Food Orgy Vacation

Joe and I just returned from a 2nd Honeymoon vacation... we traveled the Northwest (Seattle, Victoria BC, Vancouver), where the theme of the vacation was Food Orgy!  Joe can never get enough of fresh seafood, so you can imagine that he was truly in hog eating heaven with all the fresh seafood available during our vacation!

We ate everything from local fresh catch of the day, French, Italian, Japanese, Asian, Irish, and good ole street vender/concession stand foods!  We sat at cafes, drank beverages, munched on appetizers and/or pastries, and people watched... we strolled around in Market Places checking out all the different foods from various stalls (fish, fresh fruit breads, meats, cheeses... etc), we bought a big bag of fresh cherries to nibble on, and big fresh peaches and nectarines as big as soft balls and as sweet as sugar... we literally went from one snack and/or one meal to the next... our quest was to enjoy all the flavors of the Northwest!

You would think that this type of vacation involving sooo much food tasting and eating would lead to gaining several pounds over the ten days we were on this Food Orgy quest... but... because Joe and I walked almost everywhere, we actually burned off more calories than we took in.  Joe and I both wear pedometers every day to keep track of our daily steps (10,000 steps a day is what is required to maintain a healthy life style) so we actually know just how much we walked each day.  Our usual daily steps range between 5000 and 10,000 daily, which includes our nightly walks along with our normal daily life style... but... while on vacation last week our range was between 16,000 and 25,000 steps!!!!  And when we ate or nibbled all these various foods, we didn't eat massive quantities of anything, we ate mostly appetizer sizes and we shared almost everything we ate... we saved most of our big eating for dinner, when we would splurge a bit.

I wish we lived in an area that had Market Places with the range of fresh foods that we enjoyed during our vacation... I would go every day to the market to get our daily food needs... there is just nothing like the selection of foods, the freshness of those foods, and the sights, smells and sounds of being in a big Market Place... it reminded me a lot of how Europe has fresh food markets all over town and most of the locals buy everything they need fresh every day.

Coffee is a HUGE commodity in the Northwest... just about everyone you see on the street is carrying a paper cup of coffee.  Starbucks was first sold and marketed in Seattle and we actually visited "The First Starbucks" store a couple of times while we were in Seattle... but then there is literally a Starbucks on just about every corner in the Northwest... especially in Seattle!  Joe LOVES his Starbucks coffee (as well as our daughters do too), so he particularly enjoyed many many cups of Starbucks during our trip.

I am not a coffee drinker at all... never have been... in that way I am just like my Grandma and my Aunt... we are devout tea drinkers!  When Joe and I left Seattle to travel to Victoria B.C., tea is as HUGE there as coffee is to Seattle, so I enjoyed many a cup of DELISH tea... in fact... the hotel we stayed in, "The Emperess", served 'Traditional Afternoon Tea", which was a pretty big affair...  I of course just HAD to experience this tradition at least once during our stay.  Reservations are required, business casual was the required dress code, and it was at least an hour or two event.  After being seated the waiter brings out a Tea Menu with detailed descriptions of each tea, the blend, the aroma and the flavors... you choose a tea and then you are served a little dish of strawberries and fresh whipped cream while the waiter prepares your specified tea.  A gentleman in a tuxedo w/tails played a baby grand piano during the entire time!  Each person is brought their tea choice in their own HUGE silver urn (probably holds 4-6 cups of tea each), delicate china tea cups are used (the china is from King George VI era and is now only made for this hotel).  After pouring us each a cup of tea (there are sugar cubes and fresh cream on the table, also in silver dishes) the waiter brings a 3 tiered tray of finger sandwiches, scones w/fresh cream and jam, cookies, cakes, and chocolates.  Joe and I were only able to eat 1/2 of the tray, but they boxed up the rest for us to enjoy later in our room.  At the end of the tea, the waiter brings out a box of their special tea for each of us as a souvenir.  That was such a classy and civilized experience... it truly makes you feel like royalty!  As a true tea connoisseur, this was a treat of a life time!!!

But alas.... all good things must come to an end... we are back home, unpacked, laundry done, life back to normal.  But as I was preparing our dinner this evening, I couldn't help but reflect back on all the yumminess of the past 10 days, the glorious weather we had, the wonderful sights we saw (Museums, Parks, etc), the many strolls and deep conversation as well as many giggles we shared, and just the over all GREAT time we had together on our 2nd Honeymoon, 33rd Anniversary Vacation!  This was the first time that Joe and I have been on vacation just the two of us since our actual Honeymoon in 1978 that ended 4 days early because we ran out of money!  But... we still had a great time together the 3 days we actually had on our Honeymoon, which is really what is most important... and we always have the stories to share from both Honeymoons!

I am sooo grateful and blessed to have a soul mate/life partner who is still my best friend and that I enjoy being with on a daily basis and want to share every single moment with.  Joe you are the BEST husband/partner/soul mate anyone could ever wish for and I appreciate you!!!!  You are, and always will be the bread to my butter!  I LOVE YOU ALWAYS AND FOREVER!!!