We set off early, with a vague outline of what we wanted to do with our only full day in Seattle. We decided that we wouldn't bother driving while we were in the city, as finding a carpark had proved a challenge, and ride-sharing services like Uber, Lyft as well as car2go (a car sharing service) are everywhere and quite affordable here.
We stopped at Portage Bay Cafe for breakfast, before heading to Ballard Locks. While I was initially sceptical (how exciting could a lock be?), the popular tourist attraction did not disappoint! Located between the Puget Sound and Lake Union/Lake Washington, Ballard Lock is the busiest in the USA. We watched barges piled high being pushed by tugboats, pleasure yachts, launches, sailboats and small power boats pass through the lock. It was incredible watching the water level, and these massive vessels descend/ascend so quickly!
Once the boats enter the lock, the gigantic metal doors at each end swing shut, pushed and pulled by hydraulic rams. Then depending on whether the ships are coming or going, the water is let into or out of the lock via large underground gravity powered valves. Sean was very impressed with the vintage machinery still in operation.
The lock also has a fish ladder down one side to provide safe passage for migrating fish. The fish recognise the scent of the water from Lake Washington and its tributaries flowing down the ladder and swim up the 21 wiers to reach the lake. There are three species of Pacific Salmon who travel through the locks and swim 80km upstream to spawn, these are Coho, Chinook and Sockeye Salmon. We were visiting too early in the season to see Coho and Chinook, but we did see some sockeye salmon travelling up the stairs via the viewing platforms below water level.
After a few hours exploring the lock and the beautifully manicured gardens maintained by the US Army Corps next door, we took a car2go back into Seattle Centre - the hub for arts, education, tourism and entertainment in the city. We walked around the Space Needle, MoPOP (Museum of Pop Culture), Chihuly Garden and Glass before deciding that we probably didn't have enough time today to give any of these the time they needed to explore them properly. Instead, we set off towards the piers. On the way, we walked through the Olympic Sculpture Park. The 9-acre park is located on the waterfront, scattered with sculptures, places to sit, and plenty of dogs and people to watch.
We continued walking towards Pike Place Market and Victor Steinbrueck Park. We passed several film studio trucks (they look the same everywhere in the world), as we rounded the corner policemen were standing in front of a blockade, stopping people from entering the park. On the far side of the park, there were tents and canopies set up protecting the film equipment from the sun. People were running in all directions setting things up and taking things down. We walked around the outside of the park until we got to a place where we could see the actors sitting on a park bench... it was the people from Grey's Anatomy! The director yelled something, a man asked us all to be quiet, and extras in the background walked across the park. We watched a real live film shoot!
After our Grey's Anatomy excitement, we continued walking to the pier. We got on the water taxi and sat on the deck watching the city skyline recede during the 10-minute ride to West Seattle. We enjoyed a beer looking back at the city before catching the water taxi back into downtown Seattle.
We followed the crowds towards Safeco Field where we had tickets to watch a Major League Baseball game. As we got closer to Safeco Field the scalpers, merchandise and hotdog stands all started to appear on the sides of the road. Lured by the smells and excitement, we bought a $5 bag of Chicago style popcorn (cheddar and caramel) that was about 10x more than we actually needed.
Never having watched an entire baseball game before, it was surprisingly easy to follow! Growing up watching Joel play softball, and more recently teaching T-Ball helped. There were short bursts of play, interspersed with competitions for the crowds, music and chants. The Seattle Mariners and San Francisco Giants were pretty equally matched (in this game at least), and the score was neck and neck until the final innings. The San Francisco Giants won by 1 run.
On the way home, we gave into temptation (again) and stopped for a Seattle style hotdog at Al's Gourmet Hotdogs, outside the stadium. It was a typical hotdog in a bun with onions, jalapenos, ketchup and mustard. The addition of cream cheese turns it into a 'Seattle Hotdog'. The verdict; delicious, but entirely unnecessary. Ahhh, America.
P.S. Sean wants me to mention how hot it was. It was VERY hot.