My first visit to the Pike Place Market came just a week after moving to Seattle, in 1965. In those days it was threatened with demolition (the grand plan was for ring roads all the way around downtown Seattle, with huge parking lots replacing the Market, Pioneer Square and other "eyesores.")
That was then. Now the Market is a beloved and famous treasure, and even in this time of economic jitters, we just passed a bond issue to fund needed repairs and upgrades.
Although I'd hesitate to visit the Market on a summer Saturday, it's a bit less crowded in December. Christmas is coming, so the craft booths offer every imaginable gift - hand-carved boxes, jewelry of all kinds, T-shirts, baby clothes, Peruvian sweaters, organic soaps and cosmetics.
And you can still buy vegetables, on the high stalls inside, and from the organic farmers outside. Guess which picture is which?
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