Step off the plane in Seattle, Washington, and you are greeted (more than likely) by the rain that the city is so well known for.
On approach.
The stereotypes are true, it does indeed rain a lot in the Emerald City, but that’s part of what makes Seattle what it is. Seattle without the rain would not be right, but to a Coloradoan such as myself, a few clear days are welcome, since it’s a bit more of a pain to photograph in the rain. On a clear day, you can see giant Mount Rainier to the south, and the Olympic Range across the sound, getting a reminder of just how varied the city is. The ever-present hills of San Francisco seem to have found a second home, albeit without the cable cars. Trolleybuses take their place, whooshing quietly past you on their way in and out of downtown, and at the light, the locals always wait for the signal to cross.
Trolleybuses!
The most outwardly Seattle of things is, of course, the Pike Place Market. Much different from a typical farmer’s market, Pike Place is a hodgepodge of artists and artisans, restaurants, grocers, the first Starbucks ever, and the internationally known fish market. On the way down Pike to the market, you can smell a mix of the fish and the sea air coming off the Puget Sound that sleeps just beyond the row of buildings in front of you. The big neon sign declaring this the ‘Public Market Center’ greets you, and then you hear the ruckus of the fish market.
Incoming!
These gentlemen have the throwing of fish down to a science. They’ll call out the variety and number of the fish or other soon-to-be dinner to be tossed, and then, with tourists’ cameras flashing, the seafood starts flying.
Once in a while, they’ll throw a third large fish into the audience, but don’t be caught out by the fake salmon flying towards you. These men are jokesters, and have a real passion for what they do.
This is Ryan. He likes his fish.
Every day, the tourists come, and every day, these guys put on a show. They’ll ship a fish anywhere in the world via UPS in 48 hours, in a box that’s been sealed so that your tasty purchase doesn’t seep through the cardboard. During the day, the men of the fish market draw a big crowd, similar to the legendary first Starbucks just down the block. This is where the coffee giant started, and it’s worth going to if only to say that you’ve been there.
Coffee is practically a religion in Seattle, full of saints like Peet’s, Tully’s and of course, Starbucks. There’s a green awning on nearly every block downtown, but for myself, local places are the hot spots. The thing about Starbucks is consistency. The cup of coffee that I get in North Platte will be the same as the coffee I get at Pike Place. Not necessarily a bad thing, but for the real experience, a trip to a place like Zeitgeist or All City Coffee is in order. The local places are staffed by people who know their joe, and in this city, you can ask them almost anything about the coffee they brew, and they’ll know it.
I’ll post the next in this series soon. To see more photos from my work from Seattle, go here.
