UPDATED: February 5, 2022
This
is the fourth of a series of posts dealing my fourth trip to Seattle and first
of two trips that year. I’ve made minor corrections to these reports. Also,
I’ve added additional thoughts with the hindsight of five years later or to add
further clarification; I use “NOW” to denote such cases.
Years
ago I bought some socks not realizing they have no legging, so while sleeping
have been using one them to store stuff I can't put in my locker while I sleep
(keycard, watch, locker key). Well it
slipped beneath the crease while I was sleeping. Luckily most of it didn't fall too far, but
my keycard fell to the lower bunk.
Luckily the couple below me was getting up at about the same time as me.
I
checked the BC Election results. Groan.
[NOW:
I early voted in that election. I voted against the Premier at the time, Gordon
Campbell, but he won and almost immediately created controversy putting
something into action that he claimed wasn’t being considered.]
I
don't think it's going to really be sunny this trip so will stick to my
itinerary and go to the zoo today, as I think this morning will likely be as
nice as it gets for the next few days at least. At least it shouldn't be too crowded there
today.
[NOW: The above was written in the morning; the rest I wrote in the
evening. Buses this day were King County Metro Transit]
Well,
fatigue and a bit of sleepiness from unfamiliar environment setting in, but I'm
pressing on, albeit what was for me a slower day, though probably a busy day
for others.
The
theme for today was definitely Fremont and Wallingford districts. I was going
to tackle all of Fremont after the zoo, but it occurred to me I could save a
bit of time checking out the statues first (most I'd pass by anyway, but two
were out of the way.
I
first visited the Fremont Troll, located under Aurora Ave's bridge in an avenue under
an avenue called Troll Ave. Then I visited the Center of the Universe (a sign
post points down to the exact spot), the Fremont Rocket, plant dinosaurs, then
the Waiting for the Interurban statue (which was decorated for someone's
birthday), then the new JP Patches & Gertrude: Late for the Interurban
statue. Based on the old Seattle-based children's show JP Patches, it was
unveiled in Aug/08 with the actors who played the characters present; it was
smaller than expected but given it was for a children's show, that kind of
makes sense.
[NOW: Chris Wedes and Bob Newman, who played JP and Gertrude, respectively are both now deceased.]
I
visited the statue of VI Lenin before walking to Woodland Park Zoo. I bought a
CityPass that will same me money at other places as well. I meant to spend
three hours max there but actually spent about 3h45. Despite the time of year,
still lots of kids. Heading back south to Fremont's main shopping area, I visited
Video Isle, Wit's End Books (gone), then at the actual shopping area visited
Ophelia's Books (they had a cat but I didn't pet it because it was sleeping),
Fremont Book Exchange, Rain City Video . I ate at Royal Grinders, behind the
Lenin statue, then walk a ways and visited a comic shop who's name escapes me,
Seattle Book Center, and B Brown Books.
[NOW: I stopped going to the zoo after they prominently displayed a dead panther(?) skin, not killed by them. Video Isle, Fremont Book Exchange, Rain City Video, Seattle Book Center, and B Brown & Associates have all closed. The comic shop was Secret Fortress. It is now a "by appointment" business, no actual shop if it even still exists.]
Heading
to Wallingford I visited Comics Dungeon (didn't but anything buy I'd been
meaning to visit for two years), a Hollywood Video a block away, World Wide
Books & Maps, and south to the Wallingford Steps and Gas Works Park (the industrial
plant turned family park). I didn't linger there long because it was raining
pretty hard.
[NOW:
Comics Dungeon, Hollywood Video, and World Wide
Books & Maps have all closed.]
I
returned to Fremont, then took a bus to near Seattle Center. I did the Ride the
Ducks tour (amphibious vehicles). Perhaps because of the rain I got to be the
only passenger (I could have taken a later trip but I'd already been waiting
and it was fun to be the only passenger on a tour. It went downtown, then the Pioneer
District, then north to... Fremont before entering Lake Union in the
Wallingford District.
[NOW:
The Ducks also passed Gas Works Park in the water. They are now closed.]
Returning
to Seattle Center I ate at McDonald's actually for the first time this trip
(they have footballs, baseballs etc at the branch by Seattle Center), then
visited Silver Platters. I
went to Queen Anne District and visited the area's branches of Twice Sold Tales
(petted two of the chain's trademark disinterested cats), Easy Street Records, and
Blockbuster.
[NOW:
McDonald's eliminated its sports balls displays after a renovation, Silver Platters has moved to 1st Ave S That branch of Twice Sold Tales is now Mercer St Books and has no cat. That branch of Easy Street Records has closed, and aside from the one in Bend, Oregon, there are no more Blockbusters left.]
Heading
back downtown I visited a pet supplies store in the hopes there would be a cat
wandering around inside (no) and Swerve, where I bought my only DVD of the day,
a documentary on Hollywood Blvd superhero actors called Confessions of a
Superhero, then First & Pike News, then my daily visit with Rachel the Pig
piggy bank, then Walgreen's.
[NOW:
Swerve and First and Pike News are now closed. I can’t recall the name of the pet supplies shop.]
Even
though I'm usually still pretty active at 8:30 while in Seattle I decided to
call it a night this time. I might go get something to drink because Seattle's
a bit humid, but beyond that I'll just get rested for tomorrow's adventure.
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