Pacific Northwest Trip 2022 Day 16 August 1 Seattle, Bainbridge Island, Poulsbo, Port Townsend, Discovery Bay, Sequim, Port Angeles, Victoria

 

This is the 16^th and final part in a series of posts covering my trip to the US Pacific Northwest in 2022, adapting emails originally sent to friends. I use NOW to refer to any updates since I did the trip.

 

Last night one of the Green Tortoise Hostel workers printed out the ArriveCAN code. Someone outside was talking throughout much of the night. When I checked out they said that breakfast would be ready in 20 minutes but I was worried about missing my ferry. I did a final visit with Rachel the Pig at Pike Place Market and then walked to Seattle Ferry Terminal (for Washington State Ferries). I missed the first of two ferries I could have taken but made the second. The ferry terminal didn't have a dining area due to construction, and the dining area on the ferry was closed. I took the ferry to Bainbridge Island Ferry Terminal, Bainbridge Island.

 

[NOW: At the time, it was mandatory for people visiting or returning to Canada to fill in vaccination details in advance in ArriveCan to enter the country.]

 

Probably due to more construction, foot passengers had to leave the ferry via the car desk. I took a 390 bus (formerly 90; Kitsap Transit) to North Viking Transit Center in Poulsbo. The ride was free due to the ORCA reader not working. I took a 7 bus (Jefferson Transit; free due to the pandemic) to Haines Park & Ride in Port Townsend. There's a McDonald's very close but I didn't want to risk missing my connection. The 8 bus (Jefferson Transit) soon arrived. There was a large stretch of construction starting around Discovery Bay and in that stretch cars on both sides of the road had to use the same side of the road and thus were taking turns. So it took an hour to get through what should have been a five minute stretch. I had thought of taking the Strait Shot bus but given its later departure I would have missed my ferry if I had.

 

[NOW: The 123 Strait Shot bus is Clallam Transit.]

 

At Sequim Transit Center in Sequim, I got off and walked to a McDonald's a few blocks away. Too late for hash rooms but got a bacon and egg biscuit at least. I returned to the transit center I caught a 30 Commuter bus (Clalllam Transit) to Gateway Transit Center, Port Angeles; along the way in Carlsborg I passed the private road My Way, so your options there are literally My Way or the highway. I got a couple comic trades from First Street Outlet, then took the Coho Ferry (Black Ball Transport) back to Victoria; I ran out of time to check the exchange rate so I guessed 133%. I made it home okay. Most of the rest of the day is beyond the scope of these trip reports, However, I did let myself crash a bit at Thetis Lake and was feeling pretty relaxed until someone asked the police to speak to me. I can't win there: if I'm feeling anxious on the beach, someone will sic the police on me. If I'm feeling too relaxed, someone will sic the police on me.

 

[NOW: I have Asperger’s and am prone to anxiety attacks. Thetis Lake is in View Royal but still Greater Victoria.]

Pacific Northwest Trip 2022 Day 15 July 31 Seattle

 

This is the 15^th in a series of posts covering my trip to the US Pacific Northwest in 2022, adapting emails originally sent to friends. I use NOW to refer to any updates since I did the trip.

 

In the morning I walked along the parade route to Seattle Center, getting what few takedown shots there were still left to find. I walked across the Bell Street Bridge to go to the observation deck but it wasn't yet 7 when the deck opened. I walked to Pike Place Market and saw Rachel the Pig. After breakfast at the Green Tortoise Hostel (I got permission to toss a leaky cup) I walked back ti the observation deck but it was still locked. I walked to Olympic Sculpture Park and Myrtle Edwards Park for the second time this trip and then returned to the deck. Still closed. I walked to the Washington State Ferries terminal to get a sense of my impending return and then walked through the Pioneer Square district where I visited the concrete Occidental Park with a firefighters sculpture and Waterfall Garden Park, a tiny park with artificial waterfalls.

 

Back downtown I visited Target and then took a 28 bus (both buses today King County Metro Transit) to Magnolia Bookstore. It wasn't yet open and didn't feel like sticking around. I almost intercepted the same bus heading to my next destination but got distracted by a 25c newspaper machine that didn't give me the paper and the bus went by.

 

I walked to Seattle's biggest park, Discovery Park and visited the beach. Getting out proved complicated. I made it to Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center.(their choice of words re: Indian, not mine). I think there was a wedding happening there or something similar. Regardless photo ops more limited than usual. I finally escaped from the park and made my way to the Fish Ladder at Hiram M. Chittenden Locks. I crossed the locks and revisited Ballard's Twice Sold Tales just to see Beau the cat. I had lunch at McDonald's but wish instead I had gone to the KFC across the street; US KFC is tastier than Canadian.

 

[NOW: That KFC is now closed.]

 

I walked to Fremont where I revisited the plant dinosaurs, Fremont Rocket, Lenin statue, Center of the Universe, Waiting for the Interurban, JP Patches & Gertrude: Late for the Interurban, and Fremont Troll; in the latter instance I zoomed a bit to save myself a hike. I revisited Gas Works Park and was surprised concession wasn't open.

 

I took a 62 bus close to Seattle Center. Before reaching there I grabbed an ice tea from Walgreen's. I walked to the International Foundation at Seattle Center. At its armory I asked at Visitor Info why the fountain's music was different this year. I t took a few tries but she finally admitted it was a new person. I went to Mod Pizza. The tray was hot and carrying it outside accidentally spilled Coke on it but it didn't change the flavour much as Coke is passive. Try mixing a Coke with just a little orange juice. The orange juice will dominate, I returned to the fountain.

 

After a while I walked back to the observation deck. Still closed so I put my camera through the rails to get a few shots. I revisited both pigs at Pike Place Market before returning to the hostel to pack. My passport got separated and I hadn't noticed but another person in the room found it.

 

Pacific Northwest Trip 2022 Day 14 July 30 Seattle Including Torchlight Parade

 

This is the 14^th in a series of posts covering my trip to the US Pacific Northwest in 2022, adapting emails originally sent to friends. I use NOW to refer to any updates since I did the trip.

 

Apologies in advance if there are more typos this time. There's a karaoke night here at the Green Tortoise Hostel. It's overly loud so I want to whip through this.

 

[NOW: I’ve hopefully corrected any such typos.]

 

Fire trucks by Pike Place Market this morning. Fortunately the market still opened later so the damage couldn't have been too severe. Before and after breakfast I walked along the then upcoming Torchlight Parade route getting photos of the set-up. The seating area by Westlake Center, probably for rich people looked a lot different this time. I saw motorcycle cops escorting some floats to the starting point. At times passed a giant red Popsicle sculpture

 

I returned to the hostel in part because I forgot my water bottle. I went to Pike Place Market when I snapped a few shots of Rachel the Pig before visiting Golden Age Collectables. I decided to ask about any connection to the Vancouver version. It seems the Vancouver owner used to be a patron of the Seattle version and became friends with the owner. When he opened his own shop he named it after the Seattle version. The market also has a Giant Shoe Museum (peep show format) but I didn't pay for the show.

 

I grabbed a few more things from the hostel, then went to the downtown branch of the Seattle Public Library and managed to take care of ArriveCAN there using a temporary library card number and PIN. I took a C Rapidride bus (all transportation today King County Metro Transit) to Alaska Junction in Seattle's West Seattle district. I visited Pegasus Book Exchange and bought a DVD from Easy Street Records. I took a few shots of Tales of Astonish, not yet open for the day. It's almost certainly named after a Marvel title.

 

[NOW: At the time, it was mandatory for people visiting or returning to Canada to fill in vaccination details in advance in ArriveCan to enter the country.]

 

I took a 50 bus to Jack in the Box. Again I had to order via a drive through. The bus schedule at the stop proved inaccurate; I missed a couple buses because I thought they weren't for a while. I made it to Alki Beach, The Birthplace of Seattle Marker was gone. Don't know if moved or removed. I did see the miniature Statue of Liberty and some art tents. I lay down on the sand and rested a bit. The seashore was too shallow to swim at but I did sit in the water.

 

[NOW: Google Street View shows that the marker is still there. Because I arrived on foot I might have been a block away.]

 

I took a 775 becoming 773 bus and then a C Rapidride bus back to near Pike Place Market. Curiously since I got on the earlier bus at 10:30, the transfer didn't expire until 9 pm. At the market I visited Left Bank Books, Lionheart Books, BLMF Books, Holy Cow Records (bought DVDs), Orange Dracula (novelty shop), Rummage Around, Lamplight Books. After a stopover at the hostel to grab batteries I took the parade route to Seattle Center.

 

At the International Fountain there I took a lot of shots but was trying to keep an older guy in a black speedo out of the shots. A couple people trying to get a petition for universal healthcare in the state seemed impressed that I couldn't sign because I was Canadian and thus already had it. It took time to locate but I got money from a Bank of America ATM near the center. I grabbed dinner from the 7-11 near Seattle Center and found a place across from Westlake Park. Unlike before the parade route was fenced off so no "Repent or Go to Hell" types with loudspeakers, no butting in front of me. I saw mini-marathon runners.

 

No motorcycle pre-show this time. Across the street a family was playing rap music so lots of n-word. Alaska Airlines was offered cookies, water, and airplane shaped hat. At one point a guy with a beef against a group in the parade pushed beside me and flipped the group and cussed them out. No horses this year. Did see a chicken place vehicle shaped like a giant helmet, the Seattle Seahawks helmet car, the Seattle Seafair Clowns, and the Seattle Seafair Pirates firing a cannon. My mind wanted to follow them a ways to get more shots of the cannon firing, but the body was unwilling and I returned to the hostel.