November 2, 2016 – Seattle, Day IV: Space Needle and Chihuly Gardens

Title: November 2, 2016 – Seattle, Day IV: Space Needle and Chihuly Gardens
Hike Info : Description :  Background :  Extra Photo's 

Hike Info:

Type: Walking

Distance:  5.23 miles
Start Time: 10:30am

End Time:    7:34pm

Travel Time: 9:04

Elevation Rise:  549'

GPS Tracks

Description:

Places We Went To	Planned Places
Space Needle Chihuly Glass Garden Cafe Belltown Chocolate and Ice Cream Delight Elliot Bay Book Store REI Whole Foods	Space Needle Chihuly Glass Garden Elliot Bay Book Store REI

The morning started as usual-breakfast and the like, We actually make it out of the hotel room at a decent time-that is because we wanted to get to the Space Needle before the crowds came in. We purchase our tickets for both the Space Needle and Chihuly Gardens-next door to the Needle. So we get to the Needle and there is only a few people. There will be more, a lot more after we are on top for about 20 minutes.

Information Before Going Up

Going up this thing is a challenge for me. Not because I have to work at it, but because my acrophobia (fear of heights) kicks in. Sort of strange, I am relatively OK with a block of granite under me, but in the glass elevator, fear creeps in. But it is only about a 15-20 second ride to the top, thankfully, but it seems longer.

At the top-we do not go to the restaurant. Seems a bit expensive for food which do not seem to be our style. At the top, there is all sorts of monitors to bring the Space Needle into perspective. They talk about what we are seeing below and all sorts of background information. On the way up, we had a picture taken-up here, it gives different backgrounds for the picture of us.

 

Picture by Space Needle

Gary Looking Out

Sherri A Bit Wet

 Have I said that it is misty/rainy out there? Well it is, but we go out anyway. We have the appropriate ware for this kind of elements. This wetness weeds out more people. I will also say may fears are also being enhanced, but not taking over me. The views are pretty good and I can see how come people want to be up here. But I think Sunday's views from the Columbia center was a bit better. But what made this good for us, is that we can identify many of the places we have been to the last several days.

South and East Looking

Union Lake

North and East

After an hour and a half, we head back down. Yes the glass elevator does still bother me, but I have sort of figured out how to remedy that by looking to the side, rather than straight out-well I do glance over now and then.

By this time, it is 12:15. We then head over to Chihuly Gardens. Frankly I am thinking that this should be a bit short and we will be out of here in less than an hour, unless Sherri drags it on. But the reason why you go and do things is to challenge your expectations. This was a fascinating place. The pictures will do most of the talking. But just a few words. You enter into a bare room, except for the Plexiglas ceiling. But what is on the other side of the Plexiglas gives you an idea of what you are about to see. Then a large dark room, with the center with a garden of glass figures. Next comes some glass vases and chandlers. Another room brings a room of bowls. Then finally indoors is a room used for celebrations-glass exterior with the Space Needle sticking above you. Then you have the outdoors with its glass-feels like a garden of serpents at times. By the time we leave, it has been two hours. 

By now, our stomachs are saying, Feed me! Feed me! We remembered the other day seeing some restaurants along 2^nd Street. So we went on a hunt for places to eat. Maybe something native rather than chain like. As we go along, we come across a place called Cafe Belltown-we are in Belltown. The owner, Jackie, is serving those in line. In front of us is some construction workers who obviously have been here before. They give us some recommendations about what to order. I order a rice bowl with chicken teriyaki. Turns out to be a good choice. Food was good, but a bit slow. It gave us time to rest and relax-even though the space is a bit cramped. The food was done well. By the way, unless you like your food spicy hot, got with a bit milder hot sauce.

Original Starbucks

By this time, it was getting a bit late. We come to Pike's Market and find a chocolate shop called Chocolate and Ice Cream Delight. There was some peanut butter fudge, which my wife both enjoys and makes. So she asks the clerk how good is it. Of course the proper response is it is great. She buys some and I have a piece of truffle as well. Mine is good, but Sherri's response is that her fudge is better, way better.

Elliot Bay Books

Original Nordstroms

It is starting to get late, but it seems like we should be doing a bit more. So we take a look at where the Elliot Bay Book Store-another one of Andrea's recommendations. We see that it is maybe a mile to mile and a half away, so we head off that way. We pass by another classic sign saying ICE CREAM MAKES YOU HAPPY, but with the chocolates we just ate, we decided not to go in. We get to the book store and it is everything Andrea said it would be. We browse and I drool, but do not buy. Still, a good place to go.

Looking at a map, I figure out that if we just head north, we will go to the REI mothership store we missed yesterday. So off we go. After another 20-30 minutes walking, we come to the store. I had been in here about 10 years ago. This time around, I am much more impressed. First we are greeted by REI employees it seems like every time we turned around. But what really caught our eye, or at least mine, was a decked out Land Rover, ready for camping. A complete kitchen, relaxing outside and a tent on the roof. Sooo good. We wander around, but do not buy.

Our Hotel

Time for a trip back to the hotel. But first, we will stop at Whole Foods to pick up some victuals for Friday's train trip back to San Jose. We get back to the room, a bit tired, but content for the day.

Background

Trip Advisor

Space Needle. (3 stars) The Space Needle is a magnificent looking structure, being able to see it from most of Seattle. Yet I felt disappointed when we were up there. Sure the view is good, but maybe less than the Columbia center. Maybe it was because it was a rainy day, but the inside of the Needle seemed a bit worn, a bit “commercial”. Monitor's around the perimeter helped tell the story of the Needle and was good, still I felt that I was preferring the less glitz of the Columbia Center over the reputation of the Space Needle.

Chihuly Gardens. (5 stars) Going in, I thought that this would be an OK tour, but any longer than 45 minutes, it was probably time to get bored. I was mistaken. After two hours of wandering and wondering, we were still fascinated by all the forms you could blow glass into. Chihuly has piped light into his colored glass to make it come alive. Then when you go outside into the nicely manicured garden, the glass art blends nicely with the plants.

Cafe Belltown. (4 stars) The food is good; the owner, Jackie, knows her regulars and the regulars adore her. The only draw backs to this place is there is not much seating and the food prep is slow. But another way to think about the prep is that the food is being cooked while you wait, so everything is fresh.

Chocolate and Ice Cream Delight. (3 stars) Chocolate is pretty good. But with what we have had earlier this week in Seattle, there is better places to have good chocolates.

Elliot Bay Book Store (4 stars) A book lover's paradise this is. This is a place you can browse to your hearts content and probably find many of your old author friends.

Extra Photo's