Special Guest Post – Seattle Visit Day 2 – Part 2

SATURDAY AFTERNOON

**NOTE OF CLARIFICATION:

When we were riding the duck boats around Union Lake, we saw a lot of seaplanes taking off and landing on the lake.  I wondered if there was any air traffic control with those planes.  Like what was to prevent them from landing and running right into a duck boat………….particularly, MY duck boat?  We wondered if that was some kind of tourist attraction whereby tourists got to go up in the seaplane and ride around the city.  Later we confirmed, most definitely confirmed that NO, the seaplanes are not a tourist attraction.   They are for private use only.   No tourist is going to get up in one of those planes and then parachute themselves out into Union Lake so there is no point to begging your wife, daughter, and son-in-law to share that experience with you because it ain’t goin’ a happen!

Saturday Afternoon Activities

There it was!  That’s right!  The Northwest Folklife Festival!  Who knew [that was going on]!

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(There are a couple of kids and a dog.)

Now, I cannot tell you what the Folklife Festival was all about, who was putting it on, etc.  It looked as if all the Monstanto protest marchers were centered there though.   It was hundreds of people milling around, like the state fair, and it was free.  There were lots of these kids trying to make a few extra bucks.

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We headed for the vendor tents but never made it.  We decided we were hungry so went into the Armory where they had food.  We got Subway sandwiches and sat down at a table.  They had various performances out on the gym floor.  Now people, I am a patient person.  I sat quietly at my table, so as to not embarrass the rest of my party, and watched the African/Conga dancing.  I sat quietly at my table through the Swedish round dancing.  But when the Sliders took the floor………………well, that was enough for me.  Embarrassment or not, I was there!

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We did some line dancing and electric sliding.  I wasn’t very good at it, but I was better than that lady in the hat.  She thought it was some kind of yoga or ballet moves.  And then it was on to the next thing!

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(There’s another kid, but for Goodness sake, don’t take kids in here.)

Now, bear with me on this event.  I insisted that we visit the Chihaly Glass exhibit building.  Mr. Chihaly and his helpers blew all this glass stuff.  I took a hundred pictures for my sister-in-law, Della, the artist.

We have the Sealife Room:

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06 See all the shells and starfish on that thing?  It’s all glass.

Here’s the Chandelier Room:

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The Mille Fiori Room:

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The Persian Ceiling:

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Going out to the gardens:

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The  gardens:

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And here’s how the exhibits went over:

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Not only were members of my own group leaning against the wall looking really bored, but that perfect stranger on the bench is bored too!  We spent some time in the gift shop where I looked at a nice serving bowl.  It was $4200 so I passed on it.

Surprisingly, when I mentioned Chihuly to Trish, she said, “OH, DALE CHILHULY IS MY FAVORITE!”  Seems she had gone to one of his glass exhibits in Mpls. a few years ago and actually bought his DVD on how he made all the pieces.  But if you aren’t Della and you aren’t Trish, then I suggest you skip this Seattle attraction.

Ever wonder where Will got his dislike of high places?  It was only by hiding against the back wall of the elevator, Will’s hat over my face and the grace of God, that I was able to make it up to the observation deck of the Space Needle. It only took 40 seconds to ride up to the top so that was not too bad.  As usual, Eldon and Joni immediately headed outside to hang over the railing.  I’m convinced they do that just to show off in front of me and Will, like the time they climbed out on the roof of that thing in New Ulm and stood there in the gale force wind.  Anyway, Will and I, standing a safe distance from the glass windows, made our way around the circle seeing the sites.  Will said the Needle is and always has been privately owned and operated.  The City of Seattle declined to buy it after the World’s Fair.  I kept looking for a poster on a wall noting the last maintenance/servicing date; it’s so easy to put those things off.

[These pictures were actually taken by the two hanging over the railing.  Will and I know it is quite unsafe to take pictures when in high places.]

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Just as it was time to leave, knowing this might well be my only opportunity ever, I called upon every ounce of determination and grit within me.  I went out the door, pressed my back against the wall, slide around the corner and sat down on a bench.  In case you do not recognize it, this is the look of paralyzing terror!

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The kids tried to be reassuring saying that, if I should fall over the edge, there is another ledge 5-6’ below that might catch me.  I was really glad I found the courage to go out there and we got a picture of the occasion.

Now here’s the good part.  Will made reservations for us to have dinner (more commonly known as supper) in the Space Needle restaurant.  You need reservations because they are full all the time.  Our time was 5:15pm and they allotted 2 hours for us to be at our table.  They tell you that -2 hours.  It was just a beautiful clear afternoon.  Joni and I had salmon and the boys had beef de jur with garlic mashed potatoes and a wonderful salad.  I know that because I ate lots of Eldon’s salad.  The food was very good.  A girl came along to take a complimentary picture.  Boy, was her timing spot on.  What do we see out the window?  To the left of center.  You can almost see the crane in the hole. So this was another once in a lifetime event –dinner at the top of the Space Needle!

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After a wonderful day of site-seeing and with our tummies full, we headed for home.  As we exited the Space Needle, I heard a band.  Were the Folklife people having a parade?  I hurried over, followed enthusiastically by the rest of my group, to where I heard the music coming from.****  At first it sounded like big band music, but then again it sounded like jazz.  It was just a loud collection of pleasing sounds.  One might call it…………………..well, chaotic noise.  Yes, let’s call it chaotic noise.  Coincidentally, that’s what the group called themselves too.  Chaotic Noise.

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One guy, the leader, had horns on like a MN Vikings fan.  The group was a combination of young and old people in constant motion.  That may have been our Betsy on the baritone sax with red hair, tattoos, and fingerless leather gloves.  Joni and I moved right up to the front where we could see and enjoy the experience.  When I looked behind me, the same two who were holding up the wall at the Chihuly Garden and Glass, were standing way in the back rolling their eyes.  We’ve got to give those two some Art Appreciation lessons!  Let’s see if our tech guy can get this little video embedded in here so you can give a listen too.  *Editor’s Note – Psssh, really?

<iframe src=”https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/Qb4qq7FGQe8?rel=0″ height=”450″ width=”600″ allowfullscreen=”” frameborder=”0″></iframe>

*Editor’s note – Wait, wait, I got this…

*Editor’s Note – Ha!  See?

Aren’t they marvelous!  I made everyone wait until Chaotic Noise completed their performance and then we caught the bus for Fremont.  The kids dropped us off at our hotel, which was upstairs over the Blue Bird ice cream shop.

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As fun filled as our Saturday had been, there was still more to come on Sunday.  But let’s get a good night’s sleep first.

**** I write like I speak even if “from” is a preposition.  And I spell like the word sounds.

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