Playing Tourist

I've wanted to to take Gavin to the Pike Place Market for a while but since I don't want to pay $20 for parking (or find free parking and hoof it for a mile uphill) and since I HATE taking a bus with a stroller (a must for a kid who wants to be held by his mama who is already carrying a baby) we've just not gone.

But then light rail opened... and now we have an easy way to get to the market - the Westlake Center stop is only 5 blocks from the market. Of course, we didn't go straight to the market. First we stopped to see Ryan in his new office in his new building. Click here to see some photos from our day.

Now I do like the light rail but I have to beefs with them and both are related to the bus tunnel (or as Ryan calls it the Transit Tunnel).


#1. Elevators. There are elevators. That's good. There are signs to point you to elevators which is also good but once you leave the bus tunnel and are on the street level there are no signs to point you back to the entrances with elevators. That is REALLY annoying.


#2. Elevators. There are elevators. That's good. There are too many elevators. Sort of. There are 3 levels that the elevators service - the platform where the buses and trains are, the mezzanine - where you can cross over the roadway the buses and trains use to go the other direction and access to some stores and the third level - the street at ground level. To get from the platform to the street you have find the nearest elevator and wait for the super duper slow elevator and go up one level. Then you get off the elevator and find the next elevator and repeat.


Long story less long: we made it to the market.

I took a few pictures, walked past my favorite cheese store and realized I walked past my favorite cheese store so I turned around, got in line and bought some cheese curds. YUM. Some may know them by another name, squeaky cheese (it kind of makes squeaky sounds when you chew it). Gavin ate a few bits but then spit the rest out. That's just what he does now. He'll try it and if he doesn't like it out it comes - or if he feels he's had enough he'll spit whatever is left in his mouth that he doesn't want to swallow.

After walking around for about 15 minutes he wanted out of his stroller. After about 2 minutes he decided he didn't want to hold my hand so he went back in his stroller. 10 more minutes in the stroller and he was d-o-n-e. Therefore we were done.

Our big day - no make that - our big hour - at the market. It was fun but I think the next time we go I may reconsider going during a peak tourist season even it is fun to see people from all over the world enjoying our city so much (even if they all stick to Pike Place just to see flying fish and the original Starbucks). To show a French couple how lovely Americans, especially Seattlites are, I offered to take a picture of both of them in front of the Pike Place Market sign as they were taking turns taking pictures of each other.


When we arrived at our home station there was a man walking up the street with his shirt halfway unbuttoned (and he's not a someone who should feel like taking those kinds of liberties - even on a warm day). Dude - if I'm 7 months pregnant and have to wear a shirt so should you. When we got home there was that same guy but this time he stopped to ask me if he could ask me a question.

I knew what his question was going to be but before he got around to asking the question he had a story to tell about being out of gas and his car being ticketed and ready to be towed. Of course he also had to assure me he tried getting help at the churches and yada yada yada. Could I spare some change?


Sorry, no. I'll buy something to eat for people hanging outside the grocery store but I don't like giving money to strangers, especially from someone asking me as I'm heading up the stairs to my house! He'll know where to come ask for more at a future date and I never know who to believe. Argh. I don't normally get upset about people asking me for money but it was in front of my house!

So I guess we had the full tourist experience although getting hit up for money happens everywhere - just more often in the city. Some days the suburbs don't look so bad.