here are the things I have done in Seattle
Here I am in Seattle. Tomorrow I leave for Vancouver and my first experience of Canadia. We had massive burritos at five o' clock but now I'm hungry again and I'm awake alone and don't know if there is anything I can eat.
Thursday I flew from San Francisco to Seattle. My plane was nearly two hours delayed and the security people were mean to me even though I didn't beep. The flight itself was quite fine (despite drinking a can of disgusting Miller Lite because it was free) and I admired Mount St Helens and Mount Rainier as we got into Washington state. I was to stay with Gavin and Heather, friends of many years from Scotland who moved here about a year ago for a new life (Heather is American if you don't know her, but not from here). The landscape reminds me of Germany round here; plenty of pine trees but not really wet, cold or northern enough to look like Scandinavia or Scotland. Gavin picked me up at the airport, which was nice.
Gavin's parents were visiting from Motherwell and they were very pleasant, but they mainly did their own tourist things. Thursday night was a bit of a let down as we went to an industrial dancing night called Mekanismus, but it was more of a gig and hardly anybody turned up. First was an awful jock band called SV (Stinky Valentine or something inane) who made dreadful slightly industrial nu metal rock music for toughguys who are good at American football. He told us to fuck ourselves because we sat down (wanker!). Then was SMP, a quite professional if still dodgy rap industrial rock band, who were not so annoying. The singer came up to me and Gavin and tried to chat us up and we were polite. Then we tried to do some jumpstyle before the club closed early. After we took rickshaws up a steep hill to the NocNoc (like "knock knock") bar where we discovered we'd missed a burlesque night and it was nearly empty. Then Heather fell over and got locked in the toilets and we had to leave.
Friday Gavin was all hangovering from drinking Heather's comedy cocktails, but I was fine as I'd stuck to beer. Heather was also fine and took me in town for a bit, where we saw the famous Pike Place market, with the fish throwing and endless flower stall; the wall of chewing gums, and the curiosity shop on the waterfront. Then we went round the neighbours, Anita and Jeff, and had a civilised dinner party evening, which was lovely, and Gavin's dad told funny stories but the three kids were quite shy. Then after the kids went to bed and also Gav's folks, as they had an early flight home, things got quite drunken. It rained for the first time in my trip and was a welcome reminder of home.
Saturday it was Heather's turn for a hangover (I was still fine) so Gavin and I went into town, where we found that the Klondike National Historical Park was merely a tiny museum more like a shop, and the Occidental Park Art Walk was a square with a couple of totem poles and a statue of some heroic firemen. Then we went on the Seattle underground tour which was very good, with a guide woman who was quite the stand-up comedian, and it was good to discover that the Seattle sense of humour is almost as self-deprecating as the British. It was mainly about how Seattle had built up after the fire of 1889 (?), so the old street level is now basement level, and we saw some curious things under the newer streets. Then Heather picked us up and we went to eat dinner at the vegan Squid and Ink cafe, where the food was delicious and the ale rather good. While still eating the gig started and we watched the first band as such, which was odd. Throne of Bones were quite good death metal, with a rather good looking singer lad, but not so much audience. Then Neighbo-rhood Stars were a guitar and drums instrumental noise rock/grindcore act who did some really interesting things and were rather exciting, despite almost nobody watching them. Then Sei Hexe were a three girl noise rock band from Portland, Oregon, who had some decent tunes and mad rocking out sections, although the vocals were too quiet. The headliner was Asymmetric Warfare, and suddenly the place was rammed with crusty punks, and I was quite pissed off that these people didn't come to watch the earlier bands. They played fast old-school hardcore punk and the crowd got quite over excited; it was lots of fun although I did get knocked off a stool while taking photos and bruised my bottom and spilled Gavin's pint. Then we left and didn't talk to anybody and got drunk at home.
Sunday was our day of outdoor adventures, although we didn't get up as early as would have been good. We got out about 1pm and picked up Gavin's workmate Kristy, and then it took us nearly three hours to get to the Mount Rainier National Park after taking a wrong turn and Gav getting done for speeding by a park ranger. We went to the Sunrise visitors' centre and had a stunning view of the glaciers on Rainier and the densely forested smaller mountains surrounding. After a picnic we only had time for a swift hour's walk around gentle slopes of exotic Alpine flowers and sparse grasses, which was a bit of a shame but it was really impressive to be up there. Heather having to go to work was the reason we had limited time, and after dropping her off at her casino in Auburn, not far from Seattle, we headed back into town for a comedy show. Arriving at the Tost bar in Fremont we found the weekly event was cancelled, so we ate pizza and then went to the Capitol Hill part of town, where cool alternative/indie types are said to frequent. First Kristy took us to this bar the Chapel, an impressive building with neo-classical columns, but inside a poser bar with cocktails and handbag house music and a DJ playing to almost nobody. Then we went to the Bus Stop bar, a much more agreeable small arty pub, where we found it was karaoke night, hosted by a black drag queen fellow. I sang "Do You Want To Touch?" by Gary Glitter, which was rather exciting and I won a record called "Two Tons O' Fun" by two large soul ladies.
Then we had to leave and drop Kristy before going to Heather's casino. It was massive and busy and rather intimidating. I have no time for gambling as I am far too pessimistic and disapprove of money-grabbing activities in general. We sat at Heather's bar and got drunk and played a silly poker video game set in the bar which went on for ages but ended up in no win. The casino is called Muckleshoot after the local native American tribe, and you are allowed to smoke in these places run by natives, but I didn't notice any of them working there. It was fun until they made us finish our drinks over an hour before Heather was due to leave and then we had to drink orange juice and hot chocolate. Then I got into a bit of a panic and freaked out about how awful all these serious faced people playing poker are and all the scary slot machines in endless vast rows and desperate bastards pressing buttons on them. Then Heather drove us home and it was a late bedtime.
Today, Monday, was a late start and then Gavin took me to Fremont again where we enjoyed the Gasworks park and I made many interesting photos of the old disused industrial structures and machinery. We also looked at the troll under the bridge and the statue of Lenin, before eating massive burritos. Then went to the downtown and had a quick look at the famous library building, before visiting the Pike Place brewery pub to sample some fine ales and learn about the history of beer. Then we came back and Gavin showed me some music before his early night in bed as he starts his new job tomorrow (he is an English teacher).
I am mostly having very good times but I start to feel depressed at times, maybe because I am getting tired from too much excitement; but various things make me think about how much I miss Emma, worries about trying to find a job and also about how I'm rubbish at music and will probably never achieve anything in that area. Shit, fuck and wank! Oh well, still three more cities and two weeks to go, more adventures to be enjoyed before I have to face up to the realities of my rubbish life! Thanks for reading, you set of massive bastards!
Thursday I flew from San Francisco to Seattle. My plane was nearly two hours delayed and the security people were mean to me even though I didn't beep. The flight itself was quite fine (despite drinking a can of disgusting Miller Lite because it was free) and I admired Mount St Helens and Mount Rainier as we got into Washington state. I was to stay with Gavin and Heather, friends of many years from Scotland who moved here about a year ago for a new life (Heather is American if you don't know her, but not from here). The landscape reminds me of Germany round here; plenty of pine trees but not really wet, cold or northern enough to look like Scandinavia or Scotland. Gavin picked me up at the airport, which was nice.
Gavin's parents were visiting from Motherwell and they were very pleasant, but they mainly did their own tourist things. Thursday night was a bit of a let down as we went to an industrial dancing night called Mekanismus, but it was more of a gig and hardly anybody turned up. First was an awful jock band called SV (Stinky Valentine or something inane) who made dreadful slightly industrial nu metal rock music for toughguys who are good at American football. He told us to fuck ourselves because we sat down (wanker!). Then was SMP, a quite professional if still dodgy rap industrial rock band, who were not so annoying. The singer came up to me and Gavin and tried to chat us up and we were polite. Then we tried to do some jumpstyle before the club closed early. After we took rickshaws up a steep hill to the NocNoc (like "knock knock") bar where we discovered we'd missed a burlesque night and it was nearly empty. Then Heather fell over and got locked in the toilets and we had to leave.
Friday Gavin was all hangovering from drinking Heather's comedy cocktails, but I was fine as I'd stuck to beer. Heather was also fine and took me in town for a bit, where we saw the famous Pike Place market, with the fish throwing and endless flower stall; the wall of chewing gums, and the curiosity shop on the waterfront. Then we went round the neighbours, Anita and Jeff, and had a civilised dinner party evening, which was lovely, and Gavin's dad told funny stories but the three kids were quite shy. Then after the kids went to bed and also Gav's folks, as they had an early flight home, things got quite drunken. It rained for the first time in my trip and was a welcome reminder of home.
Saturday it was Heather's turn for a hangover (I was still fine) so Gavin and I went into town, where we found that the Klondike National Historical Park was merely a tiny museum more like a shop, and the Occidental Park Art Walk was a square with a couple of totem poles and a statue of some heroic firemen. Then we went on the Seattle underground tour which was very good, with a guide woman who was quite the stand-up comedian, and it was good to discover that the Seattle sense of humour is almost as self-deprecating as the British. It was mainly about how Seattle had built up after the fire of 1889 (?), so the old street level is now basement level, and we saw some curious things under the newer streets. Then Heather picked us up and we went to eat dinner at the vegan Squid and Ink cafe, where the food was delicious and the ale rather good. While still eating the gig started and we watched the first band as such, which was odd. Throne of Bones were quite good death metal, with a rather good looking singer lad, but not so much audience. Then Neighbo-rhood Stars were a guitar and drums instrumental noise rock/grindcore act who did some really interesting things and were rather exciting, despite almost nobody watching them. Then Sei Hexe were a three girl noise rock band from Portland, Oregon, who had some decent tunes and mad rocking out sections, although the vocals were too quiet. The headliner was Asymmetric Warfare, and suddenly the place was rammed with crusty punks, and I was quite pissed off that these people didn't come to watch the earlier bands. They played fast old-school hardcore punk and the crowd got quite over excited; it was lots of fun although I did get knocked off a stool while taking photos and bruised my bottom and spilled Gavin's pint. Then we left and didn't talk to anybody and got drunk at home.
Sunday was our day of outdoor adventures, although we didn't get up as early as would have been good. We got out about 1pm and picked up Gavin's workmate Kristy, and then it took us nearly three hours to get to the Mount Rainier National Park after taking a wrong turn and Gav getting done for speeding by a park ranger. We went to the Sunrise visitors' centre and had a stunning view of the glaciers on Rainier and the densely forested smaller mountains surrounding. After a picnic we only had time for a swift hour's walk around gentle slopes of exotic Alpine flowers and sparse grasses, which was a bit of a shame but it was really impressive to be up there. Heather having to go to work was the reason we had limited time, and after dropping her off at her casino in Auburn, not far from Seattle, we headed back into town for a comedy show. Arriving at the Tost bar in Fremont we found the weekly event was cancelled, so we ate pizza and then went to the Capitol Hill part of town, where cool alternative/indie types are said to frequent. First Kristy took us to this bar the Chapel, an impressive building with neo-classical columns, but inside a poser bar with cocktails and handbag house music and a DJ playing to almost nobody. Then we went to the Bus Stop bar, a much more agreeable small arty pub, where we found it was karaoke night, hosted by a black drag queen fellow. I sang "Do You Want To Touch?" by Gary Glitter, which was rather exciting and I won a record called "Two Tons O' Fun" by two large soul ladies.
Then we had to leave and drop Kristy before going to Heather's casino. It was massive and busy and rather intimidating. I have no time for gambling as I am far too pessimistic and disapprove of money-grabbing activities in general. We sat at Heather's bar and got drunk and played a silly poker video game set in the bar which went on for ages but ended up in no win. The casino is called Muckleshoot after the local native American tribe, and you are allowed to smoke in these places run by natives, but I didn't notice any of them working there. It was fun until they made us finish our drinks over an hour before Heather was due to leave and then we had to drink orange juice and hot chocolate. Then I got into a bit of a panic and freaked out about how awful all these serious faced people playing poker are and all the scary slot machines in endless vast rows and desperate bastards pressing buttons on them. Then Heather drove us home and it was a late bedtime.
Today, Monday, was a late start and then Gavin took me to Fremont again where we enjoyed the Gasworks park and I made many interesting photos of the old disused industrial structures and machinery. We also looked at the troll under the bridge and the statue of Lenin, before eating massive burritos. Then went to the downtown and had a quick look at the famous library building, before visiting the Pike Place brewery pub to sample some fine ales and learn about the history of beer. Then we came back and Gavin showed me some music before his early night in bed as he starts his new job tomorrow (he is an English teacher).
I am mostly having very good times but I start to feel depressed at times, maybe because I am getting tired from too much excitement; but various things make me think about how much I miss Emma, worries about trying to find a job and also about how I'm rubbish at music and will probably never achieve anything in that area. Shit, fuck and wank! Oh well, still three more cities and two weeks to go, more adventures to be enjoyed before I have to face up to the realities of my rubbish life! Thanks for reading, you set of massive bastards!