Journey of a Psalmist: May 2011

Okay, so now that the Osama is dead, do we still have to take off our shoes at the airport? Okay, fine, I guess they still do what they gotta do. But at least trains you don't have to go through all that. I'm on one right now and trains beats planes anytime.

Had vacation time so I figured, hey why not go travel. But as I'm on a budget, Seattle isn't far and my brother is a student/teacher at the University of Washington. Considered biking it, but then thought about how extremely long it is to drive there. Okay, maybe I can leave that project to the pros this time. I did bike to North Vancouver the other day, and also Clackamas Town Center and that's hardcore enough for me for now.

Spent the first couple days of vacation catching up on friends. Then Wednesday took the train to Seattle. Taken the drive a couple times in the past, but these days gas is too expensive and it's hard on my old Plymouth. The train is a first for me actually, but after this I might do this again with other places.

So Jair met me down by King Station and we hung out downtown by Pioneer Square then Pike Place. Great scene at the bay. This place makes me think of Portland and Seaside wrapped into one and shot into the future a few years. And I thought Portland had a lot of Starbucks. There's one on every corner here, you can't get away. Don't these people drink anything else? That and these teahouses are around.

Caught a bus to University Street which is the area by his school that he hangs out in. Had some top-of-the-line ramen at Samurai Noodle. I don't know how I'll ever go back to cup'o'noodles again now.

The next day, while he was at school I had a bagel and pastry at Grateful Bread Bakery, worked out a bit, then hung out with the laptop looking for spots to hit. Then after hitting Top Pot Doughnuts, took the bus to see UofW. After exploring the library, saw Jair a bit and he showed me some of the campus. We saw a huge study hall, which reminded me of the scene of Indiana Jones blazing in on a motorcycle. Also saw the world's largest book opened to a giant picture of masked natives doing some kind dance. After that went back downtown with a plan while Jair stayed and had a blast studying.

Finally got to see Pike Place open and busy. As great as fish football is, what really impressed me was the street musician. She was a black girl with a guitar that sang with so much soul that people around were completely captivated. I can't even remember her name, but this was quality stuff, better than your average street musician. I don't know, there was just something about her. Dropped a buck then continued exploring. I had a mission: oysters were calling to me.

Finally found myself sitting at the bar at Elliots for happy hour. The oysters were good, but the oyster stew was out of this world and though I haven't actually had the soup nazi's awesome soup I bet this would definitely compete. I have had quite a few memorable soups through the years: Cheddar pepper crab at Hawthorne Fish House in Portland, Hot Pot City by PSU, clam chowder at Camp 18 on the way to Seaside, real Ramen just this week. But of course when something is this good all you can think is that it's the best you've ever had. I soon got another cup before leaving.

Was gonna meet up with Jair for maybe a college concert, but it didn't work out that way. He really needed the studying, and once I stumbled into the Seattle Art Museum there was no getting me out for hours. It happened to be a free event night and the arty crowds and freaks were here out of the woodwork. Coming in I hear pulsing beats playing as four white Ford Taurus are displayed in the air with lights on sticks sticking out blinking and dancing to the music. The place was a huge with a gallery on so many different genres, I hadn't seen anything it. Traditional renaissance, Greco-Roman, Egyptian, traditional Christian, German abstact, Asian, Native American, photgraphy, glasswork, porclain, and many many more each with a room devoted to it. Among other things I saw an original Jackson-Pollock, some ancient sculpture from B.C., some work which I was amazed to hear was done by high-schoolers and middle-schoolers around the area, and a performance of the Seattle Girl's Choir.

Afterwards I met up with Jair again and we went back and had steaks brought from home. And after having to get up super early here I am on a train again.

I been to Seattle a few times, but usually with groups and not with enough time to really explore. Seeing it this time really blew me away. It's a city of creative minds who truly know who they are, apply themselves, and seem to know how to turn that creativity into wealth. While corporate mall scenes aren't my style, this city downtown individualizes the yuppie scene like our own NW 23rd, but taken to a large scale. And though it seems so much money is spent on status symbols that can compete with New York and LA, I'm still none-less impressed.

I recently got a new camera, a Sony 12.1 megapixel, and it's much more compact than my old one and great for travel. So here's what I took. Enjoy.