Birthday in Seattle

 
When I got to Vancouver I had planned on going to Seattle, A city that has always interested me greatly and now I have finally been. Interestingly enough it is the largest city I have ever been to In the USA and I'm positive I will be back.

I travelled to Seattle from Vancouver via BoltBus. It was comfortable, had WiFi and I was able to stow my polo bike for no additional cost. I might also point out to those looking to travel over the boarder with a bike, I hear that greyhound requires you to disassemble your bike and box it. None the less after 4 hours and a REAL hassle at the border (long haired backpacker staying in the US with folks that I'd met only over the Internet and a passport photo that makes me look soooo Black Metal) I arrived in the Emerald City!

Above, a picture of Smith Tower, a building I had only seen previously during my countless hours of playing Sim City 3000.

I found out that my one of my favourite bands where playing on my birthday, November 25, at the Crocodile in Seattle. The band is called Earth and they play a uniquely accessible brand of highly experimental and minimalistic Drone Metal. See the sample below.

 

Here is a great photo of them!

 I didn't have a place to stay the first night as my couch hosts were out of town for American Thanksgiving. So I found a hostel called the Green Tortoise right across from the historic Pike Place Market, and conveniently located a block away from Pike Brewery. The Friday that I was there I ate my first burrito of many during my stay and enjoyed a flight of the best beers Pike Brewery has to offer. From memory I enjoyed the Naughtie Nellie Organic Artisan Ale, Pike India Pale Ale, Kilt Lifter, Pike XXXXX Extra Stout, and The Monks Uncle Belgian Triple.

Then it was on to touring around on my bike, playing bike polo, and meeting my couch surfing hosts in the Capitol Hill Area.

My surfers where a bunch of college students that could not have been more cool and accommodating. One of the hosts, Andrew, went out with me to the Elysian Brewpub on Pike. we enjoyed some top brews and exchanged some great stories and conversations. The next day Andrew and I made an hour bike ride up to the notorious neighbourhood of Fremont, or as known b the locals, The Center of the Universe. 

We attended the Fremont Sunday Flee Market, The Fremont Troll, Statue of Lenin, and a chocolate shop to fill up on all the crazy types of chocolate we could... even a curry chocolate. (Was surprisingly good!)

 

I played bike polo at Cal Anderson Park two of the days I was in Seattle and played like a sack of crap. But met some folks from Seattle Polo. No regrets. 

 

Here is a further summary of photos from my trip. Enjoy!

 Until next time thanks for following!

Wes