Timeout for two... Sleepless in Seattle

07/24/22, Seattle, Washington State. The decision to travel to the northern part of the West Coast came quite spontaneously. There were so many ideas of where I could have gone. The USA is simply damn big and has many beautiful corners worth visiting. But my decision fell on Washington State. Seattle was just a stopover, but also a reason to check it out. My actual destination was further north. But I'll come to that later...

After a little delay, I arrived at the airport in Seattle in the evening. Unfortunately, the hostel in the city center was already fully booked, so I rented a house south of the city via Airbnb at a comparatively "cheap" price. Cheap is an exaggerated word, but the accommodation prices in the city were exorbitantly high. With Lyft taxi, at least you could quickly and reasonably cheaply get to the Public Market, where the best sights are within walking distance.

In the two days, I couldn't experience everything that the sleepless city offers. But I didn't miss out on some tourist experiences. So my growling stomach led me to the trendy Café Bacco on Pine Street. Here, you even had to stand in line to get a seat. Luckily, I didn't wait long. I ordered Eggs Benedict for the first time and on top of that, French Toast. The egg didn't fill me up yet. But when the French Toast arrived, I was already full just from the sight of it. Man, those were two fat portions! The breakfast was really good, but I didn't dare to look at the bill a second time...

Right next door was the Public Market. Here, all market stalls line up with fresh goods from fish and meat to vegetables. Countless tourists and maybe a few locals crowd between the market rows. Between the stalls, there are many bars, restaurants, and snack stands. And since we're still talking about food: If you're hungry and in the mood for fish, definitely go to the Market Grill! I read on the internet that they have the best Black Salmon Sandwich there. Yep, it was really damn delicious, even though the smell of fish from the stand opposite got into my nose 😊

It wasn't far from the market to the ferry terminal. For only 9 dollars, I let the Seattle Ferry take me on the Elliot Bay for 1 hour to Baybridge Island and back to the city. I didn't stay long on the island. Unfortunately, the bike rental was closed. Without wheels under my feet, it's not worth walking around the island. The nature parks were too far away. The real reason why a ferry ride is worthwhile is the great view of the city skyline and in the south, Mount Rainier, a dormant, glaciated volcano that stretches to an altitude of 4392 m. It is the highest mountain in the Cascade Range and looks simply impressive, even from a distance. The cool breeze and the wind on the ferry were pleasantly refreshing. I thought that I would find more pleasant temperatures in Washington State than in hot LA. Not at all! Instead, temperatures of up to 40 degrees awaited me here! The thought of an Iced Caramel Coffee is quite tempting. And where else should I go but to the infamous Starbucks. But not just any Starbucks, of the many that exist in the USA like sand on the beach, but to a very specific one. This Starbucks was the first store to be founded or built and is located at Pike Place (right next to the Public Market). So why not. Oh shit... another line of tourists... never mind, I want to go in and have a cold latte please! 'Can you english please?' (Earworm alert! If you don't know it: Fäaschtbänkler ;-)

After 20 minutes, I actually made it in! It was even worth the wait for the exuberantly cheerful employee. I think he had sniffed too much coffee :-D

In the city center, I did what all tourists do: ride the Monorail to the Space Needle. It was nice to "float" on a one-way rail above the streets, but a damn short distance. I don't think the job of changing the driver's side every mile and going back and forth is that great. I strolled through the park, looked at the Space Needle, and considered whether it was worth going up. But I decided to view the city together with the Space Needle from a different (free) perspective. For that, I had to climb some steep streets and steps up to Kerry Park. It is located in a residential area south of the city center. The best and most popular time is sunset. I was there in time and got a spot on the stone wall. The view from the ferry was already beautiful, but this was even better. From the Space Needle and the skyscrapers to the sea, all the way to Mount Rainier, the panoramic view was perfect! It looked amazing as the sun set, the reddish light reflected in the mirrors of the high-rises, and the city lights slowly appeared. Fantastic!

Speaking of parks. Another beautiful place is Olympic Park, south on the Elliot Bay. I made myself comfortable on a chair in the shade, enjoyed the tranquility, and the view of the water. I took the time to fill postcards with greetings for friends and family. The park stretches for several kilometers along the waterfront. Here, you can escape the big city and slow down or engage in any outdoor activities at full speed.

Btw. I certainly didn't miss the opportunity for a conversation with colleagues from the King County Police and the SPD (Seattle Police Department). Patch exchange and a photo with the sheriff were included 😊

Two days passed quickly. I took a taxi back to the airport. But the plane didn't take me any further now. I rented a car for 6 days, zoomed past Seattle on the highway, and headed into the northern Cascade Range...