Seattle is a SEA of People!

I gave some thought to cutting my losses at Camp Granada and moving on.  After all, it wasn’t about the money.  But to do so would have negated the very reason I had driven 125 miles, waited in line for 45 minutes for a $71 ferry, only to give up and drive all the way around via Tacoma to get to Bellevue.   To give up would have meant departing sunny Sequim to spend time with my friends Deb and Amy in Seattle, only to leave before I even had the chance to see them. Deb now commutes from Manhattan, and her arrival was delayed until mid-week.

Note far right in a series of "arch shapes" is snowy Mount Rainier.

Note far right in a series of “arch shapes” is snowy Mount Rainier.

DSC_0996 DSC_1018They have a beautiful new home on Mercer Island, and I had been wanting to visit since they moved out from Massachusetts.  I originally planned to stay two weeks at Camp Granada to allow plenty of time to catch up.   So I did cut my visit short….but only after I had the chance to break bread, share a few bottles of wine, and a whole lot of laughs and memories with my friends. DSC_0978 DSC_0982 DSC_1005

Deb and I first met as business associates when I lived in New York back in 1997 in a client / vendor relationship, while developing an extranet site.  She and Amy, along with my boss Marge and I became fast friends long after the business relationship dissolved, making lots of great memories over the years from hiking lodges in the Canadian Rockies to sailing in the BVIs.  So I was not going to miss this opportunity to see them.  Although being on the road has given me many opportunities to meet new friends, it still feels good to be around friends who have known me for 17 years longer than a month.
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"Steaks as big as your head!"

“Steaks as big as your head!”

Of course it had nothing to do with the fact that Deb would feed me!   😉 Of all the great cooks in my life, she has to be number three, third only to Mom and my brother Don.   I love sitting at her island table, drinking expensive wine, nibbling exotic cheeses, and watching my meal being prepared with artistry and showmanship. Camp Granada was less than five miles from Mercer Island, so I could visit with ease, with a straightforward commute back to the rig after an evening of merrymaking.   So it made the Camp Granada circus almost worth it.IMG_0048 DSC_0994DSC_0962

Hardcourt Bike Polo was born in Seattle in 1998.  Rules are simple -- shoot with the end of the mallet, and don't put your foot down.

Hardcourt Bike Polo was born in Seattle in 1998. Rules are simple — shoot with the end of the mallet, and don’t put your foot down.

But seems like everywhere I went in Seattle was a zoo.   I have been to the city several times in the past, and done all the usual attractions…the Space Needle, the Edgewater Inn where the Beatles fished in Puget Sound from their balcony.  (“I walked where Paul walked!”)  And of course, Pikes Place Market.DSC_0972IMG_0046

"Shall we dance?  Just for the halibut?"

“Shall we dance? Just for the halibut?”

But I don’t recall it ever being quite this “dense.”  Not just dense with people, or even traffic.  But I think because so much of it is surrounded by water, it feels like there is little place to go…like the bodies of water are bands of elastic tightly constricted around the edges of land, confining people, cars, buildings, trees, etc, until they bulge up and spill over into the water.

Famous Pike Place Fish Market, where your order resembles a flying fish...

Famous Pike Place Fish Market, where your order resembles a flying fish…

So tough to catch on camera, but note fish in right hand, which was tossed from the fishmonger who stands outside the counter.

So tough to catch on camera, but note fish in right hand, which was tossed from the fishmonger who stands outside the counter.

This seems peculiar that I would have this impression considering I lived in Manhattan for ten years.  Maybe it is the hills in Seattle that give the feeling that land is buckling upward, whereas Manhattan is flat. Even in our most densely populated city, you can still stand at Broadway and 42nd Street and almost see end to end.  Or maybe I have just finally settled into feeling more comfortable in the wide open spaces, without the ambient pressure of the city to hold me together and make me feel secure…

The original Starbucks, opened 1971.

The original Starbucks, opened 1971.

Street musicians entertain patrons in line for their lattes.

Street musicians entertain patrons in line for their lattes.

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There was no free parking anywhere that I could find. Sidewalks were overrun with the ugliest of tourists.  Not just the typical stereotypes, but crowds just seem to bring out the worst in all of us. Overheard at the artisan market, “Can we bargain down the prices here?”  For Chrisakes woman, these are “starving artists” who put their heart and soul out there for you to fondle, hoping to be able to pay the rent, and you want to knock a few cents off for the thrill of it?  People stand in line to buy a Latte from the “Original” Starbucks, as if it were somehow different from the other 21,000 Starbucks stores.  The entire waterfront feels like a carnival sideshow.

But still, you just gotta come for “The Experience.”

"Have you ever been experienced?"  Hendrix was born in Seattle. I drove up to Capitol Hill to pay homage.

“Have you ever been experienced?” Hendrix was born in Seattle. I drove up to Capitol Hill to pay homage.

16 thoughts on “Seattle is a SEA of People!

  1. Much as I love the Pacific Northwest, and Sequim in particular, the recent accounts of Seattle make me shudder. I’ve been there only twice – both times in the 80’s, and with someone else at the wheel. The experience would probably be worth seeking out a chauffeur for the occasion, though. I long to go back!

    Virtual hugs,

    Judie

  2. I had the same wall-to-wall people experience in Seattle. I still enjoyed seeing it but was always ready to go back to quiet tranquil Bellevue. Love the shot of the wheel and Rainier in the background.

  3. Glad we decided to miss the craziness this time around. I think, like you, we’ve just become much more adapted to open space. I’d love to see Seattle one day, but maybe without the RV.

    Nina

  4. Boy-oh boy you sure described the Seattle now…It used to be such a nice place to live, I was born there. I graduated from Garfield H.S. where Jimmy Hendrix attended. My parents bought a waterfront house in Bellevue for $25,000 in 1954.The last time I checked it was valued at $5million…Then we lived on Capital Hill on a house that took up 3 lots. Nine bedrooms, I had my own fireplace and a shooting range in the basement. A band member of Nirvana bought it later after I got drafted in 1968..It was last valued at 3 million…No way I could even afford the taxes today..Like Nina I have just gotten so used to space as I now live next to the Glacier Peak Wilderness..Shoot a new neighbor is now building a house..
    But..any folks who have not visited Seattle should do it yet not with an R.V.
    I am fortunate that I have two sisters and a brother still living there and I am able to visit anytime..I usually only last three days at the most.
    One blogger I read the other day says she found the fairgrounds in Enumclaw works for visiting the area. She stated it was only 45 min. from Seattle..I’m thinking only @ 2 A.M…
    I’m glad you had sunny days, there’s no place like Western Wa. on a nice day. The rain, not so swell, but the forecast is for more great days!
    Have fun,
    David

  5. P.S..I know my comment went way too long..But any Elks or family of Elk members, my sis is one..The Ballard Elks have a huge parking lot and they are very welcoming for the $10. donation..Right on the waterfront, there are trains close by, but what the hey? My Winnebago and Samurai are 45′ and no problem, close to everything on Shilshole Bay and Golden Gardens park and the Ballard Locks. We have only seen two R.V.’s there at any time..No hook-ups at all.
    David

  6. Deede loves your pictures and story on Seattle. We spent very little time in the city when we took the cruise boat out of there on our way to Anchorage and back in May of 11. Deede lived in Anchorage in 64 and left Seattle after graduating high school in 65 and both had changed so much as to be unidentifiable. The places you pictures in Seattle brought back some good memories. The crowds and amount of walking involved were why we spent out time exploring the Olympic peninsula and the area around Rainier and St Helens. As always we are enjoying your story and pictures.
    Allen

  7. Seattle is a destination we would like to visit…maybe with trepidation now. I wonder how close a motorhome could get to the city and if Seattle has Uberx. I think rather than driving our vehicle would be better to tap Uber to get us there and back with our 10lb halibut!!! I love me some halibut. Thanks for your always entertaining blog.

  8. I lived in the Seattle area for more than 25 years before moving up north to Camano Island (about 75 miles northwest of Seattle). There’s nothing I miss about Seattle, particularly now, & it’s become a place I drive through on the way to much more pleasant places. I found that folks in Seattle are really quite shy. It was very difficult to establish friendships–true friendships. I lived in my last neighborhood for 17 years & am in quasi-contact with only one person. Seattle takes itself SO much more seriously than Portland does. Living in rural Western Washington at the end of the road is heaven!

  9. Ah, the RV metamorphosis is setting in… the discomfort among throngs in the Big City, the disdain for lines, the lack of un-breathed air, expense, inconvenience, noise, “Ugly American” tourists.
    “Peace and Quiet” is never overrated; it is restorative. City Thrills are often overrated, and can leave one drained and poorer. A day in “The City” is plenty.

  10. Hi, Judie — Yes, I agree. I won’t drive in that chaos again. As much as I love the market, I think I am done there…at least in high season!

    Lisa — With you all the way, girlfriend!

    Walt — I am sure it has changed dramatically since you moved. Back then, Pikes Market was probably a lot more authentic, I would think…

    Kim — You had the right idea by taking the bus. I thought about doing that, but then my first priority was the Hendrix statue, and I wasn’t sure I could find him with my GPS, let alone the bus!

    Nina — I think the way to go is ferry over. It puts you right in the heart of the seaport where you can easily visit the highlights, then step quickly away. haha!

    David — I love the comments! No such thing as “too long!” I think that Elks option is a great deal. Unfortunately, it sounds like the initiation process is pretty challenging for a full timer as it takes some time…even if I could find a sponsor. Are you saying a non-member can stay for $10? Or you have to be a member?

    Allen and Deede — I wish I could have seen what it was like back in the sixties — especially when the Beatles came to town! 😉

    Susie — Thanks for the nice comment. I would ferry in from maybe Bremerton. And yes, I agree on the halibut! Good stuff!

    Come on, Jim! I know there is a squat toilet in Bhutan in your future!

    Dawn — I am headed north soon! Please let me know if there are any “don’t miss” favorites you recommend in the area?

    BC Mark — I think an “I told you so” can’t be far off. 😉

  11. Great description of the city! However it really is not a big deal to drive thru the city on I5. We have a 40′ RV and tow and have been doing it for over 15 years with no problems, even during rush hour.

  12. Driving through Seattle is tedious, but it really can be done. Avoid Fridays. Check the Washington State DOT website for whether there will be any closures (bridges, freeways, lanes, etc.). Avoid rush hours. Park the RV in the burbs and take the bus in. There is great public transit here, and it’s a stressless way to go into the city. Yes, Pike Place is covered with people, there can be three cruise ships in at any one time dumping people into a small area. But there is much more to the city than Pike Place. Try it, you’ll like it.

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