This trip has re-inspired my love of writing and reignited my passion for travel blogging. Also having a few layovers provides me the proper time needed to collect my thoughts and craft something special. Please enjoy the following blog on my adventure to Seattle:
Seattle is referred to as the Emerald City due to the amount of greenery, pines and foliage surrounding the city which is nestled in a cute little nook of Puget Sound. If you're heading north and a big fan of L Frank Baum you'll also notice the actual layout of Seattle is similar to the fabled Oz. (Maybe just me and my outrageously high excitement level.)
Even though I was invited to Washington state for work purposes my excellent wandering tendencies created the opportunity to explore Seattle's many splendors, these are a few in no particular order:
1. Join a protest:
I literally stumbled upon a Climate Change march and was super grateful that even on a work trip I could lend an hour or two to be a part of the awareness building. Little did I know when I first stumbled upon it that it would last 3 days! Seattle has had more rainfall this winter than before they even started recording how much rain they got. It's broken literally every record. They feel the effects of Climate Change and thus are very dedicated to the cause. Kudos.
2. Go to Pike Place Market
Pike Place Market Center is such an epic marketplace! They have everything from beautiful fresh flowers to hand crafted goods to fresh caught seafood. Due to my impatience with how slow people walk I have no picture to show you I was there. But I was. Promise. Pro tip: if it's a weekend go early. (The following picture is not Pike Place Market.)
3. Find the gum wall
The gum wall is an ridiculously eccentric attraction ~ my favorite! There is a weird allure to the multicolored wall, like a moth to a flame. The coolest thing however, is that apparently it does get cleaned from time to time, yet the art prevails! Double awesome, there's an amazing coffee shop at the end of the alley called Ghost Alley & they have the best mochas in the land. (They claimed that, I tested and approved the message.)
4. Go to the Olympic sculpture Park
It's just a mile ish away from Pike Place and it's a great route to run, jog or walk (or walk your big fluffy dog) and enjoy the view of Puget Sound and/or the Cascade Mountains ~ if it's not too foggy.
Side note: For the most part, people have large dogs here rather than small dogs but I'm an equal opportunity dog petter so I don't care either way,
Double side note: I love Owl City and his songs are about Seattle and made me have this idea in my head of what Seattle was like. Being there & hearing his music in my head made everything a tad more sparkly.
5. Wander around aimlessly and get lost, maybe make a new friend
If you've read any of my blogs this is literally always on the list of things to do. It's completely necessary to lose yourself in a new city and embark on a unknown quest. Some of the people I met were amazing and gave me great recommendations on where to wander next but overall I can't say Seattle people are crazy friendly ... but perhaps you'll get lucky!
Side note: perhaps they're not crazy friendly due to the ridiculous amount of rain / gloom they've had? Although when I was there it was sunny! Ha! (Maybe they're lying to keep San Diegans in San Diego?????)
6. Go to the Seattle Public Library
The Seattle Public Library is a really nifty building. There are interesting art installations that you can meander through up the escalators & you can catch a view of the city from the top floor! Just don't wear clicky shoes. It's very disruptive and if you already look like you're not from there you get stared at. Alottttttt.
7. Get coffee
The very first Starbucks got its start right in Pike Place Market. The line is ever present but you can go there to get the ~ original ~ Starbucks. The reason why #7 is just called 'get coffee' is due to my impatience for long lines I just went next door to a different coffee shop and it was still delicious. Seattle peeps know their coffee.
8. Get weed
Need I remind you weed is legal in Washington state? There's weed places everywhere! Go nuts!*
*safely of course
9. Coal Creek / Snowqualmie Falls
Snowqualmie was great and majestic and wonderful and uuuuuuuber touristy. Coal Creek Falls was far less busy and more personal. For those who like their nature time super special I would recommend the hike to Coal Creek Falls:
10. Mount Rainier National Park...
... Will sincerely take your breath away. You start in a moss drenched rainforest blanketed by the softest littlest greenest leaves, ferns and foliage. The higher you climb the mountain you ascend into the coziest winter wonderland you've ever seen.
^^^ due to my camera being my phone it's hard to appreciate how loooooong this waterfall was. It seriously just kept. Going. This picture was also taken at great risk of death.
The waterfalls of Mount Rainier tumble down from icy glaciers and you can find them peaking through in gulches. It's literally Narnia, Rivendale & Ferngully all rolled in to one epic fantastical landscape.
^^^ This photo is not edited. This is how freaking green the rainforest in Mt Rainier is.
11. Take a ferry somewhere cool
There's so many ferries to chose from! You can go anywhere! Including Canada!!
^^^ actually none of these photos are edited because that would take too long.
12. In gratitude
Suuuuper special thanks to everyone who helped me get here and opened their home and hearts to me:
Invisible Illness Documentary Creator - Tasra Dawson: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ronandtasra/invisible-illness-documentary-film/community
Adam & Josh Bigelsen - sons of Harvey Bigelsen, creator of the Holographic Blood Model: http://thebigelsenmethod.com/
& Anya Gallich, Pranic Healer!
You guys are amazing and I can't wait to see you again!
^^^ Seattle tribe 💕