Seattle

Pike Place Market
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The Weather Channel told us it was going to be be a nice and sunny day! So I got up early in the morning, around 7am, to catch the 8:30 bus. No sooner said than done - I put my shorts on, t-shirt and left at 8:25am and waited for the bus. All cloudy and bloody cold that it was, noticed that I had forgotten the iPod and still pretty tired (and getting moody) as I didn't go to bed that early heh.. Didn't feel like going that much anymore all of a sudden.

The bus was also running late and I told myself that I'd wait another 2mins for the bus or I'd go back. Alas, there was the bus and I got on. Bought a ticket, not knowing what to buy, I bought a daily pass for $1.50, instead of a $0.75 for a single ticket to Lacey Transit Center. Arrived safely about 15mins later and had to wait 25mins on the next bus to Lakewood. Still cold I paced up and down and started feeling a few drops, even though it were only like 10. That was the last straw, and decided to take the bus back home and put something warm on.

Victor Steinbrueck Park
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I got back home at 9:30 and surprised Patti, she didn't seem all that surprised. I put my jeans on and caught the next bus at 10am, good thing I bought a daily pass! Waited way more comfortable for the bus to Lakewood with the warmer clothes and some music to keep me company. Bus got there nicely on time, got on, and bought the ticket for $1 extra to Lakewood Park&Ride. Didn't have to wait too long in Lakewood for the express bus to Seattle to arrive, it was about 15mins early. I had a wee in a public toilet, which was awfully gross, but I didn't want to sit there on the bus having to pee badly lol.  Got back on the bus, the ticket was only another $1.50, but I didn't have any coins so I had to pay $2.00. No sweat, it's only 50 cents heheh...

Waterwall
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I fell asleep after only about 10minutes and slept about the whole way to Seattle, even though someone got in halfway to sat next to me and my head nearly fell onto his shoulder as I was nappin. No drool thank god lol.

I woke up and looked in front of me and noticed Seattle's skyscrapers, which would probably mean that I was there! I got out on the corner of 4th Ave and Union St and decided to walk down to Pike Place Market. I thought it was further away, but it didn't seem to be all that far, and got there within 5mins. I walked up to the huge crowd at the end of the street, yes this must be it! Stalls selling fresh fish, flowers, commercial goods and other stuff, mostly inside but also outside. I walked down the first hall where there was a little restaurant in the left bottom corner, and also a sign saying something like Ocean View. I bought a couple of postcards and walked down the hall and got to the roof with a reasonable view over the docks and harbour. Walked back inside and strolled through the long corridors, up and down underground with tons of little shops, some selling jewelry, some collector items lots of other things and a couple of restaurants / coffee shops. I guess one could spend an hour or 2 here, but I would like to see some more of the city.

Pioneer Square
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Walked back outside and spotted a parklike area. Had a look there, looked at the pretty flowers and the nice view on the harbour again. I sat down on one of the picnic benches and had a sandwich as I observed some of the tourists, some taking pictures and speaking in a weird language and making strange gestures, they sounded something like Polish I guess. I looked up where I was in my Lonely Planet, and it seems that I stranded in Victor Steinbrueck Park. Pretty small, but relaxing. Downed another sandwich and decided it was time to go. Off to downtown!

Chinatown - Uwajimaya supermarket
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On the corner of Pine St and Pike Pl there was a small gospel group singing really nice, I listened for a bit until they finished the song and walked up on Pine St, parallel to Pike St and crossed several traffic lights. I came across this strangely painted pig, which looked kinda funny to me. Took a picture and walked on and arrived back on 4th Ave, with the shopping districts, mostly on the left side - Westlake Center and Nordstrom. On the right side across 4th Ave there's Century Plaza, where you can find the 'waterwall', where u can walk through without getting wet. I didn't try it myself, but there is something like a bridge running between the waterfalls. Further up on the plaza I found another two pigs, painted in a different way than the other. I still have to ask someone what these pigs mean, or that it is just meant to be something arty. The plaza seems to be quite friendly, normal people walking around here and also alternatively clothed people hanging around, but I still felt very secure.

View from WaMu
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After having another sandwich I walked down 3rd Ave, heading towards Pioneer Square Park. I got down to the corner of 3rd Ave and Yesler Way and noticed this is a very dodgy area with dark people hanging around and lurking. This is definitely NOT my favourite corner to hang around at, but I still sat down a bench away from some of the bums, while people behind me were sleeping on the grass. Tried to take a picture of some of them, but I didn't want to piss them off and left.

Blue pig!
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I finally got to Occidental Park at around 3pm, a nice square where only pedestrians are allowed. Surrounded by quite a few trees, a sitting area with chess tables and a few totem poles, it is a nice place to get out of the sun, when it's there. And for the first time that day, the sun did come out! About time. Within about 30 minutes nearly all the clouds were gone and it was starting to heat up. WoohoO!

My next destination is Chinatown, in the International District. Quite a walk down there, but as everything looks further than it actually is, I didn't get there too late. Some tourist asked me where the Asian supermarket was, and I was heading there myself as well, so I told them it must be in this street, probably at the left side of the road, and sent them off. Seemed to be at the right side of the road after all, a huge Asian supermarket called Uwajimaya. Really nice, with loads of food and drinks. I would've loved to spend some more time there and buy some more food, but I didn't have all the time in the world, as it was already 3:35pm, and I had to be back downtown by 4. I bought a nice and tasty mango drink and couldn't find the spray for my knees that I was looking for. But I knew the herbal specialist was not far away, and I popped over at Pacific Herb & Grocery, a very small shop, to get my Zheng Gu Shui.

On Pioneer Square
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Ten to four, it was time to rush back up downtown, so I took the bus, which was surprisingly free - I love this city! I passed the Washington Mutual Tower exactly at 4pm, but got out the wrong stop, so I had to walk back 2 blocks. The sun was shining so it's all good!

In front of the huge picturesque building Carol was waiting for me. Carol is a friend who I've been chatting to for a while now  (Cecilia), and as I was in the neighbourhood, we decided to meet up! It was like we had known each other for a long time and it clicked right away, joking and having fun.

View from Chinatown
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We decided to go up the building for a nice view. And a nice few it was! You could see the whole city and further. Enjoyed it for a couple of minutes and took a few pictures before we headed back downstairs to the car park, on the 5th level underground.

We drove down to Safeco Field, home of the Seattle Mariners, the local baseball team. The Mariners were playing the Oakland A's at 7pm, but it was still early, so we decided to get some lunch across the street at the Pyramid brewery - Big crowds were walking around the stadium and at the brewery, making a great atmosphere. We had a nice pizza there, and 6 sampler beers. Some of them good, and 1 or 2 were too bad to drink.

Seattle
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After eating the pizza and watching the crowds pass by we went back to the stadium and bought the tickets. As we were waiting in line the game started, it was 7pm! Two English were waiting in front of us in the line, and asked Carol where the good seats were. Pretty nice people, we chatted for a bit.

As it was my first game, Carol wanted to treat me to the best seats in the stadium! What a gift, but as she agreed on it with the guy at the counter, it was just a weeeeee bit too expensive lol... So we settled for tickets next to the English and sat next to them, fun!

View from WaMu
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Amazing to sit at a baseball game, the atmosphere is great, the game a little boring, but good to be there at least once. Maybe I'd go another game even! We all four had a great time, laughs and chats, unfortunatly the Mariners lost the game, the 7th in a row. But that was enough, they already won 3 in a row since then! GO MARINERS!

The game finished just after 10 and it was time to head home. Pretty busy getting out of the stadium, but a 15min walk back to the car was nice after sitting for 2.5 hours. Finally getting back to the car, we got out I guess the wrong way, and got stuck in traffic in the city for a bit. When we got outta there and on the Highway we got stuck in traffic again! Finally got home at around 12:45am, but we had a good time, even in the car watching some shows on her iPod haha.