Seattle, Washington

Pike Market
Copyright 2011 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

This weekend, I'm in Seattle getting my passport renewed and staying at my friends house as well. So far, I've eaten my fair share of authentic Filipino food, either home-cooked by my friend's mother or from Filipino restaurants in the city. It was like being at home even for just a few days. It was a surreal moment and yet, very comforting having been away from home for so long. It has been such a gastronomical feast a day after arriving in Seattle after my 15 hours of bus ride through snow, sleet and rain. Today was beautiful and the sun managed to make its presence known even for just a couple of hours after leaving the place where they were holding the passport renewal in town. Those few hours waiting in line to get my papers processed were a bit unusual as the hall where they held the interview was shared with a group of Vietnamese-Americans dancing to their traditional local music that for a while, I got totally confused if I was in the right place to get my passport renewed. First stop after leaving the renewal office though was Pike Market via the space needle. We strolled around the market and drank coffee at the first Starbuck's coffee shop which I thought was very fancy it bordered on being pretentious but the coffee was great so no complaints there. We just drove by the needle and that was good enough for me.    

San Miguel pale pilsen
Copyright 2011 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

 A bonus is what I found in one of the stores in the city. No, I'm not talking about Macy's although I did take a short trip to the mother ship, but rather, the Seafood Center where their grocery aisles looked like I was transported back to the grocery aisles in the grocery stores back home. The pièce de résistance, they sell San Miguel beer in bottles. I know, I'm not supposed to be drinking beer but I had a sip and it was just so wonderful to taste the best beer from back home after almost 15 years. They even have the dark lager variety which I hope to bring back with me for my friends. I'm jealous already.

Copyright 2011 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

We ended the night having Japanese food for dinner in a casino and it was a combination of everything Asian from sushi rolls to sashimi to Vietnamese Pho and even Chinese dishes. It had been fun but the best part so far has been seeing my friend Ruby whom I have not seen in over 10 years. It was good to see her and get to meet her family and talk about the good old days. So far, this trip has been a journey back in time and a glimpse of good times ahead. I still have one day to kill and I'm already very excited to see what tomorrow will bring.