Social ... well-being of the Pacific Northwest (16USC839)

When TJ suggested that we take a sojourn to the Pacific Northwest, my first thought was of the many days that I would have to be chilled to the bone by damp, windy weather. But after a long weekend of mostly sunny days, I've decided that the area's cloudy and wet reputation is a product of the rest of the country's insecurity.

According to the National Climatic Data Center, the weather in the area is not much different than most other major U.S. cities. For example, by calculating the percentage of probable annual sunshine, you would find that there likely will be 157 bright days a year in Seattle, compared to 204 in the other Washington, in D.C. The average number of days with precipitation in Seattle is 151 days, compared to 112 days in Washington.

Yes, Seattle falls a little short, but it is not nearly as far behind as the rest of the country would have you think. Indeed, the difference is exaggerated because the Pacific Northwest is simply better in basically every other category besides climate.

First, you can't beat the hotel views. We're not exactly luxury travelers, but nonetheless, we had watery vistas from our low-budget accommodations in Seattle and Vancouver: the Puget Sound from the Moore Hotel and the Burrard Inlet from the Patricia Hotel.

And if you do brave the not-so-terrible weather, you have so many options for transportation. A delightfully high number of bikes were lined up at the public market in Seattle. The shoreline view was spectacular on the train from Seattle to Vancouver, part of Amtrak's Cascades line, whose other terminus is Eugene, Oregon. Towering Mt. Rainier was entirely visible on the ferry from Seattle to Bainbridge Island. We were sheltered from a hailstorm (the only truly poor weather-related moment of our trip) as we crossed from downtown Vancouver to its North Shore on the efficient and cozy "seabus."

With all that movement, you usually need to stop for some sustenance, and the Pacific Northwest is packed with delicacy-filled markets. In Seattle, we perused the Pike Place Market, where a marching band was playing in support of the Sounders soccer team, and stopped by the huge Uwajimaya supermarket, where the variety of seafood was matched only by the diversity of produce. In Vancouver, the Lonsdale Quay Market was a great lunch spot next to the seabus terminal, and the Granville Island Public Market was the perfect place to sample some local smoked salmon.

And where there are good markets, there is good food. TJ and I shared perhaps the best macaroni and cheese ever at Beecher's and the best Russian pastries at Piroshky Bakery, both part of Pike Place Market. We continued on our fresh-fish kick by ordering from the locavore menu (salmon pizza for TJ and shellfish bowl for me) at Chuckanut Brewery. The Bellingham brewery won best small brewing company at the Great American Beer Festival this year, but perhaps only because Granville Island Brewing, out of Vancouver, isn't in the States; its consistent offerings included the highly drinkable Kitsilano Maple Cream Ale and Lions Winter Ale.

We sampled so many great microbrews, we stopped keeping track of them. Besides the beers themselves, the bars offered a most alluring atmosphere. Lowell's, where they filmed parts of Sleepless in Seattle, looked out over the waterfront beneath the Pike Place Market. A few blocks away, the Diller Room, which was once a speakeasy, makes a perfect pit stop if you want to grab a drink before you catch a ferry to Bremerton.

Eating is an excellent pastime, but the area's Scandinavian and Native American heritage has resulted in even more outstanding local traditions. We heated our pores to a epidermal perfection at the Finnish-style Hastings Steam & Sauna in Vancouver; because of an early-bird special, we got a private room for $14 a person. Fully cleansed, we were energized for an invigorating stroll through Stanley Park, home to a fine display of public art, a collection of totem poles created by the First Nations.

Lest you still disagree with the obvious preeminence of the Pacific Northwest, perhaps the big picture will erase your doubts. Very few cities can compete with the skyline of Seattle, with plenty of piers pointing toward its iconic space needle, and Vancouver, with the Stanley Park seawall weaving past hundreds of high-rises.