Low Life and High Times

Trip Start Jun 18, 2005
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Trip End Jan 01, 2006


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Flag of United States  , Washington,
Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Two months ago today I was flying over the Arctic Circle on my way back home to Seattle. And a month from now summer is pfffft outta here for the year. For the kids, school looms ahead, in fact, my Florida grandkids are already back to the books.

Time to grab a few days of No Work, All Play. Arrangements made: Matthew and Me on Monday. We'll spend the day doing something we've never done before. One good thing about living in a big city -- you never seem to get around to doing everything. And so, the challenge. Try!

"I'll pick you up at 9 AM" I said on the phone. "Be ready for some walking." I didn't tell him of my plan, but in my head I'd named our day already. Seattle Lows and Highs. In 25 years of living here, I had never been on Bill Spiedel's Underground Tour 396 A perfect start
396 A perfect start
 . That would be our LOW. Last winter I had occasion to attend a dinner at the top of the Columbia Tower, highest building west of the Mississippi, and was enamored of the view. I knew there was an Observation Deck there, so decided on that for our HIGH. I also wanted to check in at Seattle's OLDEST skyscraper, awesome in its time but now the short-stuff Smith Tower, and our BRAND-NEW Public Library, which is drawing rave reviews from all over the world for its innovative design.

All of these attractions were within a few blocks of one another in the heart of downtown. A snap, I thought, even for me and my hobble-walk. (I forgot about the HILLS.)

I headed for Matthew's house, to pick up my fifth-born grandson, for a day of Just Him and Me.

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397 Downtown parking 397 Downtown parking 398 Don't spit 398 Don't spit 399 Different? You gotta be kidding 399 Different? You gotta be kidding 400 Although 400 Although
401 Shades of Pac Man 401 Shades of Pac Man 402 Classic Seattle 402 Classic Seattle 403 So what did you expect? 403 So what did you expect? 404 Sam that was 404 Sam that was
405 Underfoot 405 Underfoot 406 Filtered daylight 406 Filtered daylight 407 Probably not the original sign 407 Probably not the original sign 408 Up for a breather 408 Up for a breather
409 Well I'll be darned! 409 Well I'll be darned! 410 Held the record for years 410 Held the record for years 411 New record holder 411 New record holder 412 Sewing Circles 412 Sewing Circles
413 Mr Crapper 413 Mr Crapper 414 The Pergola 414 The Pergola 415 Life before Starbucks and Microsoft 415 Life before Starbucks and Microsoft 416 Before HP 416 Before HP
417 Elementary 417 Elementary 418 I've been hornswaggled 418 I've been hornswaggled 419 No jumping allowed 419 No jumping allowed 420 Downtown sod 420 Downtown sod
421 The New Additions 421 The New Additions 422 Monday Night Football 422 Monday Night Football 423 Ferries and cranes 423 Ferries and cranes 424 Overhead art 424 Overhead art
425 Live Art 425 Live Art 426 Caught in the art 426 Caught in the art 427 On closer inspection 427 On closer inspection 428 Going uphill 428 Going uphill
429 We were there 429 We were there 430 Looking Down at Where We Were 430 Looking Down at Where We Were 431 Play ball 431 Play ball 432 We all know what this is 432 We all know what this is
433 Jamming 433 Jamming 434 The Space Ship that keeps on flying 434 The Space Ship that keeps on flying 435 I'll protect you, little buddies 435 I'll protect you, little buddies 436 Don't spit 436 Don't spit
437 How much wind sway? 437 How much wind sway? 438 A pretty little thing 438 A pretty little thing 439 Pose, Matthew 439 Pose, Matthew 440 Shades of Kermit 440 Shades of Kermit
441 How did they install the glass? 441 How did they install the glass? 442 An indoor panorama 442 An indoor panorama 443 Come on in, set a spell 443 Come on in, set a spell 444 Dr Scholl, where are you? 444 Dr Scholl, where are you?
445 Good planning makes for good cities 445 Good planning makes for good cities 446 On the Avenue 446 On the Avenue 447 Lines and curves 447 Lines and curves 448 Angles and triangles 448 Angles and triangles
449 A haven here 449 A haven here 450 And a haven here 450 And a haven here 451 The little red bridge 451 The little red bridge 452 Reflections 452 Reflections
453 Look (Grand)ma, no hands 453 Look (Grand)ma, no hands 454 The chef is done 454 The chef is done 455 The Fifth Avenue 455 The Fifth Avenue 456 Still looming 456 Still looming
457 Our Plaza Hotel 457 Our Plaza Hotel 458 Our Calder 458 Our Calder 459 The Wells Fargo 459 The Wells Fargo 460 Our chariot awaits 460 Our chariot awaits
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