Weather: The morning was cloudy with spots of rain, though it was still hot. In the afternoon the sun came out, the rain stopped, and fluffy white clouds appeared.
Not having the greatest nights sleep I headed down for the breakfast, that was included with my hostel stay (toast ... yum), and then out into Seattle. My first stop was the Pike Place Market, which so happened to be the first place to go in my guidebook and the closest to my hostel. The market was okay, there were loads of fish stalls with hundreds of crabs waiting to be purchased (I actually like crab; had it in a Spanish restaurant). The market had that old, authentic feeling and I liked that. However the main pull was the Starbucks that was located here. This is no normal Starbucks, its the first Starbucks store to open in the world ... yes that's right, Starbucks started in Seattle. I went in and had a hot chocolate (as I don't like coffee) which was minging and came out again. This trip to Starbucks has doubled the times I've been in one and I have never been in one in the UK (can anyone guess the other location? ... it's in my blog somewhere).
When I was in the Starbucks there was a huge group of people, therefore there was a bit of a delay in getting my drink. The cashier, thinking that she had to say something due to me waiting around, decided to ask me a question about the UK ... major mistake:
"... So errr ... in the UK, is it only London that uses the pound?..."
Of course love, the rest of us still barter using livestock and possibly, if you're lucky, the French Frank. She was nice enough, however I could see why she was a cashier in Starbucks.
After this I headed to the Space Needle, the most iconic building within Seattle. The Space Needle was cool, I didn't go up it as I had been up towers in Vancouver and Toronto; however the area around the needle looked like it was closed. I walked around for a bit, found a good water fountain, and then headed back to my hostel.
After a freshen up and a drink I headed along the harbour front; it was okay but the Vancouver and Halifax harbour fronts are much nicer.
After the walk I went right to the southern part of town to find Pioneer Square, (which I went through yesterday ... it's quite nice and old) Chinatown and the baseball stadium.
On approaching, what I thought was, the baseball ground I inquired into tickets only to be told this was the football ground (I did wonder why there were painted 'hawks' all over the 'Seattle Marines Baseball ground') and that the baseball ground was next door. I asked her when the next American football game was on and she said July ... damn.
Once at the actual baseball ground I again enquired into tickets only to be told that the next game was on Friday. I explained that I was leaving on Friday and I really wanted to catch a game before then; the lady went away and found some information on a lower league side, located not too far from Seattle (Everett), that was playing tomorrow ... brilliant, I'll check it out. Before I left, the ticket guy in the booth next to her, looked at my cap and said that he too was a Mclaren fan ... about time the Americans got into a real sport.
I left the ground, pretty chuffed, to find Chinatown. I almost missed the area as it was so small and, to be frank, not allot was going on compared to Vancouver's China town. I have to say that this 'top 10 Seattle' guidebook is either rubbish (as the 5 areas I have visited today we okay, but not great) or there isn't allot in Seattle.
I then got back to my hostel in time to find out that I will be sharing my dorm with two old Chinese ladies that could not speak a word of English. I'm in a bottom bunk bed and one of the Chinese ladies wanted me to let her have my bed and for me to move to a top bunk (not likely grandma ... I like it here). I left them to their Chinese ramblings as I headed down for the free evening meal the hostel was putting on; it turned out to be taco, which was very nice indeed.
Tomorrow I need to find out if I can purchase a ticket for this baseball game (as the online ticket system doesn't seem to be working ... fingers crossed) then, depending on this, I'll plan my day around that.
Toodle Pip!
P.S. Just checking my average and I think it's gone up AGAIN (£52.98). How ... how is this possible, I've been pretty good ... doh!
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