What to wear in Seattle

Seattle lures an ever-increasing number of tourists, conventions and new residents with its mild climate, incredibly-beautiful scenery and a somewhat slower pace than that found in the great California cities along the West Coast to the south.

This year, it also has lured unusually-heavy rainfall. Wednesday, flooded areas caused a mudslide that destroyed one Seattle home and wrought other severe damage.

Situated between Puget Sound (its entranceway from the Pacific) and Lake Washington on its east side, Seattle occupies a relatively narrow strip of land near the West Coast. Bellevue is a bedroom city to the east across beautiful Lake Washington. Tacoma and the state capital, Olympia, lie a short distance to the south, Everett to the north, and Olympic National Park in the heavily-forested mountains across Puget Sound to the west.

Ocean traffic up Puget Sound provides quick access to British Columbia's capital city, Victoria and its lush flower gardens, and Vancouver, one of Canada's largest cities.

When you think of Seattle, you think of water, a major Pacific Coast shipping point to Alaska, Hawaii and Asian seaports. But a flight into the city from Texas on a clear day last August revealed the awesome, majestic, snow-capped trio of Cascade Mountains. Though many miles apart and not in a line, Mounts Rainier (14,410 feet), Adams (12,307) and St. Helens (9,671) appeared from the air to be close together almost in a row.

Seattle is a pretty city, situated on seven hills that rise up to 518 feet. It has many new downtown buildings, but it has retained two of its earlyday waterfront attractions: Pike Place Market and Pioneer Square. The city gradually rises as it moves west from Elliott Bay on Puget Sound. But the first block from the waterfront is almost straight uphill.

Pike Place Market sits about five blocks in width on a cliff overlooking the waterfront. It's a tough climb up steps and a fairly-steep drive by car up the slope. Not only does the popular market offer fresh fish, meats and vegetables, but wares of every kind in a series of shops and restaurants along 1st Avenue.

Whether you're interested in buying or just gawking, the nation's oldest continuously-operating farmer's market (130 years) is a "must" stop in Seattle.

On the south edge of downtown lies Pioneer Square, the original settlement of the city that was occupied in 1852 and incorporated in 1869. Underground tours are available to see some of the old original city streets.

Above ground is old enough, however. Earlyday street lights, stores and restaurants help take tourists into yesteryear. I found the Elliott Bay Book Shop, with its high ceilings and cluttered shelves, particularly fascinating.

On the south edge of historic Pioneer Square is the 20-year-old Kingdome, home of the Seattle Mariners and Seahawks.

The waterfront docks and ferry boat piers are interspersed with shops, restaurants and entertainment. The Omnidome highlights the Mt. St. Helens volcano story as well as an underwater visit to the Sound. The Seattle Aquarium next door features very active sea otters, a giant octopus and other water creatures.

The 520-foot high Space Needle and other world's fair facilities just north of downtown has been turned into an entertainment area that still attracts large crowds.

The University of Washington lies on a pretty site northeast of downtown (Union Bay) near where the channel from Puget Sound connects with Lake Washington.

One of the more popular tourist attractions is Tillicum Village, eight miles across Elliott Bay on Blake Island. Huge totem poles and an Indian village greet the ferry boat. A salmon dinner precedes a colorful native stage show, "Dance on the Wind."

Even without the historic and other tourist attractions, the Seattle area enchants visitors with beautiful lakes, mountains and evergreen forests, all in a setting where the temperatures usually rise to the high 70s in summer and rarely go below freezing in winter. Of course, you may need your raincoat.

Seattle lures an ever-increasing number of tourists, conventions and new residents with its mild climate, incredibly-beautiful scenery and a somewhat slower pace than that found in the great California cities along the West Coast to the south.

This year, it also has lured unusually-heavy rainfall. Wednesday, flooded areas caused a mudslide that destroyed one Seattle home and wrought other severe damage.

Situated between Puget Sound (its entranceway from the Pacific) and Lake Washington on its east side, Seattle occupies a relatively narrow strip of land near the West Coast. Bellevue is a bedroom city to the east across beautiful Lake Washington. Tacoma and the state capital, Olympia, lie a short distance to the south, Everett to the north, and Olympic National Park in the heavily-forested mountains across Puget Sound to the west.

Ocean traffic up Puget Sound provides quick access to British Columbia's capital city, Victoria and its lush flower gardens, and Vancouver, one of Canada's largest cities.

When you think of Seattle, you think of water, a major Pacific Coast shipping point to Alaska, Hawaii and Asian seaports. But a flight into the city from Texas on a clear day last August revealed the awesome, majestic, snow-capped trio of Cascade Mountains. Though many miles apart and not in a line, Mounts Rainier (14,410 feet), Adams (12,307) and St. Helens (9,671) appeared from the air to be close together almost in a row.

Seattle is a pretty city, situated on seven hills that rise up to 518 feet. It has many new downtown buildings, but it has retained two of its earlyday waterfront attractions: Pike Place Market and Pioneer Square. The city gradually rises as it moves west from Elliott Bay on Puget Sound. But the first block from the waterfront is almost straight uphill.

Pike Place Market sits about five blocks in width on a cliff overlooking the waterfront. It's a tough climb up steps and a fairly-steep drive by car up the slope. Not only does the popular market offer fresh fish, meats and vegetables, but wares of every kind in a series of shops and restaurants along 1st Avenue.

Whether you're interested in buying or just gawking, the nation's oldest continuously-operating farmer's market (130 years) is a "must" stop in Seattle.

On the south edge of downtown lies Pioneer Square, the original settlement of the city that was occupied in 1852 and incorporated in 1869. Underground tours are available to see some of the old original city streets.

Above ground is old enough, however. Earlyday street lights, stores and restaurants help take tourists into yesteryear. I found the Elliott Bay Book Shop, with its high ceilings and cluttered shelves, particularly fascinating.

On the south edge of historic Pioneer Square is the 20-year-old Kingdome, home of the Seattle Mariners and Seahawks.

The waterfront docks and ferry boat piers are interspersed with shops, restaurants and entertainment. The Omnidome highlights the Mt. St. Helens volcano story as well as an underwater visit to the Sound. The Seattle Aquarium next door features very active sea otters, a giant octopus and other water creatures.

The 520-foot high Space Needle and other world's fair facilities just north of downtown has been turned into an entertainment area that still attracts large crowds.

The University of Washington lies on a pretty site northeast of downtown (Union Bay) near where the channel from Puget Sound connects with Lake Washington.

One of the more popular tourist attractions is Tillicum Village, eight miles across Elliott Bay on Blake Island. Huge totem poles and an Indian village greet the ferry boat. A salmon dinner precedes a colorful native stage show, "Dance on the Wind."

Even without the historic and other tourist attractions, the Seattle area enchants visitors with beautiful lakes, mountains and evergreen forests, all in a setting where the temperatures usually rise to the high 70s in summer and rarely go below freezing in winter. Of course, you may need your raincoat.