I was in Seattle for the very first time last week. I was really excited and curious leading up to my visit. The only thing I knew about Seattle up until that point was that Starbucks originated there.
As I was there for work, I had to wait a couple days before I had an opportunity to explore. However, after a week in Orlando, I was immediately struck by the temperature difference and the crispness of the air.
I also loved the drive from the airport to downtown. While it was long, the highways are lined with gorgeous, tall pine trees and lots of greenery. It reminded me a bit of Switzerland.
During my first opportunity to break away, I headed over to the Chihuly Museum and Space Needle. I didn’t realize that they are actually next to each other! As I was visiting on a Thursday afternoon, it was extremely easy to purchase my tickets at the kiosk outside the museum.
As I mentioned, I did not know much about Seattle prior to visiting. So I quickly learned that Chihuly was from Washington. Upon entry to the museum, I immediately fell in love. The glass work, the sheer size of the pieces, the vibrant colors – everything was incredible. I could have stayed there for hours!
Chihuly learned the art of glasswork during his time studying at the University of Wisconsin. He has pieces included in over 200 museums around the world. And interestingly, during one of the videos I watched inside the museum, he talked about thinking during the creative process. He felt that if he had to think about it too much, it wasn’t going to turn out well. I found that to be so interesting!
The museum led to an outdoor garden that included more of Chihuly’s glass work. Given that the Space Needle was next door, I was able to grab some incredible photos that included both of these iconic, Seattle staples!
I did have to leave eventually, but it was hard to do so. I felt so happy being amongst these incredibly beautiful pieces of art and glass.
The next day, before I headed to the airport, a colleague and I ventured over to the famous fish market and the original Starbucks. The weather was gorgeous and sunny, and the market was incredibly crowded! We entered to see all sorts of vendors – way more than just fish!
The market has multiple levels and is incredibly long with lots to see and buy. I also appreciated how many Chinese vendors and items were available. It brought me back to my time studying abroad in Beijing.
We even got to see an authentic (well sort of authentic) fish toss! It was awesome!
After seeing the flying fish, we sought out the original Starbucks. Somehow, we stumbled upon the “gum wall” during our journey. It started in the 1990s and is an extremely colorful and strangely artistic display of hundreds of thousands of pieces of gum.
Eventually, we made it to the original Starbucks. There was a line around the block, so I didn’t have a chance to explore more closely. From what I did see, it’s amazing how much Starbucks has evolved from its original creation.
All in all, I fell in love with this city. As I only had a little taste of its awesomeness, I have to return. Not only for the Starbucks, but I want to catch a fish myself!
Until next time…
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