Saturday: July 10, 1999

Mom and Dad picked us up here at the house, and together we left for the airport, 2 tour guides, 2 harried adults and 1 sulky teenager. Our plane was on time and the flight ended without incident.

After an hour spent acquiring a van larger (and more costly) than originally planned, we were off on adventure.

This van, a Chevy Astro, became the butt of many jokes. It's sole positive attribute was its size, which proved to be of great value when stowing luggage. However, what it gained in trunk space, it lost in leg room. Only a previleged few seats sported a cup holder and besides all that, no vehicle has any right to be that ugly.

After checking into out motel, we headed into Seattle for our sole taste of this metro area. Can't remember if our waterfront parking slot cost $7 or $8 for 2 hours, but its price was second to none. After a hot trot through Pike Place Market and past various pan handlers, we headed to the Space Needle. There, parking was a real bargin at $5 for 2 hours. From the top, the surrounding area was viewed along with the dim outline of various mountain ranges, and the even dimmer outline of Mt. Ranier... A SIGHTING!. (Years ago, Steve and I spent 10 days traveling through these wonderful Cascades, and managed to see absolutely nothing.)

Having been to Seattle on several occasions, I was struck by its tired appearance. The waterfront was littered, the storefronts needed repaired, and the Space Needle (and its surrounding "park") seemed to be undergoing major demolition. As Nathan observed, "It looks dirty." I did so want him to experience the Seattle I remembered, a city of majestic beauty and excitement. Well, maybe we were all just a wee bit jet lagged. After all, it was 9:00pm Pacific time, and we were Eastern Standard folk (so it felt like 12:00 midnight) who hadn't yet had supper.

Weary, but content, we spent our 1st night.

Next Day	Calender