Pacific Northwest Trip 2017 Day 11 Wednesday July 26: Seattle, Everett, Lynnwood, Edmonds, Shoreline

UPDATED: February 12, 2021

This is the 11^th 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”.

Foot pain is getting pretty bad. Hope I can complete the trip.

[NOW: I did manage to complete the trip.]

Got up a little before 6 and walked to Pike Place Market and saw Rachel the Pig again. Walked up and down the Harbor Steps (take you from 1st to Western; have fountains). I went back to Pike, the Victor Steinbrueck Park right beside the market. I walked to and across the Bell St bridge to the observation area at Pier 66; nice views of the waterfront and downtown buildings.

I walked back to Seattle Canter. Noticed that sonic loom has a big of sleight of hand: it isn’t the giant flower sculptures that make the sounds but the green cylinders on the ground beside them. As expected International Fountain not yet on. I left Seattle Center and withdrew money from a Bank of America above a Metropolitan Market. Returned to City Hostel Seattle for breakfast.

I took a 5x bus (King County Metro Transit) then took a 512 bus (Sound Transit) to S Everett Freeway Station in Everett. Walked to a 7-11 for a soft drink and I think I accidentally left my change behind there. I realized too late that Google Maps doesn't factor in Everett Transit so walked to the Half Price books by Everett Mall when I could have bused it. I bought some DVDs there, then took a 7 bus (Everett Transit) to Bargain CDs in the downtown area; more DVDs.  I visited Sound Loan and Everett Comics. Normally I visit Buy & Sell Video but it didn't open for an hour and my feet were already starting to hurt again so took a Swift bus (Community Transit) to the Half Price Books in Lynnwood, then Walked to Big Lots. I took a 196 bus (Community Transit), ringing the bell a little later than I should have. I doubled back over the freeway. I was going to eat at Chuck E Cheese for the first time but the arcade there made it too hard to focus.

[NOW: Buy & Sell Video has now closed. Specifically the arcade was very noisy.]

I got some DVDs at Silver Platters. I took another 196 bus back to near Half Price Books and then another Swift bus south to Edmonds. After a hike I visited Worlds of Collections Comics. After another hike I ate lunch at a Subway, then took a final Swift bus to Aurora Transit Center in Shoreline. I took an E Rapidride bus (King County Metro Transit) to Arcane Comics, which last year moved from Seattle/Ballard to Shoreline. I took another E bus south to Seattle where I hiked to a 7-11, where I noticed the money missing. Thankfully but awkwardly another customer paid for my Slurpee; will have to take out another 20 tomorrow and maybe put it somewhere other than my money belt, where bills have been falling out all trip.

I got some DVDs at Reckless Video and then took a short 345 bus (King County Metro Transit), but not sure if it really saved any time. I hiked to Greenwood where the Greenwood Parade was being set up. I noticed people with Repent signs. Turning onto 85^th Ave, still parade route, I visited Dreamstrands Comics and got a flavoured water from Fred Meyer. I was going to buy dinner from Subway but wasn't hungry so walked to the Safeway on Greenwood for a deli sandwich.

 

[NOW: That Safeway has closed.]

As I walked along Greenwood, the Christians now had loudspeakers on while they (or a tape) talked. Hijacking a parade to announce to everyone how wicked they were using a loudspeaker didn't strike me as the best way to get the word out. As a parade pre-show the motorcycle police did a bit of driving around, then it was one final go for the Christians who were so loud you could hear them blocks away. The Seattle Seafair Clowns soon followed. During the parade I figured out that I got a few more freebies if I put my hand out, not from everybody, but some for sure.

Some of the usual gang were there: Aside from the above, the Western City Vigilantes with their bouncy truck, the Keystone Kops and inmates, and the Seattle Seafair Pirates firing the cannon from the "ship" Moby Duck. I got a Seafair coin from one of them, my favourite freebie. I kept my shoes off until near the end of the parade, noticing that the back of one sock was stained with blood.

I walked east where after a wait another E Rapidride bus arrived. As you tap at the stop before entering normally, there was a fare check. They left one stop later with a woman they were dealing with presumably; as before I passed. I got off near the hostel and got some gauze pads and ointment, plus masking tape to secure the pads. I also noticed the uneaten sandwich so been eating as I type this.