... is what the volunteer at the Seattle Public Library proudly told me about her fair city. After spending a couple of hours wandering around the library, it's easy to see why. Any city that puts the sort of resources - both financial and creative - into such a public space as this one, forcefully demonstrates the value they place on learning. It's difficult to imagine a library such as this one in south Florida, and that makes me sad. The fact that we were looking out the 9,000 + diamond windows on another perfect sunny day was ironic, of course, as fewer Seattleites were likely taking advantage of their magnificent library on such an awe-inspiring day.
Still, get a load of this place... the floor devoted to meeting rooms is painted red - all of it! Floor, ceiling, walls... with various words written in black here and there as you walk down the fun house halls. There is a map room and a reading room and a children's gallery and on and on. The elevators are yellow, the escalators lime green (and there are cut-outs - that look as though someone hacked through the wall with a saw - so one can look from each floor to the escalators), yet the monochromatic palette (at least from space to space) is incredibly soothing and cool.
As Maddie said (after declaring for the 5th time in 24 hours that she wanted to move here)... the library was the perfect place to spend our final hours in Seattle. I couldn't agree more.
Our last morning in Seattle had been spent with the Clifton clan on a duck boat, where our own Captain Rowan D. "Boat" gave Captain Funtastic some competition for most entertaining tour guide. Again, it is difficult to screw up a tour like this when the weather is as perfect as it was today. I took more than one photo of a "floating house" for sail, as the notion of becoming one of the residents who make their home on water (more here than anywhere else in the world but for China!) was quite appealing on such a gorgeous day. We got to see some of the same sites Courtney showed us from land by sea, and Daniel, Fiona, and Sophia all took a turn at the front of the boat picking songs while bopping along Lake Union (video to follow).
We arrived in Port Angeles by 8:00 p.m. after taking a ferry from Edmonds to Kingston we had no idea we'd be taking ;) It was a classic Michael Scott moment (never blindly follow a GPS!), but it all worked out just fine in the end. The weather continues to be more than we could hope for, as we embark today into Olympic National Park. We did do a mini drive around town last night and learned from our waitress that the resaurant Edward takes Bella to her on their first date is right down town (and that some patrons actually bring a cardboard cutout of "Edward"/Robert Pattinson with which to dine - and be photographed!)
I'll post some photos from the duck tour and the ferry at the bottom of the page. Enjoy!
1 comment:
At least there was actually a ferry to board where the GPS trail led you and you didn't decide to go all "U-boat" with your rental. :)
The library in Seattle looks and sounds amazing. Glad you got to check it out.
I was in Seattle for a few days last year for a conference in the spring and let's just say the weather was not as nice as what you have had, so I didn't do much exploring. I did have wonderful hot mini-donuts at the famous Fish Market, and went to the original Starbucks and the Nordstrom flagship store, but your experience seems to have been much more fun and informative. :-)
Hope the Olympic Peninsula treats you well.
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