Hello,

This post is centered on the trip my lovie sent me on to Seattle Washington, a place I have always wanted to visit. Being a desert rat I was personally looking forward to a weekend in a rainy city but as the saying goes the desert weather will follow you no matter where you go.

I also wanted to take a minute and explain that we like many have seen the commercials staring William Shatner the original James T Kirk of Star Trek promoting the Priceline name your own price and figured we would give it a twirl. The result was pleasant while a little nerve racking  as when you use this feature you agree to pay regardless of where you stay and what flight carrier you will be traveling on or what car rental company you will be assigned. But I figured you have to get there one way or the other, so click yes we did. Now you do get to choose they level of service you are looking for kind of like car rental companies do when they say you will receive a car in the range of listed vehicles but don’t specifically define what car you will receive.

The trip was more then doable which included a flight, hotel, and car rental. So I guess I was set, let the adventure begin. After a long car ride to Las Vegas I decided to stay at the Palms, the choice was strictly  based upon price. Upon check-in I was informed for a minimal fee, twenty dollars I could upgrade my room since I would only be staying one night. I agreed and was given a ridicules room, it had to be as big as my house! It came with a Jacuzzi a living room two full bathrooms and windows spanning from one side to the next. I simply mummered to myself, so this is how the other half lives.

I played some slots and hit the craps table and enjoyed the night far longer then I should have due to my early flight the next day, but hay I figured I only get one of these in a lifetime. The good news was I did not loose money but broke even, this is good as my trip has only yet to begin. The picture below is at the airport right before boarding the plane.

I must mention at this point my lovie in preparation for this trip traveled out of town as our little town in the middle of nowhere to an Apple store and purchased my the new Bose Wireless Noise Cancelling headphones. I own a pair and use them at work and love them, she took note and knew I would love to have them on the plane. She was very much correct and well knows how my brain ticks, love her so much.

Well after a short flight I arrived in Seattle, my first course of action was to navigate to the car rental company. For those of you have never been to Seattle I must make note of the efficiency of such a large city. The air port shuttles people like cattle, to the luggage pickup then based on choice either parking or rentals. If you choose rentals like I did you are quickly picked up by a bus and then after about a ten minute drive dropped of at a building, this building is like the air port each carrier is listed and you simply walk to yours and then wait in line.

Here is where I must also note that I will never rent from Budget again, this company prays on the traveler. I say this because when I arrived I was asked if I needed insurance. I replied no Priceline includes this in the price, the attendant strait lied to me and said no that insurance is not valid. So I purchased the insurance which was double that of what Priceline charged me, after arguing with the I attendant took the car as there really was no other choice as the car was paid for when I booked the trip.  I then followed up after reaching the hotel speaking with Priceline who was fully aware they do this in Seattle and refunded me their portion of the cost. Never again!

The next glitch was the hotel, it was at the Marriott the issue did not stem with the hotel but the location as Priceline placed me over thirty minutes away from Seattle main. They justified it by saying the car rental had unlimited mileage, it was silly but in the end worked fine. The piece of advice is check all the detail before you go, google map everything.

I had made reservations as the Seattle Space Needle for dinner the night of my arrival.  Using my phone for navigation getting there was a breeze. I took this photo on the way there and wanted to highlight the differences of traveling from that of California.  In this picture as you approach Seattle main the highway splits and dives, that’s right the highway going about 65 mph my phone not only told me what lane to be in but insight to this confusing transition. I quickly snapped a photo as it was kind of cool. When you descend into the tunnel it diverges to the left and right splitting the direction of your approach into downtown.

Upon arrival at the Space Needle I pulled up and quickly realized for those who have reservations valet parking is included, awesome! After dropping off the keys I made my way up to the restaurant, the process was quite nice I simply indicated who I was and bam I was on my way up the elevator to the restaurant. While I expected it to be pricey and was expecting to drop a few Benjamins’ the menu was amazing and so was the price.

 To start the meal comes with some garlic dinner roles and sweet cream butter, for my drink I choose a peach daiquiri along with Penn Cove muscles  along with albacore tuna poke. These were amazing.

For the main course I choose to have the Snake River Farms American Kobe Steak and Lobster Tail with green beans and yes the even give you more dinner roles for free.

While eating dinner the Space Needle also rotates, not the actual tower but the restaurant is like an inner wheel, think treadmill. This enables you to see every view of Seattle some people even take a time-laps video. I did not as I needed my phone to navigate back to my hotel. Below are some of the shots I took while eating my dinner. I basically had dinner with my wife as I was in constant text where her while eating and sharing my experience with her.

When you have dinner at the Space Needle you are also given a free trip up to the observation tower where one can walk all around the Space Needle a view of Seattle from 520 feet up. I got to experience the views as the sun was setting it was amazing.

The cool thing about Seattle is they have what they call a City Pass it includes admission to the Space Needle, Seattle Aquarium, Argosy Cruise Harbor Tour, Woodland Park Zoo, and the Chihully Garden and Glass all of which I had planned to attend the next day.

Day 2:

As I mentioned earlier I was hoping for rain however this weekend turned out to be one of the sunniest Seattle has had this summer, we are talking no clouds and you could visibly see Mt Rainier. Well today was going to be busy so I woke up early started my adventure. I knew finding parking in the city was going to be a challenge and expensive. After finding a parking spot where I though I would be close to things, I started walking towards the famous Public Marker Center. This is where they trow the fish around, which is only done when people actually buy some fish. Pictured below is where the action happens.

At this point I decided to indulge myself in some of the local eats, I picked up some goat cheese and crackers for later, but the best part was all the sweet berries one of my favorite is Marion Berry which I became hooked on when we lived in Oregon. In California they are almost unheard of and that sucks. I also found some truly authentic crab cakes. They were served on a bagel with lots of garlic, onion and a hefty amount of cheese.

It turns out the Public Marker spans from this main street which is over a mile long then goes down the side of the cliff spanning many stories. I only realized this after I was four levels down and asked for a map and quickly realized I should move on if I was to visit all the other attractions.

Next I choose to walk down to the docks and take the Argosy Cruise Harbor Tour. This tour was much needed as it was approaching one in the afternoon and the day was starting to heat up. The tour is roughly an hour and thirty minutes long which skirts the bay. I never knew what the local bird was called until the tour which pointed out it was the Yellow Cranes which dotted the city.

I had a great spot on the boat and snapped this photo with the Space Needle and of course the Seattle bird.

I wanted to ride the Ferris wheel but it was not include in the City Pass and choose to visit the aquarium. I today would have done the Ferris wheel as the aquarium was not the best and is simply a filler for the pass. Once again if you look closely you will once again see the famous birds.

I did snap a few photos while at the aquarium but then realized the time was flying by and I had only purchased five hours of parking which was quickly approaching the dead line. I would need to hurry in order to make sure my rental did not get towed, that would be a huge undertaking to fix. This picture was I think the only cool thing in the aquarium of live swimming jelly fish.

Most people say hay whos going to know if you are late, well something that happens in this city is the local street people watch over the parking lots, being generally helpful in order to get a donation. The guy in my lot told me he would take care of me and even helped with inputting my parking space and such in the meter. I did not need his help but in the spirit of staying safe I slipped the guy a five and he told me I was good to go, that was after paying ten dollars for the parking. It almost felt like if you don’t pay something might happen to your ride or if late quickly call a tow truck.

This is where my physical abilities would be tested, seeing I had made my way all the way down to the shore, I had to hike back up..up..up. The Seattle streets increase in elevation of about two too three hundred feet per street. This placed me roughly a thousand feet below the street I needed to climb to. I was directed by the gentlemen at the aquarium to navigate to a parking structure and use the elevator to assent five hundred feet. Upon my arrival I quickly learned that the elevator was non operational. Thus I climbed story after story, until my heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest. Did I mention this was like the one weekend in Seattle with clear skies and warm weather…gezzz I guess I brought the desert to Seattle.

It would turn out that this day is when I decided to become a hiker, more on that later as well in future posts. Once I regained my composer by running the car air conditioner I decided I would visit the Chihuly Glass Museum. I found a parking lot across the street and then proceed to the parking meter, this is when I believe I was almost robbed. However due to my hyper awareness being in a city and all, I quickly noticed a man who could be a parking helper or a drug addict posing as a parking helper. As I stood at the meter I noticed this man make his way behind me like being in line, however it also exposed me as someone could quickly be out of sight while attending to the machine. But since this person did not offer help like the last parking attendant I positioned myself with my side to the machine and one side to the questionable person.

I made some small talk and never took my eye off him while working the machine thinking this is when if ever he would make a move. He noticed my awareness and my position and must have decided I was not a victim. As he pretended to be unaware that the machine only took cards not cash and then slowly walked away. This is when it became clear to me that he had picked me as his victim. Shook up I opted to drive back to the hotel and call it a day, thus ending my second day in Seattle.

Day 3

I choose to start at the EMP museum which has since been renamed to MoPOP the museum of POP culture, also included in my city pass. I opted as  I am a fan of Start Trek to purchase the add on feature

Below are some cool pictures I took in the museum.

I then decided to once again visit the Chihuly Glass Museum, I returned to the same parking lot and was presented with no issues. Here is a link to learn more about this artist.     https://www.chihulygardenandglass.com/about/dale-chihuly

 

I normally only visit a museum with my wife as she loves art, so I kind of was living this for her while expanding my mind. I was however very impressed and glad I attended this exhibit.

My next stop and last on the list of things to do in Seattle would be the Woodland Park Zoo. In the picture below there is a path to follow outlined in yellow. I choose to walk the entire path as I wanted to one burn the rest of my time away before leaving Seattle main. Also a fitting way to end my trip in Seattle and cementing in my new love of hiking.

Once again my lovey is amazing and I doubt next year there will be something amazing to do as well.

Until next time!

aCSguy