UPDATED: February 12, 2021
This is the 2nd of a series of posts
dealing with my 2017 trip to Portland, Seattle, and vicinity. I’ve made minor
corrections to these reports (typos, bits I don’t feel like making public).
Also, I’ve added additional thoughts with the hindsight of two years later or
to add further clarification. These are
indicated by “NOW”.
Just a reminder that my keyboard on the mini
notebook sucks. Not enough hours to proof before sending during trip or else
would never sleep.
[NOW: I did of course proofread for this more
public version.]
First, from yesterday, forgot to mention that I
passed a theatre at Seattle Center; as with last year, Coming Soon and Now
Showing both had the same show. Mini-notebook remembered the connection here
form two years ago. The big thing with yesterday, though I liked what I saw on
my walk, is I should have taken the later ferry to Port Angeles; carrying all
my stuff is what wiped me out.
Woke up around 2:30 last night and soon after
someone turned on a loud fan; Well, it did muffle the snoring. I got a little
more sleep and got up just before 5 I walked to the Westlake Station of the
Downtown Transit Tunnel and used money on my ORCA (transit) card to get five
daypasses using a machine; I had to "purchase" them one at a time so
only said yes to one receipt . Got some money from a Bank of America (Scotiabank
affiliated); hope I chose the right option to avoid being dinged. Visited
Rachel the Pig(gybank) at Pike Place Market again, getting a photo of
"her" and I. I returned to the station, found I just missed a bus,
went back up and wandered slowly before heading back down again.
[NOW: If memory serves, I later saw that Bank of
America gives you an error message if you are a Canadian with its Scotiabank
partner and you choose the wrong option, you just get an error message.]
All buses today King County Metro Transit. I did
what I originally planned to do after breakfast and took the 101 bus to Renton.
I wandered around, and noticed a comic shop (Comic Hut); maybe I'll visit on a later
trip. I saw a statue of the head of Chief Seattle (Sealth) that was also a
fountain. I walked to Liberty Park and then to Renton Transit Center, where I
took another 101 bus back to Westlake Station in Seattle. Above ground I took a
26 bus back to City Hostel Seattle for breakfast. I took an E Rapidride bus
back downtown and re-entered Westlake Station.
[NOW: Comic Hut has closed.]
I took a 150 bus to Westfield Southcenter in
Tukwila, though I didn't enter the mall at first. As I exited the bus, a mom
was cursing up a storm to her kids. I visited Barnes and Noble, then Target,
then Tukwila Pond Park. While not a big area, the pond is nice for bird
watchers. I arrived at Half Price Books just before they opened and bought a
couple of DVDs. My credit card stripe is worn down; they didn't have insert or
tap and they couldn't type the numbers; used a backup credit card. Finally
going to the mall, I bought a Godzilla two-movie blu-ray at f.y.e. (for your
entertainment). I caught another 150 bus to Kent. I bought some DVD sets at Big
Kmart. My next bus was hourly so I had an early lunch at McDonald's (as
curiously happens from time to time at restaurants, the cashier heard an extra
word, this time double for my Quarter Pounder, so I had to fix that) before
going to Rite Aid and Big Lots. I saw a woman cross the street with a very
happy dog to the McDonald's.
[NOW: Big Kmart has closed.]
The 183 bus took me to Federal Way Transit Center
in Federal Way. That city is a great place to see planes approaching landing in
SeaTac. I visited Action City Comics and Toys and then the remains of the
building that held the Federal Way branch of Al's Music, Video, Games until the
building burnt down recently. It looked like something out of a Hollywood
disaster movie; Lots of signs still there despite collapsed structures (Al's sign
wasn't visible) and the Subway sign was prominent and tilted to the right. Sad
that it's gone but amazing that other than adding fencing the remains are pretty
much as they looked immediately post fire as far as I can tell.
I visited Barnes & Noble before taking an A
Rapidride bus to a block from Angle Lake Station in SeaTac. The Link train
(Sound Transit) used to just go from SeaTac Airport to Westlake Station but now
goes from Angle Lake Station to University of Washington Station in Seattle so
I took the entire ride. The reason I took the Link light rail was for the view
and (somewhat) comfort. There are faster ways to get to the U District from
Federal Way than the A bus and Link train. Just before the latter station Fare
Enforcement got on at the previous station (Capitol Hill) and checked people
for tickets and ORCA activation. One guy started with me and I was fine but the
guy adjacent to me first ignored the agents and then when he didn't have a
ticket, instead of apologizing and trying to get let off with a warning,
insisted he shouldn't have to pay. The officer was still talking to him when I
got off. When I left he was at citation but I'm betting the police arrested him
after.
[NOW: The Central Link train is now Line 1.]
The University of Washington Station is right by
Husky Stadium (football). I walked to Drumheller Fountain in the university; it
had a good stream upward. There was a duck ramp and a duck was sitting watching
the water stream. Walking to the shopping area of the U District, I visited
Bulldog News; the main U District branch of University Bookstore, Neptune
Music, the Seattle branch of Al's Music, Video, Games (got a couple DVDs), the
now non-profit world famous Scarecrow Video (more DVDs), and the Dreaming
(comics). I took a 71 bus south and then walked the rest of the way past Drumheller
Fountain (same? duck lower on ramp) to University of Washington Station.
Security got on again. I passed again. Some woman a little out of earshot
seemed to have some issue but she cooperated and the guy moved on.
[NOW: I think the Seattle branch is now the only
branch left for Al’s Music, Video, Games. The Tacoma branch has also closed, as has The Dreaming.]
I got off at Capitol Hill Station and it was time
to push the button. I walked to the pop machine with all Mystery buttons and
tried my luck; it's usually something obscure like some cherry or peach
variant, so while it's a pop I liked it was a little anticlimactic to get a
regular Pepsi. I visited Phoenix Comics, the Jimi Hendrix station, Elliott Bay
Book company, Everyday Music (more DVDs - two of the DVDs I got this day, here
and at Scarecrow were Mystery Science Theater 3000 sets), and the Capitol Hill
district of Twice Sold Tales (bookstore known for its cats; I photographed two;
one appeared to be a grey Siamese, maybe mixed with Persian).
[NOW: The pop machine has gone missing.]
I took an 8 bus to Seattle Center and got a build
your own pizza at Mod Pizza at the Seattle Center Armory; the guy seemed POed
about the credit card stripe. I ordered For Here and decided I wanted to go.
Luckily the plate was disposable and easily taken to the International Fountain,
one of the few places I can "switch off" on a trip. A seagull wanted
my food and didn't realize that every time I looked away for a second it was to
grab my camera to photograph it coming toward the pizza; it got none though I
think it got food from somewhere else, I relaxed there, briefly revisited the
armory. I saw I was pretty sure was one of the Olympic Sculpture Park art
pieces, Typewriter Eraser, Scale X before briefly leaving Seattle Center to look
at the former location of the Silver Platters which moved to 1st Ave S; they
finally removed the old signage but it was still empty. I relaxed at the
International Fountain again and then returned to the hostel.
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