UPDATED: February 12, 2021
This is the 10th 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”.
I was in pain most of the day. What I called
blisters is more, the new shoes ripped the skin from one or two toes and the
back of my foot (all above on right foot). It's possible that the new shoes are
now broken in but the damage has been done. Literally.
I got up around 5:30 and walked to the Washington
State Convention Center, which is a good way, via escalators, to reach Freeway
Park, a park built over a freeway. Fountains are usually on or off, but this
time there was just a tiny bit of water running. I walked to the Seattle Ferry Terminal
to ask directions to the new Fast Ferry terminal for later; good thing I did
because it was further away than expected. I visited CenturyLink and Safeco
Fields. Near the former, there's still the Kingdome Deli paying tribute to the
predecessor of what locals call the CLink.
Waterfall Garden Park wasn't open and strangely
had winter hours posted. At Pike Place Market…,
[NOW: Again part of what I had typed apparently
got deleted before sending. I visited Rachel the Pig(gybank) and then returned
to City Hostel Seattle.]
As breakfast started around 8, had a rushed
breakfast then took a 3 bus (King County Metro) to near the new Fast Ferry
Terminal. There I took a Fast Ferry (all transit until Washington Ferries
Kitsap Transit) to Bremerton and from there the Foot Ferry to Port Orchard, where
I tried to take an 8 bus to Book 'em I wanted to ask the driver where to let me
off but a woman kept talking loudly and I missed the stop, not knowing where it
was. I admit I got more irritated with her than I normally would with someone
with an obvious disability, though she really should take a breath from time to
time in case other passengers need to talk to the driver. Still, in my anxious
state I was harsher than I wish I had been.
[NOW: Actually the ferry at the time was
temporarily situated at the King County Water Taxi terminal. Because it was the
first month of service the ferry was free.]
Fortunately it was downhill so I did make it to
Book 'em, then continued downhill top Paperback Plus, getting there just before
they opened. Returning to the downtown core I wandered a bit and visited a 7-11
and a market. I took the same Foot Ferry back to Bremerton Transportation Center.
The nearby Liberty Bay Books wasn’t yet open. Back at the center I took a 25
bus to East Bremerton Transit Center and visited the Comics Keep and Back in
Time Gaming.
[NOW: Paperbacks Plus and Back in Time Gaming have closed. The Comics Keep has since moved.]
I got on a northbound bus. A guy thought I was
photographing him. When I pointed out that the camera was pointing out the
window he said it could be reversed. He eventually quieted down and got off
with everyone else early on. Even if I did have such marvelous tech I fear it would
have resulted in just shots of my t-shirt and/or face.
Getting off at Silverdale Transit Center in
Silverdale, I got a DVD at f.y.e. and then visited Kitsap mall where I visited
Barnes & Noble and Avalon Comics. Sneaking in a shot of the latter (didn’t
know the mall's photo rules) I tripped over a seating area that I flipped over.
Losing only a bit of dignity I crossed the street to McDonald’s to go and
returned to Silverdale Transit Center.
[NOW: That f.y.e. has closed.]
I took a 35 bus to Poulsbo, where I finished my
lunch. I walked to the downtown area and decided Io wanted to stay extra long. The
downtown core, by the waterfront is Scandinavian themed in terms of
architecture, street names, store names, and some signage (e.g. Welkommin). The
only thing that disrupts the illusion is a Wells Fargo. A shame you have to pay for a ferry to head
west: of all the places I visited for the first time today, downtown Poulsbo is
the one place I'd want to return to.
[NOW: While there I visited Poulsbo Book Stop,
which I think may have since closed or become Away with Words, and Poulsbo’s Liberty
Bay Books. I believe I also got a soft drink at Marina Market. I also spent a
bit of time at Liberty Bay Waterfront Park.]
Giving myself extra time, I hiked to the 90 bus
stop and took it to Bainbridge Island Ferry Terminal. Thirty minutes before the
next ferry so I visited Backstreet Beat, which was closed when I visited on day
one. I skipped Eagle Harbor Book Co. though due to visiting it earlier.
I took an eastbound ferry (Washington State
Ferries) back to Seattle. Due to construction I had to walk an extra stop but
at the International District/Chinatown Station I took the new First Hill
Streetcar (King County Metro Transit) to Capitol Hill Station. Not as fast as
the Link train but above ground. I limped to the Mystery Pop Machine. This time
I got a cherry 7-Up, more typical of the machine. I limped back to the
streetcar and returned to the International District/Chinatown Station where I
took the Link train (Sound Transit) to Westlake Station. I guy was trying to
talk to the woman sitting beside me mostly in Spanish, ignoring her comments of
not speaking very good Spanish and having had a long day. He got off at
University Street Station. She gave me a look of relief and I told her I had
been feeling for her. After getting off at Westlake Station I walked to the
other streetcar line.
[NOW: The pop machine is missing.]
The South lake Union Streetcar (King County Metro)
was originally going to be called the South Lake Union Trolley before they
realized the acronym; too late: the locals adopted the acronym anyway. I took
it a couple stops and walked the rest of the way to Seattle Center. I had dinner at Mod Pizza, visited the still-off
International Fountain, then headed out. There are plant sculptures called
Sonic Bloom that make sounds as you approach. I think they were there two years
ago but silent there. I made it back to the hostel a little early and got new
Band-Aid equivalents, but wanting to wear my shoes again until tomorrow.
[NOW: I later figured out that Sonic Bloom is a
bit of misdirection: approaching the “flowers” don’t create a sound but approaching
discs beside them do.]
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