All in… our short visit to Vancouver was pretty darn cool! Relaxed vibe but, at the same time, never dull. Wednesday saw a very early departure, as we worked to navigate out before morning traffic. Better yet… we were heading for the US so we were aiming to get ahead of those customs lineups as well (Border Wait Times). We had homework too… especially making sure Airalo was ready to go on a device to maintain contact! Great tool for simplifying the noise / fees related to cell phones around “roaming charges”. By the time we got past Customs we were ready to roll (smooth trip / great officer). We decided to try and get to our next stop, Seattle, as early as possible and park for the day / tour around. The GPS rolled us directly to the desired “Parking Garage” and drop off. All was smooth, with the caveat and hope all would be there on return. Rolled up $40 US, as city parking isn’t cheap, but at least our only possessions and means of return got looked after and wasn’t a worry in this controlled space.
We hit the streets running. First stop, public library! Great travel tip… the local library is always perfect for a free wi-fi / washroom / quiet spot to sit even for 10 minutes. The Seattle Public Library is a pretty spectacular building… bright, spacious and accommodating. Janie installed Airalo on my phone and we took a quick reprieve. Then to city centre on foot… destination, the very kitschy “Seattle Space Needle”!
The Space Needle was built for the 1962 World’s Fair—the Century 21 Exposition whose theme was “The Age of Space”. Another cool anecdote is that it inspired many of the ideas found in the Jetson cartoon series. We purchased tix (a little steep in price but hey… we’re in Seattle), queued for elevators, and we’re aloft in no time. Elevators are external and windowed so great views. Janie got a beautiful snap of Seattle with Mt Rainier in the city-scape (you gotta open the picture – Ranier is so imposing)! Once atop you can view from inside, an outside walkway, or through a glass/rotating floor on the lower level. All in, we were there for about 40 mins. 🛸🚀🪐
Our only timed event in Seattle was a Mariners vs Red Sox afternoon baseball game at T-Mobile Park. Love the sights, sounds and smells of the ball park. At roughly noon we hailed an Uber to whisk us off to the ballgame. It’s always been a highlight for our gang to attend a game… and this gorgeous summer afternoon seemed “special made” for bat and ball. With refreshments and snacks we settled in to watch a home team comeback for a 6-3 Mariners win. Sox starter did the job but bullpen couldn’t hold! Sort of expensive, pure Americana from anthem to flyover… but so worth the time/cost!
We hustled out of T-Mobile Park and got on the freeway ahead of both the baseball crowds and Wednesday rush traffic! The I-90 pushed us through suburbs, foothills, mountains, and grasslands all the way to Spokane, on a due east course. Just one stop near Wanapum Dam – Hydroelectric Project to capture the amazing views from that look-off and a dash through a roadside fire as we neared our destination. The day seemed to end a long way from Vancouver!
I am always anxious to hear what you have been observing and experiencing…. Baseball game was a pleasant addition … it probably gave you an opportunity to relax as well
Moving along like a well oiled machine now Eileen. Honestly… feels much like wandering through movie sets as we make our way along these highways/cities! Presently crossing a series of passes in Northern Idaho and Ms Lumsden is the pilot 👍! Thnx for checking in! (oh yes… ballgame was super fun!!!)