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kknightI spent the nights of November 13 and 14 at a friend's house. It was comfortable and quiet, unlike my uncle's house. She left early in the morning to go to work and a bit later I left to catch a train into Seattle. When I mentioned that idea to my friend she didn't know anything about a train. Fortunately, I'd done my research and knew that the station wasn't far away. I found my way there with only minor difficulties. The train was there and waiting when I arrived, although not boarding yet.
Soon it was time to get on the train and eventually it left the station. If I remember correctly the ride was something like an hour and a quarter. It was comfortable and ever so much less stressful than trying to drive into Seattle. I positively hate doing that and it seems to be worse every time I'm there. Looking out the window I managed to spot The Mountain (AKA Mt Rainier). My mother had made me promise multiple times that I would say hello to The Mountain for her, so I thought "hello" at it. It failed to respond and went back into hiding soon after. I saw it again a little bit on the way home, but through the train window was the only view I had of it. Can you see it in this photo?
I arrived in Seattle and walked from the train station to Pike Place Market. The first time I can remember going there was when I was 15, most of 42 years ago. Thinking about it that way makes me feel old.
I promptly headed for my Mee Sum, my favorite Asian pastry shop. I bought a bagful of sesame balls, pineapple buns, and coconut dream buns. Sesame balls and pineapple buns can be bought from the pastry shop in Washington DC's Chinatown but they don't taste nearly as good as the ones at Mee Sum.
After that I made a more methodical wander through the market. I wanted to check out artist Ed Newbold's booth. He's been at the market for thirty-some years and I've been buying his prints for a good many of them. This time I was looking for a print to go in a frame with pretty blue matting that I'd bought at the local Habitat for Humanity ReStore a while ago. I ended up with this print featuring swallows. I got a print for Crazy Mother for her birthday as well. I also needed to buy lots of tea and a few spices from MarketSpice I've been buying tea from them for about 25 years, since back in the days of pre-internet mail order where I sent them a filled out form and a check and they mailed me tea in return. I find it ever so much more satisfying to buy it in person but they no longer keep all their teas in stock at the store at the market. I bought some other odds and ends as well, but those were my real targets. Somewhere in the middle I went to the Thai restaurant Jasmine and had Bathing Rama for lunch. Bathing Rama is chunks of chicken and veggies in a peanuty sauce. I've never found it anywhere else, so I always have to go have it when I'm in Seattle. Other Thai restaurants sometimes make a dish called Swimming Rama. That has some similarities but isn't the same thing at all. They don't always have it on the menu when I go, but they're always willing to make it for me. If I ever get there and find that restaurant gone I will be sorely disappointed.
I took quite a few photos, although I somehow didn't bother taking a photo of Marketspice.
A produce stand.
Crabs & shrimp
I bought some really good hot sauce from this stand
Billie, the pig at the back of the market. Rachel, the big piggy bank pig at the front of the market is the famous one that is supposed to bring luck if you put in a donation and rub her snout, but she had too many people around her for me to get a photo this time. Billie is cute and a new addition since the last time I was there. They both collect money for the local social services agencies.
There is a nice view of the Olympic mountain range from the backside of the market.
I was surprised to see a big ferris wheel on the waterfront. That's definitely new since the last time I was there.
The aquarium. I'm pretty sure it was brown last time, but it is green now. It is too bad I didn't have time to visit it on this trip.
And this is where the Alaskan WayViaduct used to be. It was a major highway raised up in the air that went through between the market and the waterfront. It got replaced by a long tunnel and all that was left was some dirt and construction equipment.
I spent too much time at the market and didn't end up with much time to do anything else. I made a quick stop at Uwajimaya, the big Japanese store to look for a couple of things, but didn't find them and another quick stop at the Japanese dollar store Daiso where I got a couple things but had to make a quick retreat back to the train station so that I'd get back in time to have dinner with my friend. We went out to a Thai restaurant that was delicious. It was terrible to have to eat Thai food twice in one day. (Not!)
There were so many other things I'd like to have done in Seattle, but I only had time for one day there, so shopping and eating were what got done. (In the end I did spend a piece of another day in Seattle but that's a different story. I'll get to it soon.)
Soon it was time to get on the train and eventually it left the station. If I remember correctly the ride was something like an hour and a quarter. It was comfortable and ever so much less stressful than trying to drive into Seattle. I positively hate doing that and it seems to be worse every time I'm there. Looking out the window I managed to spot The Mountain (AKA Mt Rainier). My mother had made me promise multiple times that I would say hello to The Mountain for her, so I thought "hello" at it. It failed to respond and went back into hiding soon after. I saw it again a little bit on the way home, but through the train window was the only view I had of it. Can you see it in this photo?
I arrived in Seattle and walked from the train station to Pike Place Market. The first time I can remember going there was when I was 15, most of 42 years ago. Thinking about it that way makes me feel old.
I promptly headed for my Mee Sum, my favorite Asian pastry shop. I bought a bagful of sesame balls, pineapple buns, and coconut dream buns. Sesame balls and pineapple buns can be bought from the pastry shop in Washington DC's Chinatown but they don't taste nearly as good as the ones at Mee Sum.
After that I made a more methodical wander through the market. I wanted to check out artist Ed Newbold's booth. He's been at the market for thirty-some years and I've been buying his prints for a good many of them. This time I was looking for a print to go in a frame with pretty blue matting that I'd bought at the local Habitat for Humanity ReStore a while ago. I ended up with this print featuring swallows. I got a print for Crazy Mother for her birthday as well. I also needed to buy lots of tea and a few spices from MarketSpice I've been buying tea from them for about 25 years, since back in the days of pre-internet mail order where I sent them a filled out form and a check and they mailed me tea in return. I find it ever so much more satisfying to buy it in person but they no longer keep all their teas in stock at the store at the market. I bought some other odds and ends as well, but those were my real targets. Somewhere in the middle I went to the Thai restaurant Jasmine and had Bathing Rama for lunch. Bathing Rama is chunks of chicken and veggies in a peanuty sauce. I've never found it anywhere else, so I always have to go have it when I'm in Seattle. Other Thai restaurants sometimes make a dish called Swimming Rama. That has some similarities but isn't the same thing at all. They don't always have it on the menu when I go, but they're always willing to make it for me. If I ever get there and find that restaurant gone I will be sorely disappointed.
I took quite a few photos, although I somehow didn't bother taking a photo of Marketspice.
A produce stand.
Crabs & shrimp
I bought some really good hot sauce from this stand
Billie, the pig at the back of the market. Rachel, the big piggy bank pig at the front of the market is the famous one that is supposed to bring luck if you put in a donation and rub her snout, but she had too many people around her for me to get a photo this time. Billie is cute and a new addition since the last time I was there. They both collect money for the local social services agencies.
There is a nice view of the Olympic mountain range from the backside of the market.
I was surprised to see a big ferris wheel on the waterfront. That's definitely new since the last time I was there.
The aquarium. I'm pretty sure it was brown last time, but it is green now. It is too bad I didn't have time to visit it on this trip.
And this is where the Alaskan WayViaduct used to be. It was a major highway raised up in the air that went through between the market and the waterfront. It got replaced by a long tunnel and all that was left was some dirt and construction equipment.
I spent too much time at the market and didn't end up with much time to do anything else. I made a quick stop at Uwajimaya, the big Japanese store to look for a couple of things, but didn't find them and another quick stop at the Japanese dollar store Daiso where I got a couple things but had to make a quick retreat back to the train station so that I'd get back in time to have dinner with my friend. We went out to a Thai restaurant that was delicious. It was terrible to have to eat Thai food twice in one day. (Not!)
There were so many other things I'd like to have done in Seattle, but I only had time for one day there, so shopping and eating were what got done. (In the end I did spend a piece of another day in Seattle but that's a different story. I'll get to it soon.)