Seattle Part 2: Being a Tourist

Besides just mooching Joe's social life, I also spent a fair amount of time being a tourist in Seattle.  One rainy weekend day Joe took me to the Woodland Park Zoo.  There weren't very many other people around (it was REALLY raining, not just the usual Seattle Mist), but we had a good laugh at ourselves as we sloshed our way past soggy bears, dripping kangaroos, and damp tigers, ducking into protected bird and reptile houses whenever the rain got too strong.  In front of the raptor bird house we met my first typically friendly Seattleite.  This woman was standing with a peregrine falcon perched on her wrist, waiting for interested zoo visitors to ask questions about birds of prey.  We were the only ones there, so she talked to us about birds, Seattle, how much she loves it in the city, and so on.  She says all this while standing in the pouring rain, hood up, water dripping off her nose! This is someone who LOVES Seattle, and I found the attitude to be common in the city.  On the bus, at cross-walks, in cafes and in the public park, everyone laughs about the drizzle; it seems that the weather makes people chatty and friendly.  Here's a picture you've seen before, a damp tiger at the zoo:

 

On weekdays while Joe was at work I alternated between spending rainy days parked in a cafe or museum and drier days seeing the sights.  I visited Pike Place Market, where fish are tossed around at the fish market and the levels of shops selling antiques, books, clothes, etc wind and twist together in a 3-D maze.  Then I headed out to see some of the natural wonders of the area.  Here's a picture of the Chittenden Locks, where fresh water and salt water are kept separate.  Boats come into the locks at one level, and water level in the locks is raised or lowered to match the out-going side.  Finally, the other gate is opened, and the boat is free to move on:

Beyond the locks there is a fish ladder for the local salmon.  By November most of the fish have moved upstream, but there were still a few swimming by.  Continuing up the hill to Discovery Park I spent the afternoon (in my Halloween dinosaur costume) exploring the woods and coastline, with occasional views of downtown Seattle.  First, some evidence of Fall:

Next, the lighthouse on the point. 

Looking back towards downtown Seattle from the lighthouse.  If you click on the picture to look closer you might be able to see that the biggest cloud is not a cloud at all, it's Mt. Rainier standing guard over the city!

This is a look at the sandy bluffs along the coast.  They're not quite rock yet, but not as soft as normal soil, either.

One last look down on the harbor as I climbed back towards the park entrance and civilization:

With all its parks, Seattle is a good city for people who like green space mixed in with their downtown shops and stores!