The Space Needle is the most recognised structure in Seattle and a stay in the city must include a visit to this icon.

But first we went to Pike Place Market . It is a public market for farmers to sell direct to the public, thereby cutting out the middleman, known as the jobber, and securing a more reasonable return for their hard work. We saw the fishmongers tossing fish from one person to another, often with customers sitting under the "flight path" to cheering, and less courageous, crowds. One hopes that they only throw the same fish, or perhaps it will be sold at a knock down price at the end of the day; slightly handled.

The Space Needle, although looking a bit retro nowadays, is still an impressive structure. Built in 1962 for the World Expo and took just over a year to complete. The views from the observation deck, level 65, were breath-taking. We were lucky with the weather and could see the distant mountains, especially Mt Rainier, clearly. Like the CN Tower in Toronto, there is a revolving restaurant  inside. And like Toronto, the ticket price is deducted from the bill. However, the menu looked a tad expensive, so we opted for the combi ticket with the Chihuly Glass Garden next door.

The glass sculptures by Chihuly were fabulous. Such fantastic forms, vibrant colours and grand designs. The garden looked especially glorious in the sunshine. We are now sorry that we didn't have time to visit the museum in Tacoma. Next time...