OK so it's the only bank holiday we get in May (I'm shell shocked that there isn't 2 bank holidays in May for Canada as it is in the UK. Spoilt I know) and I decide 2 days before the weekend that I want to go to Seattle. What I didn't count on is that half of Vancouver had the same idea months ago and that most of the hotels are booked out! So on the Friday before going to Seattle i'm up late looking for a place to stay in the Emerald City. Finally find one and get 3 hours sleep before heading out to the coach station at 4a.m to catch the 5a.m coach to Seattle.
I'm nervous because it is the first time I've been to the US and am worried about how there are going to process me into their system, which is the key reason why I took the coach as I thought it would not be as alarming as going through US airport security. Not that I have anything to hide but being treated like a lab rat or a potential terrorist kinda kills my holiday buzz. So we get to immigration and its not too bad. They scan all my finger tips and take a picture of my face. My curiosity having been peeked led me to ask "How long will you be keeping my details and what will you be using them for?" the immigration officer replies " I don't know and if I did I wouldn't tell you. That's just how we roll here." I smile politely at him and say "This so feels like an X files moment." One because he's totally clueless about why he's doing this and two because I don't want clones of me being made for some weird experimental process!!!! Ok so I need to lay off the sci-fi books and movies, but that was just creeeeeeppppy.
After being tagged and bagged into the coach, I was bound for Seattle. First thing I do is walk from Pioneer Square to the Seattle Center which is pretty cool at 9am in the morning when everybody seems to still be in their homes so the place is virtually deserted as the shops aren't open yet. 45 mins later I make it to the Space Needle (not really original huh) but it is a good thing I did because from that height I managed to figure out how to get to my hotel! After enjoying the sites from a birds eye view, I went back to ground level and decided to enjoy the local activities in the Seattle Center. In the world music centre I stumbled upon some children performing to Bollywood music which was cool! I had my first Gyros wrap - Oh my days that was delicious! Whilst wondering around I was drawn to the International Water Fountain as it was playing Twi music (music from Ghana), and later found that the international element was that music from all over the world was being played through the fountain which was pretty awesome. I sat by the water fountain for a bit enjoying the glorious sun and the sound of kids running in and around the fountain.
I then wondered off near this odd looking building, which I had planned to walk straight past until I heard the them song from Star Wars and my inner sci-fi geek was awakened and drawn to the entrance of the building which so happened to be the only sci-fi museum in the world so far. Well I was definitely going in there! I had fun trying to guess the film by the costumes or the weapons. - Hey we all have simple pleasures, this so happened to by mine :-p
I spent 2 and a half days in Seattle and it was worth it. I shopped loads and would have bought more if my backpack had wheels! but i was traveling budget style and there was only so much i could carry over the border. But next time the wheely suitcase is coming with me!
I walked all over Downtown Seattle (which I think is the best way to get to know an area) and am looking forward to going back there. A girl needs to shop you know :-)
