I'm back on the mainland after a seven-day cruise from Seattle to Alaska.

I have loads of coverage to come - stories about the Space Needle in Seattle, seaplanes and glaciers in Juneau, train rides and Gold Rush prostitution in Skagway, a review of Rhapsody of the Seas - as well as photos of all the Alaskan scenery.

Tomorrow I am going to go sailing off the coast of New Jersey (near Ocean City) and enjoy the rest of the holiday weekend, but on Tuesday the storytelling will continue.

We had a beautiful, clear sky on the final day aboard Royal Caribbean's Rhapsody of the Seas, and we hung out on the top deck as we shoved off out of Victoria, BC, pushing around a few shuffleboard pucks and sucking down a Dark and Stormy with fresh ginger (I first had one last year at the TASTE, the Los Angeles food and wine festival. I also met Giada that day).

Here are a few photos of that final sail (click to enlarge):

I was shown proof today that it doesn't always rain in Seattle, but unfortunately it was only for one short afternoon. It didn't start raining - I simply had a boat to catch. I flew into Seattle early Thursday afternoon, giving myself a few hours to check out the city.

I had some great recommendations from a friend that my research showed I would probably really enjoy: A restaurant in University District (Thai Tom), Gas Works Park, Alki Beach Park, Lake Washington, the many islands to the west and the abundance of national parks that surround the Emerald City.

As always, I'm long on ideas but short on time - I shove off on an Alaskan cruise tomorrow afternoon, leaving me only a few hours to explore the city during the daylight. Rather than chase my tail running all over, I decided to hang out downtown - that part of the city was as new to me as any of the others. Next time, nature, I thought, looking over the map and the abundance of green spaces.

I took the light rail from the airport to downtown (40 minutes) and checked in at the Vintage Park Hotel at the corner of 5th and Spring, and my first impressions are very favorable, both in terms of location and personality (more to come).

When I walked up the stairs to street level, I was surprised: I wasn't expecting the hills.

You know, it sort of reminded me of San Francisco upon first glance, not necessarily in terms of exact looks or vibe, but the hills, the clean air that comes through the trees, and the view of the water you get when you stand on certain street corners call to mind the City by the Bay, the abundance of green and pines drawing up memories of Big Sur.

I am going to have dinner in the Space Needle tonight with a few friends, hopefully around sunset. Thoughts and photos to come. Here's one from downtown Seattle: