Another Fun Day in Kirkland

 

Ivan's special friend (Nathan). 

Today we headed off to Snoqualmie Falls 

This is the top of the falls.  We then took the trail to the bottom. It was about 1 1/2 mile total but it took 3 times as long going down as it did going back up.  We made sooooo many stops going down.  

rest break

View from the bottom of the falls.

 Roman, Ivan & Madeline

The trip back up was much quicker but more exhausting.  Going up hill is always hard for me.  

We had a 12:30 pm reservation at the Iron Duck in North Bend.  

I had asperagus and egg

George and Nathan split the black bean burger

I had a Katie May (elderberry, grapefruit and vodka)  

Back through Seattle 

We hung out in the apartment while Ivan took a nap. We played some bananagrams and 8, 7, 6.  

Nathan, George, and I took a short walk.  By the time we got back everyone was ready to head off to Castle Park.  

One interesting thing that they do around here is placing flags in a bin at a crosswalk.  You can grab a flag on one side of the street and hold them out to stop traffic. Then you put the flag in a container on the other side of the street.  Pretty smart. 

This park was not far from where we were to have dinner.  We had a 7 pm reservation at Cafe Veloce  

I had a penne pasta with feta, artichokes, and shrimp.  It was very good.  I sent my left-overs home with Madeline.

Dorothy, Ed, George, Roman, Madeline, Ivan, Nathan, and me.

After dinner we went to a close playground. 

Ivan seemed to like this playground. 

Then it was time to say good-bye to everyone.  Dorothy and Ed will be heading off to the airport at 4 am.  Madeline and Roman have other plans.  We will get Nathan to the 7:30 am train.  So we won't see them again this time around.  

Kirkland

Dorothy and Ed were at Madeline and Roman's.  They had come out west a week ago.  We planned to visit at the same time.  George and I left our place around 8 am.  We stopped to pick up Nathan and then headed north.  We got to Madeline and Roman's around 11:30 am.  The traffic had not been bad.  Dorothy and Ed were staying with Madeline and Roman.  We were staying in a close hotel.

Madeline and Roman's apartment.

We hung out while Madeline made pizza for lunch.  She had a cheese and fruit plate and crackers for appetizer.

Dorothy reading to Ivan and Nathan.

George and Ivan

Delicious pizza.

One of Ivan's Ukrainian alphabet books.

While Ivan was napping we went on a walk.

The walk included some berry picking

We played a game of 10, 9, 8 - well, it was actually 8, 7, 6 because of the number of us playing.

 We went to check in to our hotel.

Then we headed of to Juanita Lake to go kayaking.  They were having a Friday Farmers Market.  

Ivan enjoyed the playground

And driving the tractor. 

Seattle skyline

Lots of ducks around

Then it was time for our 6 pm reservation for three 2 person kayaks and 1 paddle board.  

Dorothy and Ed ready to launch

Nathan is up.

Ivan, Madeline and Roman

George and me

My turn on the paddle board

Will I be able to stand without falling into the lake??

I made it.  But I much preferred sitting.

Nathan has the right idea

Ivan did not want to get out when our time was up, so Madeline pulled him around.

Ivan took a turn on the paddle board.

The cushion on our kayak was very wet so even though I thought I would not get wet with kayaking I managed to walk away with very wet pants.

By this time we were getting pretty hungry.  We went to The Box and Burger Eatery - burgers and Asian fusion.  Quite an unusual menu.  

I had the Da Hilo Boy - a loco moco burger. It was a burger I couldn't finish.

George's veggie burger, the Jack and the Bean Stalk

Nathan's kimchi stirred fried rice without the bacon

After dinner we headed back to the hotel.