Randy & Renee's plane arrived about noon yesterday. From the airport we toured Pike Place Market.
The sign above this fish states, "Hello! I'm a monk fish!" When tourists go in for a closer look, one of the workers pull a string and the fish jumps. We steered Renee in for a look and the fish crew did the rest. She screamed so loudly the entire market probably heard her. It was a good laugh. So good that the crew got her again. As we were walking past, they started throwing fish to one another. Then all of a sudden, they threw a stuffed shark (which resembled the salmon they were throwing) directly in our direction and it hit Renee, who screamed bloody murder again. Needless to say, Renee got the full-blown effect of Pike Place Market.
I've had my eye on these ornamental chili peppers for quite some time. The peppers (and garlic) are edible within the next two years. After five years, the clusters dry out to become a decorative hanging. Renee & I each purchased a pepper cluster to hang in our kitchens. (And with each trip to the Market, I keep hoping Ryan will get me a bouquet of flowers. They're sold all throughout the market. You can get a HUGE, arranged bouquet for only $5. What a deal for fresh flowers!)
After Pike Place, we still had a few hours before our reservations at Sky City. We decided to visit the Aquarium (despite its bad reviews). It was pretty neat. But I think we were expecting a little more since it was directly on the Sound. There was a "petting pool" where you could touch starfish, urchins, and sea cucumbers. In addition to their saltwater displays, there was a separate building that housed sea lions, seals, river otters, and fur seals. 
Here are some of the views from our table at Sky City (the revolving restaurant at the top of the Space Needle).
