Spent the afternoon in Centralia, only 1.5 hours from the house. It may seem like a short leg of the trip but it got us out of town and makes the trip to port Angeles much easier.
We ended up at the Olympic Hotel and Club, a McMenamins hotel. Just funky enough with a great history. The club was a logger hangout, card room, barber shop and speakeasy during the depression. No women were allowed in, they were in the hotel next door. Yup, we stayed at a former speakeasy and bordello. Baths are down the hall and the train runs right behind the hotel. If you are planning a stay, make reservations early and ask for a room on the front. If you’re a train nut like Nadya who would be happier where you can run to the window to see the choo choos, ask for the back, after all it’s very frustrating to just hear them! Don’t be too worried about the noise because the hotel provides earplugs in the loudest rooms.
When McMenamins bought the property on 1996, amongst other relics in the basement was a motorcycle and side card like the entrallia police used. No one knows why it was there but I think it had to do with a card game. The information at the hotel doesn’t explain what happened to the bike.
During the afternoon we went antiquing along the main street. It seems like there are a dozen or more shops within a couple of blocks. Nothing spectacular but we did start a salt cellar collection. Nadya scored some cool old cooking pamphlets including Recipes and Party Ideas Starring Potato Chips. The prices were more reasonable than she usually sees these days.
The pub was a great place to hangout, have a few pints and a bite to eat. The vacation cribbage tournament stands at Jim 2 and Nadya 2. Jim did skunk Nadya once.
Our room includes admission to the movie theater, but we weren’t inspired by features so we turned in early. Special to Rava: the windows opens.
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Nadya – who has written 117 posts on UniBrain Trust.
Nadya is the resident food giver and trip planner. She likes to make things, and occasionally finishes them. Look! Shiny thing! You can often find her fixing JIm's spelling errors.