Port Townsend weekend

Amanda, Tom and the kids stayed in an Airbnb apartment across the street from this mansion, now a B&B.  It's been quite a while since we've been up to Port Townsend, and I forgot about the glorious Victorian architecture, now beautifully restored.   

Port Townsend is called the "City of Dreams" because of the early speculation that the city would become the largest harbor on the west coast. It was a big seaport in the 1890's, until the railroad failed to connect Port Townsend to southern Puget Sound.

Because of the speed at which the economy declined and the lack of any industry to replace it, none of the Victorian buildings were torn down or built over.  That's the good thing. The houses were essentially preserved for nearly 100 years until the tourist value of protecting them was appreciated.

The town is popular with retirees, and shows up on those "best places to retire" lists.  There really isn't any real easy way to get there, but that doesn't stop people.  I remember when the entire Olympic Peninsula felt off the beaten path.  Not any more.  Every highway from Seattle and back was jammed bumper to bumper with speeding cars, and long waits at the ferry terminals.

We had a room the Aladdin Motor Inn on the edge of town, which I was lucky to reserve over a month ago. There wasn't a vacancy sign in town.

Here's the birthday girl, and the girl who wishes it was her birthday. We had a fun little celebration for Amanda and Nova.