|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
June 25-26, 2025 Marti Eicholz
The Odyssey docked hours earlier than scheduled in San Francisco on June 21,
2025, the longest day and the official start of summer. It was a clear blue
sky, windy with a chill in the air. What a blessing to have extra hours in
“The City by the Bay!” People always ask, “Does it rain every day as some suspect?” Despite the rainy image, Seattle experiences mild winters and cool summers with frequent, though often light, rainfall. I never needed galoshes, raincoats or an umbrella. The wettest months are November and December. While the city gets many “rainy days,” it has less total rainfall than other major U.S. cities like New York, Houston, Boston, and Atlanta. Despite having one of the drizzliest climates in the United States, residents purchase more sunglasses per capita than any other U.S. city and I was one of those residents, wearing sunglasses every day. Never leave home without sunglasses because when the sun comes out, you may need to buy another pair. Although it started as a logging town in the late 19th century, Seattle is the 18th-most populous city in the United States with a population of 782,000. It has been continuously inhabited for more than 4,000 years, four millennium’s worth of occupation, development, and betterment. With the highest percentage of Seattleites having a university degree or higher, makes Seattle the country’s most well-educated populace. It is also one of the most literate, having more bookstores and library branches than any other city in the country. Seattle boasts a vibrant arts and culture scene, so, if you ever find yourself in Seattle, check out: Pike Place Market, a public marketplace famous for its fresh produce, seafood, local goods, and lively atmosphere, began in 1907 and is still running, but more like a festive indoor/outdoor shopping and entertainment center. It’s a place to watch the fishmongers throw fish around, enjoy the Pike Place creamy clam chowder, have a coffee at the first Starbucks, visit the gum wall, not made of gum, but lots of gum stuck to the walls in an alleyway under Pike Place Market. It’s colorful, but not for germophobes. Look for Rachel the Pig, a giant three feet tall by six-feet long bronze, piggy bank sculpture that you can put money into for the Market Foundation which assists in keeping the market in good condition. A little-known fact is that five hundred residents call Pike Place Market home, living there. Northwest of Pike Place Market is Olympic Sculpture Park, an outdoor area, harboring thirty sculptures and artistic exhibitions doubling as beachfront property, but too cold to take a dip. This area began as a “green space” and has become a place to come saunter along in a nature filled area, enjoying some art. The seventy-four-acre Seattle Center, developed for the 1962 World’s Fair, is a great place to hang out, visit the Space Needle standing 605-feet-tall with a wine bar, café, and an observation deck, offering breathtaking, panoramic views of the city, or check out the International Fountain, John T. Williams totem pole, a piece of the Berlin Wall, the Pacific Science Center, bringing science to life with hands-on activities and live demos, Museum of Pop Culture, formerly the Experience Music Project, focuses on contemporary pop culture, exhibiting music like Bowie and Hendrix, things like “We are 12”, a Seahawks exhibit, and the “Scared to Death” about horror films, an exhibit called “Indie Game Revolution,” transporting you to a virtual playground, and a Sound Lab. These exhibits along with other Seattle museums are interactive, or another fantastic museum option is the Museum of Flight, the largest independent, non-profit air and space museum in the world, featuring aircraft, spacecraft, artifacts, rare photographs, exhibits, experiences, and a library. While Dale Chihuly’s work would look jaw-dropping anywhere and in any form, Chihuly Garden and Glass is much more than just a gallery. In addition to the eight galleries of the exhibition, there is a conservatory-like glasshouse, an outdoor garden, and a theater where you can watch videos of Chihuly’s process or observe glass-blowing demonstrations. Dale Chihuly, the best-known glassblowing artist, but the expert in glass is just one of hundreds. Tacoma-born Chihuly and Whidbey Island-based Fritz Dreisbach studied under pioneer Harvey Littleton. Hundreds of proteges trained under these three, helping the Pacific Northwest evolve into the glassblowing capital of the United States. For more than seven hundred years, The Italian Island of Murano has sculpted glass as an art form with the most glassblowing studios. The Museum of Glass in Tacoma features glass work by artists worldwide, even some outdoor art. My favorite is an outside piece named “The Fluent Steps.” Woodland Park Zoo, dedicated to saving animals and habitat, has more than 1,100 animals and three hundred species. Each visit helps save animals. There are countless hiking options, featuring lakes, waterfalls, mountain views, wildlife, coastal views, beaches, and trees. Rattlesnake Ledge was my favorite when I lived in the Seattle area. The four-mile (moderately difficult) trail takes you through a beautiful forest full of sky-high trees. Poo Poo Point is 7.2 miles round trip, tougher end of moderately difficult. Once at the top of the trail, there is a paragliding launch point where guides offer to take you with them. Snoqualmie Falls is a beautiful 268-foot waterfall. Hike down to the falls, 1.4 miles around trip, then have brunch at Salish Lodge. Denny Creek a six-mile round trip but you get to natural water slides in just one mile. A fun place. Diablo Lake is an unbelievable spot with water, bright and turquoise. Are we really in the Pacific Northwest? Walk or run the path at Green Lake. Kayak or Stand-Up Paddle Board on South Lake Union or through The Arboretum. Volunteer Park Conservatory is an photogenic greenhouse built in 1912. A fun thing to do in Seattle is Go to a Game. You don’t have to be a huge sports fan to enjoy a Seahawks, Mariners, Husky game, soccer or hockey. If any team is in town, GO! Perhaps you would like to take a trek from the city in the car, Mount Rainier, an active volcano, peaking at 14,410 feet, spanning five major rivers, is worth the 2.5-hour drive. The area is filled with wildlife and plenty of those Washington/Northwestern trees. Seattle, Washington, known as the "Emerald City," has lush greenery and is full of interesting and fun facts. Seattle, with all its water, has the largest houseboat population in the world. The first gas station was in Seattle. In 1987 Seattle became the first U.S. city to outfit law enforcement, the police, with bicycles. The adage that dog is man’s best friend rings true in Queen City. There are more dogs and cats than children in Seattle: 110,000 children, 180,000 domestic canines, and 190,000 felines. Shrouded in mystery, a troll is housed under Seattle’s George Washington Bridge, perhaps relating to the Three Billy Goats Gruff fairytale, designed by Seattle artists. Seattle is famous for its fresh seafood, particularly salmon with numerous preparations like grilled, smoked, or featured in sushi, tender, sweet meat Dungeness crab, fresh, briny oysters, and a unique Pacific Northwest clam called Geoduck. It's also known for its unique take on teriyaki chicken, the Seattle-style hot dog (with cream cheese and grilled onions), and its vibrant Vietnamese food scene, especially pho, a noodle soup, and the notable Dutch baby pancakes, a light, custard-like pancake served with lemon and powdered sugar. Seattle has a wide range of things to do if you look for them. Whether you are into nature, art, food, architecture, technology, live theater, professional and collegiate sports, or diverse neighborhoods, Seattle has you covered. I hope you enjoy the city and the surrounding areas like I did and that you find what you’re looking for! The Odyssey is ready to sail north. We will be surrounded by natural beauty, including mountains, forest, and Puget Sound with glimpses of the San Juan Islands. Photos give glimpses of Seattle, Washington. |
|
Copyright © 2025 All rights reserved |
