Alaska Steamship Company Pier 2

14:20
I sleep until a little before 05:00. Early, but not disastrously so. I’ve had around 7 hours, and that’ll definitely do for the day. I spend some time finalising and booking my replanned travel for the next couple of days. I’ve got another place in Seattle booked for Wednesday and Thursday nights, a flight on Friday to Minneapolis, and a car hired for Thursday to head towards the mountains and Twin Peaks territory. I spend a little more time figuring out what to do today. Having more time in Seattle suddenly opens up more possibilities to me, to explore more of this lush and verdant city.

I head out around 07:30, and find the city all but empty. There’s very little traffic to speak of, few pedestrians on the streets. The morning is bright, with some sunshine poking through the cloud. It’s chilly. I’m glad of my hat, gloves and neck warmer. I walk along the waterfront, via the ferry port and a ton of waterside restaurants and retail outlets. There’s some kind of modernisation happening along the length of the waterfront. Loads of construction that somewhat tarnishes the otherwise pretty view across the bay.

From here, I head uphill in the direction of the Space Needle, that massively characteristic feature of the Seattle skyline. Several different folks (including the late, great Anthony Bourdain) have recommended the Five Points Café, and I stop in there for some breakfast. Half diner / half all-night bar, it’s a very cool place to spend time. Their motto appears to be ‘Don’t be a dick’ which very much aligns with my own, strongly held personal philosophy. The food features diner staples, and I have a delicious plate of Mexican chorizo with eggs, some corn tortillas and hash brown. It’s banging. It should be, at close to $20 - or more like $30 with coffee and a tip - but it should keep me going for most of the day, so offers decent value. I’ve read that food generally is pretty pricey in Seattle, and I’m struggling so far to find cheap diners for breakfast, and budget options for dinner.

It’s a short walk from here over to the Chihuly Glass Expo, in the shadow of the Space Needle. I’m a little early for the 10:00 opening time of the exhibition, so take a walk around the aptly named Seattle Center neighbourhood. The Space Needle itself is a striking edifice. It was built for the 1962 World’s Fair, that was held in Seattle. It must have looked incredibly futuristic 60 years ago when it was first opened to the public. Next door is the Museum of Pop Culture, and incredible piece of architecture, and which looks completely different depending on the angle from which one admires it. Further down the street is a frankly underwhelming fountain. It’s cradled in a huge crater, but the fountain itself takes up only a small portion of it. Having seen the crater before the water feature, I was expecting a little more.

The Chihuly exhibition is staggering. Dale Chihuly is a native Washingtonian, from Tacoma - a little to the South of Seattle. He’s perhaps the world’s foremost modern exponent of glass artistry. I was turned onto his work by my good buddy, Andy, a little earlier this year, and have been hugely looking forward to visiting this permanent exhibition. The work on display is breathtaking. I can’t begin to fathom the skills it takes to create some of the exhibits. There’s something about glass artistry that I find particularly appealing. I think it’s because of the headlong combination of artistic vision, and technical skill. I spend an amazing hour wandering around the various displays. As I go to leave, I realise there’s an entire garden featuring more of the glasswork. Mind-blowing.

I head back in the general direction of the waterfront, and my hotel. Seattle’s fairly straightforward to navigate. Much like many US cities, it features a grid-based ‘block’ road and street system. I know roughly where I wanna get to, so just head off in that general direction. I’m aiming for Pike’s Place Market, the central food market of the city. I pat myself on the back as I pitch up at the North end of the market. There’s some incredible food on display. Some of the seafood looks amazing. I’m not sure I’ve ever actually been up close to a whole halibut before. They’re HUGE. I find myself wishing I had accommodation with a kitchen, so I could cook up a seafood storm while I’m in town… I pass by a creamery, where the team are making fresh cheese. I try a couple of samples. They’re good - the blue cheese is very good. Amongst the food stalls and shops are countless food outlets and restaurants. I’ll plan to head back here one evening while I’m in town for a bit more of a foodie tour. I pass by the Gum Wall. Yes - literally what it sounds like. People have for years left their chewed gum on this wall, in a form of weird living art.

I grab a few groceries and continue back to my hotel. My early awake is catching up with me, and I feel ready for a nap…

19:00
I read my book for a while, but my eyes quickly become heavy. I set an alarm for 90 minutes’ time, and am quickly in the land of zizz. I next awake nearly 3 hours later. I have NO idea if my alarm went off, and I didn’t hear it, or it went off and I turned it off in my sleep, or it didn’t go off at all. All I know is that it’s dark outside now, and I’ve slept through a chunk of the afternoon. It’s no great shakes. I didn’t have anything firm fixed for this afternoon. I should probably get dressed, and head out for some dinner…

22:00
I managed to drag my ass out for a walk, and some dinner. Cold, with a biting wind, and persistent rain. I loved it. So much so, that I walked straight past the bar I’d earmarked for a beer+bite, and continued walking 10 minutes in the other direction just to enjoy walking in the rain. Seattle is similar to many US cities, in that few people tend to live in the central downtown areas. As I wander around at 20:00, there are very few people on the streets, and most bars/restaurants I walk past are quiet. Sure, it’s a Tuesday - but still. I head into a dive bar called Underbelly, and order a beer. There’s a local brewery called Reuben’s, run by a Brit who emigrated 20 years ago. Their Crikey IPA is a great drop. As I order a second, and a grilled cheese sandwich, a jazz band starts up. I’m not a huge lover of freeform Jazz, but the band are tight, and it’s quite a pleasant aural backdrop. Sat next to me is a slightly strange looking guy. He’s got his AirPods in, and is singing along at quite significant volume to what I think is a Sonic Youth album, whilst making his way through 4 Vodka Martinis per hour.

The grilled cheese is awesome. Cheese on toast x a million. After my 3rd beer, I figure I’ve got close enough to a reasonable bedtime to call it quits for the day.Read more