Quick Road Trip: Olympia WA Hilton Garden Inn

A quick Saturday afternoon drive to Tumwater to buy - what else? - repair parts for our boat, so we stayed overnight here at this spanking new hotel, enabling us to attend a granddaughter’s soccer game up I-5 tomorrow.

It was a bargain price and it proved to be a great place.

We’re really impressed with the common areas, and the restaurant provided just what we needed.

Tomato Season at Birch Bay

Home grown basil too...

Smokey Birch Bay

Sunset over magnificent Thunderbird Lake as fires rage...

Caprese Salad in Birch Bay

We’re on a long spell at home, and we can enjoy a home-grown Caprese Salad even if we’re not learning any points / miles.

Crab Season at Birch Bay

Restaurante Morazan: a Bite of El Salvador in Bellingham

Hidden away at the very back of Bakerview Square shopping plaza sits this unpretentious little joint.

It has a total of three menu choices.

We chose one of number 1, pupusas, and one number 2, basically a chicken sandwich.

A pupusa, a traditional Salvadoran dish, consists of a thick corn tortilla stuffed with a savory filling, cheese being the choice here.

That set us back a total of $11 plus tax.

We’ll return in particular for the pupusas, tasty and a bargain at 2 for $4.

We might try the “specials” listed on a small board, tamales for example.

Jet Contrail in the Sunset

Over magnificent Thunderbird Lake...

Birch Bay WA: Big Sky Over Thunderbird Lake

Rifugio’s: ‘Country Italian’ Dining on the Mt. Baker Highway in Deming

It’s great to stumble on an independent restaurant such as this. Richard, the owner, is not only charming but obviously knows his way around the kitchen. He’s from Cleveland but counts Italians as grandparents.

We hope to return.

Mount Baker Highway - Route 542

Spectacular, and the last couple of miles of switchbacks are only open in the summer months...