Pacific Northwest Trip July 2009 Day 1 Tuesday July 21

UPDATED: February 5, 2022

This is the first of a series of posts dealing my fifth trip to Seattle and second of two trips that year. I’ve made minor corrections to these reports. Also, I’ve added additional thoughts with the hindsight of three years later or to add further clarification.  I’ve decided to delete references to an outdated contest which probably wouldn’t be of too much interest to people who don’t know me.

I managed to snag the sole Internet terminal.  You'll probably be able to tell by the number of typos when I'm using a computer terminal and when I'm using a laptop.

[NOW: I actually packed a mini-notebook rather than a laptop. I was having troubles sending group e-mails so always used the terminal. 

Made it to the ferry terminal a little before 5:30.  They opened soon after.  Got through Customs okay and took a bus to Sequim, where I had a McBreakfast before getting some extra batteries at Walgreen's.  

[NOW:  The ferry was MV Coho, run by Black Ball Ferry Line. The bus was the 30 Commuter, Clallam Transit]

I took a bus to Port Townsend (a daypass also covering Poulsbo went up from $1.50 to $2.50); I saw a couple of deer just before I arrived at the Park & Ride.  I did I quick dash to downtown Port Townsend and back to snap some shots; on the way back I stopped briefly at Hollywood Video but didn't buy anything.

[I took an 7 Jefferson Transit bus there. It is apparently now back down to $1.50 at least for the duration of the pandemic. NOW: Hollywood Video is now entirely defunct. ]

 

I took a bus to Poulsbo Transit Center and did a quick look at Poulsbo Village before getting on the bus to Bainbridge, which had gone up from $1.25 to $2.  I got on the Bainbridge Island ferry where I bought a lunch. 

[NOW: I took an 8 Jefferson Transit bus to Poulsbo. The bus to Bainbridge was a 90 Kitsap Transit. The connecting bus stop at Poulsbo was Poulsbo Transfer Center, but now buses connect at North Viking Transit Station]

I arrived in Seattle and walked to a bus that would take me to Broadway.  I visited Bailey Coy Books (no purchase), Gruv (bought DVD), Broadway News (no purchase), Broadway Video (got DVDs), Everyday Music (took pic of Jimi Hendrix statue and got a special ed of Brazil).  I visited Twice Sold Tales (took pics of the kitties), Half Price Books (got a Match Game set), then walked to Seattle Center .

[NOW:  Bailey Coy Books, Gruv, Broadway News, and that branch of Half Prince Books, in First Hill are all closed. That Everyday Music moved a couple times before closed.  Twice Sold Tales is in Capitol Hill but not Broadway.]

I got some refreshments at 7-11 then visited International Fountain (out of service)

I found an Abraxus Books (used to be in Ballard), then went to KCTS 9 Store (no purchase) and Silver Platters (bought a DVD I was thinking of buying last visit but thought I might have); I'm on the points system there and when I gave my last name I was asked Andy or Millie before the storekeeper realized how obvious which Nystrom I was.

[NOW: Abraxus Books and KCTS 9 Store are now gone, and that branch of Silver Platters has moved to 1st Ave S.]

Underdawg Records, Blockbuster/Queen Anne, Twice Sold Tales/Queen Anne (though I didn't see any cats or store name this time), Easy Street Records (no purchases any of the above).

[NOW: Underdawg Records, Blockbuster, and that branch of Easy Street Records are now gone; Queen Anne’s Twice Sold Tales had probably already become Mercer Street Books by then but there was no signage at the time.]

I went to Kerry Park Viewpoint and got some pics.  While I nice day I had more trouble than last time capturing Mt Rainer on pics.  I took a couple buses to the vicinity of my new hostel, Hostel Seattle in Ballard.  I dropped off my stuff, visited the Fish Ladder at the locks and watched the fish, visited the old location of Abraxus and confirmed it had moved and not just opened a new branch (a shame because the old location was an ex-library and had a library feel to it).  I visited Sonic Boom Records (no purchase) and saw that Epilogue Books, closed for the day is going out of business so will need to return for the sales.

[NOW: Buses this day in Seattle were King County Metro Transit. Green Tortoise Hostel was acting strange so I decided I’d better switch. Hostel Seattle moved to Belltown as City Hostel Seattle; I continue to stay with them instead. They also now run a hostel/hostel in Fremont called Hotel Hotel. Epilogue of course is now gone.]

I ate dinner at Hamburger Harry's (a pub) and then returned to the hostel.

[NOW: Hamburger Harry's is now closed.]