the one ahead. But that was my vision, not my daughter’s, who was much more focused on the cookies and other bite-size treats served so appealingly.

Who could blame her? The Queen Mary is a favorite destination for multigenerations whatever the occasion. Little girls come to celebrate birthdays where they are invited to choose from among a selection of tiaras to wear for the event. Women friends, too, come to share special occasions or whisper confidences. Men and women come for the experience of having lunch, tea or biscuits in an elegant setting that reflects a timeless tradition of manners, ritual and civility.

And should you decide to continue the tea tradition at home, you can visit the Queen Mary Tea Emporium just down the street. What tea lover traveler wouldn’t love to bring home a selection of teas with exotic names like Russian Caravan, Brazilian Sweet Orange Maté, Moroccan Blossom or Yang Xian Mao Feng to spark an endless journey of the imagination?

What about you, Wanderboomers? Do you have a favorite tearoom, teahouse or tea traditions that you’ve come across in your travels?

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Irish myth abounds with stories of leprechauns, those tiny elfish creatures known for playing mischievous pranks and hiding their gold coins in a pot at the end of the rainbow. According to Irish lore, if you’re lucky enough to catch one of these sprites, the leprechaun must grant you three wishes. No wonder then that my sainted mother had high hopes of doing just that on her one trip to Ireland.

Finally, nearing the end of her stay with nary a fairy in sight, she expressed her exasperation to the tour guide. “I haven’t seen one of your so-called leprechauns once on this trip!” to which the guide replied in the lilt of his Irish brogue: “Yeah, well, keep on having another drink and you will.” Ah . . . So that’s the secret.

Well, I have yet to visit Ireland or catch sight of a leprechaun myself, but how can I let St. Patrick’s Day slip away without posting a few photos of rainbows?  In an earlier post, I shared photos of rainbows taken on my cruise expeditions and visit to Ecuador. For now, I’ll have to make due with the following shots taken inside St. John the Divine on my visit to New York City last Fall.

May today bring you a wee bit of magic and mischief – and may there always be a pot o’ gold at the end of your rainbows, Wanderboomers!

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