UPDATED: February 5, 2022
This is the first of a
series of posts dealing my seventh trip to Seattle as an adult 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 two years later or to add
further clarification.
I'm lucky to be
e-mailing you all. For some reason my
address book isn't showing up. Luckily I
was able to get the addresses from a draft and e-mail myself the list of
addresses.
Camera situation: very
little zoom problem from my older camera.
And actually the camera I was using regularly until it got damaged
actually worked quite a bit today.
So I kept alternating
between two cameras, switching the memory cared back and forth. Probably helps allow the AA batteries to cool
off. The one camera using XD memory
cards that flat out wouldn't work is the one I bought yesterday, so I'll be
denied the sublime pleasure of spending two hours every night recharging
batteries.
I can't recall if I go
through Customs in Victoria and Immigration when I arrive in Port Angeles or
the other way around. Regardless the
first guy was a bit surly because my passport was well used. He seemed suspicious so even though this is
an honest trip I answered strategically.
As the ship was departing the PA mentioned that no dogs are allowed in
the cabin area; right on cue a guy with a dog went outside.
[NOW: I took Black
Ball Ferry Line’s Coho ferry to Port Angeles. I believe it's Immigration on the Victoria side and Customs on the Port Angeles side.]
I was first in line
among the passengers to leave the boat but another tried butting ahead of
me. Then he went the wrong way and when
I found the right away he stood beside me, confusing the guy on the Port
Angeles side into thinking we were travelling together.
I had some time so I
visited Port Book & News before
catching the bus to Sequim. I got off by
the former Hollywood Video (it closed yesterday forever) and ate breakfast at
McDonald's. I visited Rite Aid,
Walgreen's (bought some batteries), Radio Shack (verified my new camera problem),
Seal Street Park, and Staples, then got the bus to Port Townsend.
[NOW: The bus to
Sequim is the 30 Commuter/Clallum Transit and the bus to Port Townsend is the 8
Jefferson Transit. Sequim's Staples is now closed.]
Lots of police cars
and the like went by with sirens on. I overhead
that in the other direction, Forks, there was a hostage situation; not sure if
any vampires were involved in the crisis.
Got off the bus near Vasu Video (not yet open), went down some stairs
and took pics of what I think is a Venus/Aphrodite statue, passed Williams James
Bookseller (not yet open) and time being an issue, went to the ferry to Whidbey
Island, cutting it closer than I thought I had at first.
[NOW: This was the one
year that the 8 bus went downtown. Normally you
have to transfer to an 11. Vasu Video is now closed. The statue is actually of Galatea. The ferry to Whidbey is a Washington State
Ferries one.]
I got off at Keystone
Ferry Terminal, took a bus to Coupeville (interesting change of pace but that’s
about it), took another bus to Clinton Ferry Terminal (no one seemed to be
having an affair while waiting for the ferry, took a ferry to Mukilteo (looked
nice; wish I had more time); I ate on the latter ferry. En route to Clinton the
bus passed a turn-off to Useless Bay (real place).
[NOW: The Whidbey
Island buses, 6 and 1 respectively, were Island Transit. The ferry to Mukilteo
was also Washington State Ferries.]
I was actually earlier than I had planned
because there was an earlier ferry to Mukilteo than I'd relized so was pretty
relaxed when I took a bus to Everett. I
bought some issues of Beautiful Stories for Ugly Children at Everett Comics,
visited A-1 Pawn, then worked my way to a bus to Everett Mall. I visited Half Price Books across the street
from the mall, returned to the mall to visit Borders, then took a bus to South
Freeway Station. I considered visited Bothell but was feeling weighed down so I
took a bus to downtown. Being a bit sleepy
I took some pics of Northgate Mall when the bus passed it and then realized
moments later that meant I was in Seattle.
[NOW: The buses to
downtown Everett, to Everett Mall, and to South Everett Freeway Station were
Everett Transit. The bus downtown was
510 Sound Transit. Everett Comics later moved. A-1 Loans and Pawn has closed. Borders is now defunct.]
I got off the bus downtown
and checked in to the hostel, then spent about an hour or so relaxing at the
International Fountain
[NOW: The hostel is
City Hostel Seattle in Belltown.]
For those of you new
to these reports the International Fountain, at Seattle Center is a large
fountain that humans and dogs and play around; one dog was having a grand old
time); the water shoots out in all kinds of directions and even creates its own
rainbow at times (got some great shots of that today). I wanted to eat at Orange Julius around 6:30
but it was closed to I went to the nearby McDonald's that has a lot of sports
balls in poles.
[The Orange Julius was
at Center House, now Seattle Center Armory, but has since been evicted. The
sports balls were basketballs, baseballs,
footballs, and soccer balls, but they were removed during a renovation.]
I visited Silver
Platters (one woman walked out due to the bag check-in rule; I don't like that
it's necessary ether but that's the world we live in; thieves do operate in
cities) and bought some b-movies, including a couple of Troma movies (some of
you will be very pleased about this). I
have a membership there so I got a free DVD.
I returned to the International Fountain for a bit. A seagull landed on the fountain during a
slow period and was quite surprised when water started shooting upward. I then visited Easy Street Records where I
got another B-movie. They require photo
ID there and the cashier correctly guessed that I get hassled at the border due
to the shape of my passport. Silly
really; a passport that doesn't get some wear probably wasn't used properly for
its intended purpose. I returned to the
hostel after getting some drinks for tonight and later nights.
[NOW: This Silver Platters has moved to 1st Ave S. This branch of Easy Street Records has closed.]
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