Pacific Northwest Trip Summer 2011 Day 8 Monday August 1

UPDATED: February 1, 2021

This is the eighth of a series of posts dealing my eighth trip to Seattle as an adult. I’ve made minor corrections to these reports. Also, I’ve added additional thoughts with the hindsight of two years later or to add further clarification. 

Was wide awake around 6 and had already decided to drop Sumner from my itinerary so came up with a new plan.  Took the 6:30 578 bus (at least it would have been if on time) to Puyallup, by way of Federal Way, Auburn, and ironically, Sumner, so I did see a tiny bit of it anyway.  At Puyallup, grabbed breakfast at McDonald's and wandered around downtown taking photos of the various art pieces, though one of my favourites, Berry Good (giant strawberry on giant fork) was one of the pieces no longer there.  I passed on one bus to spend another half hour there doing so.  Considered passing up the next bus as well, but then there would have been another hour's wait.

[NOW: The 578 bus is Sound Transit. Most of the art pieces are no longer there.]

Took Pierce Transit's 409 then 56 to Tacoma Mall Transit Center.  I crossed through the mall and then the parking lot and across the street on the other side to Half Price Books, where I bought a bunch of comics and DVDs. I stopped in the mall and briefly visited fye, then returned to the Tacoma Mall Transit Center and took the 3 bus to downtown Tacoma.

[NOW: The 3 bus is also Pierce Transit.]

I walked north to King Books where I pet the cat and got permission to photograph it, then bought a DVD at Stadium Video.  I walked south a different way than usual and stumbled upon the northernmost stop of the free Sound Transit light rail TacomaLink, which I took to the Union Station stop.

[NOW: Stadium Video is now closed. TacomaLink is now Line T.]

There I visited the Glass Bridge, which isn't actually made of glass but which does have glass art displays.  It's on a bridge to the Museum of Glass, which I didn't go to due to a no photos rule.  Doubling back, I visited the Tacoma branch of the University (of Washington) Bookstore, then climbed the steps of the university (which is on a hill) and headed to Buzzard's, my various place in Tacoma to buy DVDs.  Much to my surprise it said it was now with Stadium Video, but I didn't see any sign of it when I was there earlier.  Despite it being a favourite place to visit, it's a fair hike uphill north, so decided to wait until next year to investigate further.

[NOW: Buzzard’s closed entirely when Stadium Video did.]

Back at the Union Station stop, I took the TacomaLink to a little before Tacoma Dome station. I got off a little earlier than planned but got a nice shot of signposts as a result.  After a quite visit to Tacoma Book Center, I arrived at Tacoma Dome Station.

The 590 bus back to Seattle was supposed to arrive at 12:33 but actually arrived 15m late.  I got off in the International District, in the southeast corner of the greater downtown area.  I had lunch at the Uwajimaya food court, then Hing Hay Park, then headed west to a bus stop in the Pioneer District to go to Seward Park.

[NOW: The 590 bus is Sound Transit.]

The 39 bus would have been more direct but the 7 bus to the general vicinity arrived sooner, so I took that and walked the remaining 10 or so blocks to the park.  I swam at the main beach and then circled the park, getting great shots of Mercer Island and Lake Washington.  I took a bus back downtown and heard that there had been a fire on 3rd St. earlier.  I filed that away for future reference got off, the bus, and walked to Seattle Center.  I grabbed another Orange Julius meal (I love their strawberry drink) and ate dinner at the International Fountain, where I stayed a couple hours.  A woman started hassling me there but I was about to leave then anyway.

[NOW: The buses above were King County Metro Transit. The bus back from the park was also 39. Around the time Center House became the Seattle Center Armory they evicted Orange Julius.]

I visited Silver Platters (got more DVDs), Easy Street Records (one more), Rite Aid on 3rd Ave (got a Powerade) then tried to find the fire damaged building, but no sign.  After I send this will check online and try to get an exact location; it's apparently only a few blocks away from here.

[NOW: That Silver Platters moved to 1st Ave S. That Easy Street Records is now closed.

The highlight of the day was definitely the art pieces at downtown Puyallup.  Next year I'll probably trim the fat to spend more time in the immediate Seattle area, but downtown Puyallup will remain on the itinerary.