Before our cruise adventure began, we had two wonderful visits and meals with our Houston friends, Dick and Cain. We have texted each other during the cruise plotting our 48 hour return to Seattle post cruise. On Friday, about the time we were drying out our umbrellas from the ferry ride and robbery (aka cab ride), Carolyn texted that Saturday looked to be a wash out and they could come get us for lunch or dinner. I asked Frank how he felt about the Seattle weatherman’s forecast for rain all day, and Frank said he was thinking clear skies through Monday. I texted Carolyn that we were thinking of sleeping late and going to the Space Needle and Chihuly Glass museum on the Monorail if it wasn’t raining too bad. She said they would plan on a late lunch early dinner in town so we could see each other again.
Saturday arrived with a hint of blue in the sky which made me hopeful that the day would not be rainy nor gray. I guess you don’t realize that these far northern parts of the US(to include Alaska) have a lot more hours of sunlight…be it gray or rainy. Light coming into your window does not necessarily mean it is time to get up. Hello, 3:59 AM sunrise. Eddie and I never saw an Alaskan sunset-it happened too late in the evening or if we were up, too foggy. So, I was up asking Frank-if we would get to visit the Glass Garden or would it be an inside visit with umbrellas in between. Eddie slept in…surprise? By 10:30 the sky was blue, and we were happily eating breakfast and getting ready to head to the Monorail.
For you of a certain age the Monorail, the Space Needle and the park area in that area were the site of the 1962 World’s Fair. Before we became so globally intertwined and flying to another continent so common place, the world came to various locations every four years. Kinda like the Olympics for cultural, technology and food. I remember Mom coming in 1962 and coming home with stories of the futuristic Monorail, the Space Needle and all the exhibits. It has been 60 years since that World’s Fair (now referred to as Expo). The Needle has had a recent face lift and does not look a day over 45. The Monorail concrete rails are original but the station (and there are only two) and cars are much more modern. The Monorail only goes from the Westlake Center to the Park area, above ground, every 10 minutes. Most of the hotels are in the Westlake Belltown area, so makes sense. Houston would have done well to follow this example, sure ground laid track is cheaper, but these trains don’t fight for right of way with cars or pedestrians.
By 11:30 we were touring the Chihuly Glass Museum and Gardens. For you not familiar with Dave Chihuly’s work, you can Google it. For those who don’t want to bother, think Belligo’s colorful glass ceiling, the outdoor Murano glass sculptures, and Bill & Hill’s favorite artist…read-if you are reading this, you can’t afford to have one in your home or garden. Each of the rooms of the museum was a different evolution of his art form. After blowing the glass ornament on the ship, Eddie and I understand more of what it took to produce each piece. The color, the floor to ceiling towers of color, the fragile nature of the glass itself and the way it is done changed glass designs forever. The gardens were lush with plants and flowers but a riot of glass forms, spheres and orbs that was both whimsical and beautiful. Dick said later that he has never seen so much as a speck of dust due to the clean air filters. Hmmm, a white glove moment, man after my own heart. While we weren’t alone in The museum or garden areas, we sat through the various short films in the theatre that explained his technique and inspirations. The theatre kinda sorta exits into the gift shop area…but when have you ever known a museum to not empty into a gift shop. It as then we realized that everyone not on a cruise ship was right here right now. Sunshine on a Saturday in Seattle…yup,skateboards, dogs, assorted bizarre people…shoulder, shoulder. Carolyn said later that until March this was a by reservation only, mask required inside and out, no loitering. The restaurants and cafes that are noted on the map are still closed due to staffing issues. So, food and drink was pretty much limited to some sketchy street vendors and the gift shops. The open walkways had street performers, to include an old Japanese fellow on an electric Japanese stringed instrument. Eddie decided he must have stolen it from someone or he got it at the pawn shop. Eddie was tempted to pay him not to play. By 2:30 we had seen how Seattle has transformed the 1962 space into a wonderful urban green space…with lots of people. I mean lots of people, despite being one of the last places to emerge from the Covid Cocoon….Chihuly glass makes for one pretty butterfly.
Making the commute from Redmond, Dick and Carolyn picked us up and we enjoy a few more hours over dinner and laughter. The friends part of this trip is probably my favorite. Chicken soup for your soul. Our ride back to the hotel took us through the University of Washington Campus, thanks Google Maps, just in time to see all the college graduates and parents walking towards the parking lots. The smiling faces on both told the story of two long years in a college experience that was like no other in history. The faces shined with hope and resilience.
Good way to end a sunny day in Seattle. Before letting us out, Dick and Carolyn insisted that they come on Sunday morning and take us to the train station. Yeah, we decided to take the 4 hour train ride from Seattle to Portland for the final FF stop. Train got the call due to the crazy cost of car rental, $6.00+ a gallon gas charge or the 6 hour hassle of airport to airport door to door hassle. Ed and I hate to impose on people, but you know the Cains, hospitality with a capital H. We reluctantly agreed.
I was up early, and decided that I needed what Amy Cain calls the “Starbucks Experience”. After being in Seattle for more morning coffees than usual, we have determined that the hoopla over the various Seattle branded coffees are clearly marketing gimmicks. We have had the room coffee maker coffee with curated keurig cups of organic, fair traded, sustainable blah blah blah with powdered creamer-seriously, with the price of these rooms in Downtown Seattle you could at least have the liquid caps of coffeemate. I guess I was have ship board cappuccino withdrawals. So, I consulted Starbucks App to find the “Location” near me. 600 feet away, .04 miles away, or .06 miles away-yeah, there is one on every corner, but is it open at 7:00 on a Sunday? I invested the dime to call and found the one 600 feet away was indeed open. While I could have done the on trend mobile app ordering, Eddie wanted a little something, something, which says I needed to look at what they were planning on nuking in the microwave before deciding. Eddie is decidedly a sweet roll or breakfast sandwich guy, not the hard boiled egg with day old carrot stick guy. Under threatening skies (Frank,only got a 50/50 on the forecast) - I scurried down the 600 feet to the open Starbucks. The door was opened by a taser armed security guard, flanked by the yellow shirted Seattle Bicycle patrol cop that had dispersed the 6 teen skateboarders ( which begs the question, do your parents know where your are?) Apparently, I am not in the Kingwood Starbuck… there are 10 others were either in line to order, or waiting for the barista to call their name that their low fat almond milk low foam extra grande latte with a double pump of sugar free vanilla was ready. Eddie and I are simple folk, 2 - 16 oz Pikes Peak Regular Coffee, add half and half with 3 each stevia (that is the green one), because apparently Seattle has outlawed the pink stuff…we have not seen it since we left the ship. We will have a couple of the breakfast sausage sandwiches, not the impossible meat breakfast sandwiches to go. While waiting in line, our security detail was aroused into action. A street resident had managed a ten dollar bill…and admission to the building. 6 feet of social distancing was not a problem for the rest of the folks in line. He looked like a kid in the candy store…he eyed the food options, and the coffee options, weighing each against his crisp new bill. His friend on the sidewalk was still looking for a willing benefactor. He finally decided on a small coffee, and two breakfast sandwiches, no change. Leaving the Starbucks, his buddy wanted to see if I was a generous benefactor…the security guard suggested I was not a good option. I returned to the hotel. Using the keycard to gain door access, sloshing said cup of Starbucks on my clean shirt, rats. Well, check the total Covid Starbuck Seattle experience off my list. I will dyi a Cafe Pickle, it is a Starbucks Experience that we have come to appreciate while being gone. Besides, we always have the pink stuff and half and half.
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