So, Seattle didn't start off too well. I was well excited to see the 'Entering Washington' sign on the I-405, but then the monotony of hours on a bus with little sleep (total so far: 13h over three nights) set in and I was bored. Trying to find sleep accommodations for the night with an armrest digging into my back and wifi that cut out sporadically didn't help matters either. So, I decided to just chance it and wander around the city looking for a place to sleep that wasn't an airport or bus station...and lucked out!
Literally one block away from where the BoltBus dropped me off was a reasonably-priced hostel, and it was in Chinatown (or the International District as they like to politically correctly call it)- hello, good food! And even better was that I could stash my laptop-laden backpack indefinitely, which I did as I got food and went to the baseball game (Mariners won 2-0 over Detroit, so I guess I'm a Mariners fan now! I also got a bit of a chuckle when the first substituted Detroit pitcher, Coke, pitched to Seattle's Justin Smoak hehe) I was feeling a little dispirited by lack of sleep and the lousy weather- it's hard to feel perked up in a city that's wet, windy, and 8C when you've just come from almost 40C of sun and humidity- until a father, with his young daughter, asked me which way to Safeco Field. Me! A tourist in a different country and I was asked for directions not even three hours after alighting! That's a new record for me, I think, and I guess the key is to wear earbuds and a slight snarl.
After the baseball game, I hadn't even walked off the stadium property before the holes in my shoes fell victim to the rain-soaked ground and I had wet, cold, sore feet. Instead of changing shoes at the hostel, I just decided I'd buy a new pair since shoes are so cheap here. With my laptop out, I plotted out a little walking tour that'd take me to Pioneer Square, Pike Place Market, the Space Needle, and then ending at Neumos for the show. But good god, was I ever regretting it on the walk there. My feet, already wet, got impossibly soaked and each step felt one step closer to an aquatic misery. I got tipped off about Sneaker City...but found that they'd closed seven minutes early! Drats. No problem, though, as only a block away was Ross and I settled on a pair of Skechers- a brand I love because for whatever reason, they fit my feet like custom-made slippers. Now with tootsies that were warm, dry, and nicely cushioned, I picked up the pace and was back to happily passing everyone on the sidewalk. Next stop: Pike Place Market.
PPM is deceptively big, with many levels containing shops of just about every ilk, but predominantly ones that sold fish, fruit, or flowers. It's twisty and windy, and if you casually make one turn you can hear music, or go another way and you'll find yourself at Gum Wall in Post Alley. Also as a side note, there are statues of pigs everywhere (and scattered throughout the city, too) and I'm not quite sure what they signify. But PPM is just a cool, cool place, and my only regret is that I had more than just a half hour to spend there but the next stop, the Space Needle, beckoned.
When I was in Paris, I eschewed riding the Eiffel Tower elevator on account of it being foggy that day and thinking I wasn't going to spend whatever it cost to have no view, and skipped going to the Louvre because the line seemed too long. When I got to the Space Needle and found out it cost $19 to go to the observation deck, I had the same thoughts in my mind but talked myself out of it, saying, 'Remember when you decided to just pony up and ride the gondola at the Venetian in Vegas and how much you enjoyed it, and how buying the ticket for that didn't impact your budget for the trip? Well, this is the same thing.' So before I could change my mind, I was in the elevator, ears popping as we raced up 520 feet. And boy, oh boy, am I glad I went because the view from the top was something else. I did the requisite circle around outside before resting inside with a pint of locally brewed beer, Lazy Boy, and just enjoying the scenery.
All too soon, it was time to head off to Neumos for the show, so I race-walked the mile and a half there, even gladder that I was wearing new shoes. It turned out that I had quite a bit of time to kill so I went across the street to an interesting-looking bar, The Comet Tavern, and settled down with a local pint to write some postcards. Two girls at the table at which I was sitting took notice and commented that they were supposed to do the same, and it kickstarted this great conversation about our respective cities (they lived in San Fran/Jose), sports, jobs, and interests. They were so nice to talk to, and I regretted leaving their company as I went back to Neumos, but maybe good experiences like that are better remembered as small doses.
The show still hadn't started (I can never tell which concerts start on time, and which ones don't!) so I listened to the last of the intro guys- The Fat Kids- and then finally, Lady came on. When Lee Fields replaced them after a few songs, I introduced myself to the girls (I'd interviewed them a little while ago) and one instantly remembered me and gave me a hug! :)
I was pretty close to a lesbian bar I'd read about, the WildRose, so I walked over there...only to find it empty. Thursday nights when Prince is in town is good enough reason, I guess, but I plunked myself down at the bar and chatted to the bartender and the women who were in there. We talked about our country's similarities and differences, and again, all too soon, it was time to head out. I'd been warned by more than one person not to walk back but to take a cab, so reluctantly I stepped in one and was kind of glad I did: it's awfully nice having someone else drive you home when you're exhausted and have been on your feet all day.
Having one last smoke before I went inside to sleep, I talked to three guys at the hostel and it turns out they were crab fishermen killing a few hours before they headed out for a new expedition! I swear, I may have only been in this city for about one full day but I feel like I got a good sense of what it's about and who lives/visits here. The locals have been super friendly and willing to talk, and I've been willing to listen to learn.
Right now, I've got about a half hour before my bus goes back to Portland and then I'm off to the banquet. I'm tired and what I really need is sleep, but there's just way to much to see and do for that. Besides, there'll be plenty of time to sleep when I'm dead :)
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