Our hostel offered free breakfast, so this morning we made the most of it, even though it meant getting down there by 9.30. It was a simple breakfast, but set us up to go exploring for the morning. We headed down towards Pike Place market, and spotted a barber shop on the way. I'd been complaining about my hair for a few weeks, its too expensive to have it cut in Banff so being in a city was a relief for a change. They had time to cut it in about 20 minutes, which left just enough time to wander the nearby streets to find somewhere for Clare to get her nails done! An hour later, I was looking much more presentable with shorter hair, and Clare all classy with her freshly done nails. We were ready to explore!
First stop of anyone exploring Seattle was Pike Place Market. We'd heard all about this area of Seattle working for Starbucks but it was famous more for the farmers market down here then the coffee! We wandered around, resisting all the tasty foody temptations until we had seen the whole market - then we tried some cheese and it was all over. In short succession we had bought goats cheese, fruit, bread and bakery snacks to feast on but still stopped at a crumpet shop on the way out for lunch. Watching them make the crumpets up fresh, while enjoying bottomless tea and sitting at a window seat watching people go by was a great way to observe Seattle - and told us a lot about the city. We had a Starbucks over the road on a corner, catching people heading down to the market. Directly opposite from the tea and crumpet shop was an adult entertainment venue, with massive neon billboards advertising the wares. Turns out Seattle is famous for this!
Lunch over, and city observation done, we headed back towards the hostel to drop off the mornings shopping. Not taking a direct route, we were able to see more of the shops just outside the market, all boutiquey, small venue shops with plenty of interesting smells and sounds to keep us distracted. We dropped the shopping off at the room and headed back out again - this time to the Library. At breakfast this morning, we'd been asking for suggestions of things to do and see. The best had been to the public library. Located closer to Downtown we were able to see more of the commercial centre, and we looked at each building as we approached - trying to work out which was the library. Eventually a crazy looking building appeared - and Clare directed us over to it - confident it must be the library. She was correct - strangly angled and criss-crossed, the library was a weird shape from the outside and bizarre on the inside as well. We worked out way up floor by floor, using the brightly coloured escalators where possible and looking at strange art exhibits as we went. Higher and higher we climbed, circling the building, walking into some of the weird jutting shapes and seeing through the triangular windows. We'd been told about the 4th level, and when the escalator took us from 3rd to 5th we had to find some stairs. Dropping down into the 4th level, where there were meeting rooms and conference halls and offices - everything went red. It had been explained to us as being like walking through a blood vessel and this seems like the best description. Red walls, red floor red ceiling. The doors were red, and there were no windows to see out of, just a few offices with a window looking out to the red gloom. Trying to take a photo in here was impossible - the camera just couldn't focus. I cant even imagine what it would be like to come for an interview or meeting here - it was just bizarre.
The top level was mostly just a viewing area, enabling you to look down over the different floors or out accross the city. The view down to the bottom courtyard was vertigo inducing, but you could see from the layout of the shelves it had all been designed to be viewed from up here. We explored the map room, loads of drawers all labeled with the type of map, from plastic topographical maps, to marine maps, to CIA maps (presumably not the current versions based on the lack of detail). The whole time we were speaking in whispers, scared some crazy librarian woman might appear and shoo us out.
Back on the lower levels, we stopped for a hot chocolate. Apparently this place does the best reasonably priced hot chocolate in the city, with up to 16 different flavours. Maybe she just heard the order wrong, but our Orange hot chocolate had only the faintest hint of orange flavour to it - not massively impressed! We left the library into the rain Seattle is famous for. Wet grey drizzle that doesn't look too bad, but pretty soon you realise you're soaked. And of course, everyone here takes a selfish stick with them all over the place. For those that haven't heard me rant - selfish sticks are devices designed to make other people wetter around you, while conveniently poking out eyes and into heads and shoulders indiscriminantly. They are also known by the selfish few who carry them as "umbrellas".
Walking the streets of Seattle in the drizzle had a charm to it however, but soon we reached Macy's and decided to have a look around and dry out a bit. For a department store it wasn't very busy and we wandered around trying to avoid being flyered by the staff. We headed back to the hostel next, to have some cheese and bread and a cup of tea and decide where to go for dinner. Apparantly, Seattle does multiple happy hours - not just alcohol happy hours but food happy hours as well - normally 4-6pm and then again around 9 or 10pm. Unfortunately, the happy hours don't run on a Friday or Saturday until much later - otherwise a tapas meal would have been really cheap!
Being so close to the coast, fish was the meal of choice here so we asked at the reception desk where would be good. We ended up at a tiny restaurant/bar/lounge called List. Compact but busy, the tables were close together and the noise was loud, but the atmosphere was excellent. The waitresses were really friendly and gave great food and wine advise, and we had a really good meal - trying out some of the local fish specials. Mussels for me, and Bacon wrapped prawns for Clare.
Another major part of the city scene here is music. We'd taken some suggestions and first tried out Crocodile. A great venue only a few blocks from the hotel - it was known for hosting famous world renowned bands. Entry was free tonight because of a ski promotion event, and the music quality reflected this. It was nice to sit and just listen to the bands and have a few drinks, and you could see the potential of this place even though tonight it didn't live up to that. We moved on, to another recommended venue called Tula. This was a jazz bar and far easier listening music, leaving us free to chat and people watch. Soon though, it was time to head home.
The hostel was situated close to a lot of clubs, which once apon a time without have been what drew me to the area. Now, it was the background sound to a nights sleep and I found myself lying there in the early hours of the morning listening to teenagers discuss whether they were sober enough to drive home.
First stop of anyone exploring Seattle was Pike Place Market. We'd heard all about this area of Seattle working for Starbucks but it was famous more for the farmers market down here then the coffee! We wandered around, resisting all the tasty foody temptations until we had seen the whole market - then we tried some cheese and it was all over. In short succession we had bought goats cheese, fruit, bread and bakery snacks to feast on but still stopped at a crumpet shop on the way out for lunch. Watching them make the crumpets up fresh, while enjoying bottomless tea and sitting at a window seat watching people go by was a great way to observe Seattle - and told us a lot about the city. We had a Starbucks over the road on a corner, catching people heading down to the market. Directly opposite from the tea and crumpet shop was an adult entertainment venue, with massive neon billboards advertising the wares. Turns out Seattle is famous for this!
Lunch over, and city observation done, we headed back towards the hostel to drop off the mornings shopping. Not taking a direct route, we were able to see more of the shops just outside the market, all boutiquey, small venue shops with plenty of interesting smells and sounds to keep us distracted. We dropped the shopping off at the room and headed back out again - this time to the Library. At breakfast this morning, we'd been asking for suggestions of things to do and see. The best had been to the public library. Located closer to Downtown we were able to see more of the commercial centre, and we looked at each building as we approached - trying to work out which was the library. Eventually a crazy looking building appeared - and Clare directed us over to it - confident it must be the library. She was correct - strangly angled and criss-crossed, the library was a weird shape from the outside and bizarre on the inside as well. We worked out way up floor by floor, using the brightly coloured escalators where possible and looking at strange art exhibits as we went. Higher and higher we climbed, circling the building, walking into some of the weird jutting shapes and seeing through the triangular windows. We'd been told about the 4th level, and when the escalator took us from 3rd to 5th we had to find some stairs. Dropping down into the 4th level, where there were meeting rooms and conference halls and offices - everything went red. It had been explained to us as being like walking through a blood vessel and this seems like the best description. Red walls, red floor red ceiling. The doors were red, and there were no windows to see out of, just a few offices with a window looking out to the red gloom. Trying to take a photo in here was impossible - the camera just couldn't focus. I cant even imagine what it would be like to come for an interview or meeting here - it was just bizarre.
The top level was mostly just a viewing area, enabling you to look down over the different floors or out accross the city. The view down to the bottom courtyard was vertigo inducing, but you could see from the layout of the shelves it had all been designed to be viewed from up here. We explored the map room, loads of drawers all labeled with the type of map, from plastic topographical maps, to marine maps, to CIA maps (presumably not the current versions based on the lack of detail). The whole time we were speaking in whispers, scared some crazy librarian woman might appear and shoo us out.
Back on the lower levels, we stopped for a hot chocolate. Apparently this place does the best reasonably priced hot chocolate in the city, with up to 16 different flavours. Maybe she just heard the order wrong, but our Orange hot chocolate had only the faintest hint of orange flavour to it - not massively impressed! We left the library into the rain Seattle is famous for. Wet grey drizzle that doesn't look too bad, but pretty soon you realise you're soaked. And of course, everyone here takes a selfish stick with them all over the place. For those that haven't heard me rant - selfish sticks are devices designed to make other people wetter around you, while conveniently poking out eyes and into heads and shoulders indiscriminantly. They are also known by the selfish few who carry them as "umbrellas".
Walking the streets of Seattle in the drizzle had a charm to it however, but soon we reached Macy's and decided to have a look around and dry out a bit. For a department store it wasn't very busy and we wandered around trying to avoid being flyered by the staff. We headed back to the hostel next, to have some cheese and bread and a cup of tea and decide where to go for dinner. Apparantly, Seattle does multiple happy hours - not just alcohol happy hours but food happy hours as well - normally 4-6pm and then again around 9 or 10pm. Unfortunately, the happy hours don't run on a Friday or Saturday until much later - otherwise a tapas meal would have been really cheap!
Being so close to the coast, fish was the meal of choice here so we asked at the reception desk where would be good. We ended up at a tiny restaurant/bar/lounge called List. Compact but busy, the tables were close together and the noise was loud, but the atmosphere was excellent. The waitresses were really friendly and gave great food and wine advise, and we had a really good meal - trying out some of the local fish specials. Mussels for me, and Bacon wrapped prawns for Clare.
Another major part of the city scene here is music. We'd taken some suggestions and first tried out Crocodile. A great venue only a few blocks from the hotel - it was known for hosting famous world renowned bands. Entry was free tonight because of a ski promotion event, and the music quality reflected this. It was nice to sit and just listen to the bands and have a few drinks, and you could see the potential of this place even though tonight it didn't live up to that. We moved on, to another recommended venue called Tula. This was a jazz bar and far easier listening music, leaving us free to chat and people watch. Soon though, it was time to head home.
The hostel was situated close to a lot of clubs, which once apon a time without have been what drew me to the area. Now, it was the background sound to a nights sleep and I found myself lying there in the early hours of the morning listening to teenagers discuss whether they were sober enough to drive home.
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