travelogue, Seattle edition

I spent the weekend in Seattle for work. I had Saturday off so I spent it walking the entire length of Seattle's downtown.

The morning started at Top Pot doughnuts. Just looking at the picture makes me hungry for doughnuts. Very good and in a cute shop, though a little pricey. The cinnamon blueberry cake doughnut from the prior day's trip was probably the best one.



From there, I walked to the Space Needle, which was not all that impressive though admittedly better than Knoxville's World's Fair craft project, the Sunsphere. Here's my obligatory Space Needle picture.



The surrounding architecture and design is interesting too. I saw the cutest car wash sign on the walk over:



Wandered around the Experience Music Project, which was not open yet and mostly blocked off for a concert later that day. What I could see was neat.



the nearby science museum had the most intriguing pavilion area. I think it was also construction for the World's Fair in the 1960s, though the dinosaurs seem like they must have been a later addition. It was closed (for some reason I was up and out before 9 that day) but it might have been even worth the $20 admission to walk around and check out had I been closer to the opening hour.



there was a fun outdoor sculpture on the grounds too.


next on my walk, the sculpture gardens along the sound. here's a nice Calder sculpture in front of the water landscape.


more or less the same view, sans sculpture. the water is such a bright blue here.


and very clear water too - very neat to look over the railing and see the details on the algae and sea plants.


more scenery, closer to the Pike Place Market. presumably Mount Rainier there.


It was too nutso busy to stop for lunch there, so I just walked through. From there, I walked to Pioneer Square and then the International District, where I bought cute Japanese school supplies at the Kinokuniya bookstore. Then I walked up to the Capitol Hill neighborhood to visit a disappointing fabric store. At this point I've walked close to five miles and probably more, so I was more focused on walking up some mammoth hill rather than taking pictures.

But after a return to the hotel and a nap, back to Pike Place Market for piroshky (a hot Russian roll filled with potatoes, onions, and mushrooms). (very tasty)


This is actually from the prior night but it seems a good picture to signal the close of my walking tour.