This Little Piggy Went to Market

Originally Posted:
Sunday, June 29, 2008
10:01:00 PM CDT
Feeling Adventurous
Hearing Cars driving by


This has been a jam packed weekend. I've got lots of photos to post.

All of the travel guides and online sources I've read all said the same thing: when the sun is shining, people from Seattle are outside making the most of it. SO TRUE. There were people EVERYWHERE this weekend. Yesterday (Saturday) was beautiful, but hot. Today was the same, only hotter and even sunnier. It got up to 89 degrees here! Whew weee!

I started my day by going to Pike's Place Market--- the oldest continuously running farmer's market in the US. What a treat! Even though it was shoulder to shoulder with people, just seeing all the beautiful cut flowers made me not mind the chaos. I gingerly walked up and down the stalls, went downstairs, out for a view of the lake, and then I found the original Starbucks- The one that started it all. With a refreshing cold beverage in hand, I made my way back through the market and watched the guys at Pike's Place Fish Market throw seafood for a while. It's a show, I tell you! When something is bought, the guy out front yells what it is, then the guys in the back sing it back to him, then the guy out front tosses the item (let's say a crab) over the counter up to the guys in the back for them to pack and wrap it. Talk about a system. Most of the guys wear hip waders because it gets so wet (all the seafood is iced down which then drips...and flying seafood also causes a wet floor too!). I bought a 1/2 lb of Rainer cherries which I munched on throughout the day...so good! Perfect cherries! I want more!!!

After the Market, I decided to take the recommendation of my coworkers and go up to the Chittenden Locks. They gave me a list of things to do on Friday; I hope my summer here gives me enough weekends to do all they said! This also gave me the opportunity to experiment with the bus system. The great thing about Seattle's bus drivers is that if you tell them that you need navigational help and to let you know when to get off at the stop to where ever it is that you are going, they do their best to take care of you....well, except for this one guy...but I'll get to him later.

The #43 bus driver told me to take his bus or take the #17. I decided that I'd take the #43 since the bus driver promised to get me to the right place to transfer and ended up getting the grand tour of Seattle. He didn't tell me #17 is a direct route to Ballard...no, I found that out later. Anyway, I was glad that I got the scenic tour because it gave me a chance to go through the different districts including the Univ. District, Montlake, Fremont, Wallingford, and Ballard. All these little communities have their own identity and uniqueness, yet they are all so very "Seattle." After changing busses, and finishing my 45 minute scenic bus ride, I finally got to the Locks.

I stepped into the park and no sooner than I crossed the gates, I heard a bebopping band playing a jazzy tune. There was a 30 piece band set up in the park and lots of people sitting around in groups and laying on blankets. Oh, what a perfect day! It was quite picturesque (although, come to think of it, I didn’t get any pictures of it!!). I made my way to the locks and found a couple to ask what was going on right now (there was stirring on the other side of the water, so I knew something was going to happen). They were lining boats up so the gate could be closed, the water pumped out of the lock, then the boats could sail through from the Lake Washington side, to the Puget Sound side. After the not-so-exciting-letting-out-of-the-water thing happened, I went to the fish ladder to see if the salmon were swimming upstream. No such luck today. Maybe later in the summer.

Okay…now I had to find a bus to go back into downtown. This is always the tricky part for me. I’m good at getting places, but it’s the getting back that throws me for a loop. After visiting a quilt store for my sister, I found a bus stop and waited. And waited. And waited. Sheesh…it’s hot and I’m pooped out. Finally a bus came, then I switched to another bus, then I had to transfer to another bus so I could go to the grocery on my way home. And I waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. Then I ate my cherries while I waited. Then I waited some more. FINALLY! This damn bus came. I told the driver I need to know when to get off at Trader Joe’s , but he didn’t let me know, so I ended up riding the whole way to his resting point where he proceeded to open the doors, turn around and look at me (I was the only one on the bus), and say, “Last stop.” I said, “I’m supposed to be going to Trader Joe’s” He turns is full body to me and says in a very sarcastic tone, “Are you visually impaired?” to which I replied in the same tone, “Are you a smart ass?” We worked it out--- he was a frazzled bus driver and I couldn’t be too mad at him. He got me to Trader Joe’s and I finally, finally, finally got home.

My lesson from this weekend? Riding the bus to work during the week is just fine, but one the weekends, a car is a must. I wasted too much time waiting for the bus. I’ve got things to do and see by golly!