Horn in the USA!

On August 20th, we took the bus from Squamish via Vancouver to Seattle. We were excited to travel to the USA, but also a little nervous as it isn’t guaranteed that you’re allowed to get in. But the entry wasn’t problematic at all. We were only asked when we are planning to leave and that was it. However, on our first evening in Seattle we thought a typical American dinner would be appropriate. So, we had burgers and fries topped with pulled pork and cheese. Not bad. Plus, we could appreciate some (rather poor) free beer in the hostel.

The next day, we explored Seattle with a free walking tour and a funny, very enthusiastic guide. It is so interesting how all the big cities in the US and Canada only have such a short history. Not like in Europe, where it dates back several centuries. In America, it all just started around the 19th century. I somehow wasn’t really aware of that before the trip. Also, Seattle began as a logger’s village in the time of the goldrush. The stories of the expelled native tribes are tragic, of course. Nowadays, there’s a lot going on in the city. Especially the Public Market is crowded, and there’s a big variety of food and art stands you can look at. For example, some fish vendors shout their sing-songs and throw salmon high through the air. Crazy. Later, we took a stroll to the Space Needle. In the surrounding park, we listened to the cheerful music from a Brazilian festival. After that, we walked further to Kerry Park, which provides a great view over Seattle and the massive, impressive Mount Rainier in the background. We went back to downtown at the waterfront. When I cooled down my feet in the water, we even spotted some dolphins swimming by!

We also had to deal with some organisational problems that day, because Philipp’s cell phone doesn’t work with the providers in the US and it was a bit difficult to get cash. But in the end, we sorted it all out.