Part of a series from the travelog of my trip to Seattle in October 2022.
Took my time getting up. 7+ hours of sleep is something magical.
Got up, coffee and travel cashews, shower, out. Ham & Swiss croissant at Besalu with Americano. Go time.
Walked down Ballard below Leary toward Fremont. Goal, Gasworks Park. Saw the back side of Leary; industry and ships. Boat ramps. Homeless camps. Missed a few buses, but found a pocket knife at a sporting goods store. Better than my Rite-Aid boxcutter.
Kept walking down Leary due to missing buses. Dying 7-Eleven with empty shelves. No bathroom. Burger joint, drive-thru only. Block probably slated for redevelopment. Ballard.
In my soggy ambles, I walked into a Fred Meyer. It was at once ghetto and uppity. It’s like a Walmart but also a hardware store, bank, health clinic, phone store, and grocery. Even before walking in the door, there was a homeless couple arguing, and what can be best described as a desperate addict casually walking down the sidewalk with a stack of beeping shoeboxes. Concerned onlookers with quizzical faces. I just needed to piss.
After masking up, because the hallway to the johns was way foul, I could finally do the biz. Doubled back and found some granola bars I’d need to finish out the week.
Made my way out, walked through some sketch shit until the next 40 bus. 40 saved me?
Pivot and survive. Seattle, y’all trippin’.
Finally, Fremont. Rain. Slow, light, incessant rain. You get used to it. Decided to rent a scooter for the last mile to Gasworks.
What a great park. It’s minimal on perks and facilities, but it’s got a great view of Union Lake north of downtown. Despite the rain and wind, I got some great pix.
Rain. You just get used to it.
The sundial up on Kite Hill was missing its gnomon — I hope that’s just seasonal.
Geese everywhere. Also, goose shit. So much goose shit.
Scooted back to Fremont, walked across the Fremont drawbridge. Too cool.
After some missed buses, back to Ballard, now I’m cooling my heels at this bar called Lock & Keel. Maritime themed. One of the last local bars of this type. A few beers, some snack chips, a friendly bartender that reminded me so much of my ex-roomate Pat. Walk home.
Who knows what tonight brings. Drinking, walking, packing? Tomorrow — migrate to my next AirBnB in Cap Hill.
Change and flux. Seattle.
After reheating yakisoba and watching Episode 4 of “The Sandman”, I knew I shouldn’t bitch out and stay in the rest of the night. Despite the cold and rain, I left at 8:30 back to Ballard Ave to find a dive for drinks, pix, & scrolling. Found the Sunset Tavern, because the clientele was mixed, and it didn’t feel too uppity or brotherhoodish (both very real problems here). Live bands in the back room; I stayed in the front. Two Jack & Cokes, $20. Happy, I slogged uphill to 7-Eleven for snacks. Now home, once again, before the rain really let loose…once again.
Fucking Seattle.