Amara and I's time in Seattle was full of rich surprises and unexpected gems. We experienced remnants of the times before the white man came to present day remembers of continued racial injustice. We saw architectural feats including those from modern to day to those from one hundred years ago, which were feats for the times they were built (underground cities, stone sculptures.) We gazed on gallery art and street art, both equally moving and powerful. We learned that the original Starbucks in Pikes Market is not the original market but don't tell that to the hundreds of folks who line up outside. We stumbled upon a Korean basement grocery that supplied us with some familiar stables and some new edibles. We spent time on the peaceful waterfront, sharing a plate of fries, while we discussed how the port makes global trade so much easier than in times long behind us. We visited several tall buildings, our favorite being the 937 ft Columbia Center (the tallest building in the city.) We ate fresh baked goods, drank Boba tea and walked and walked until our feet hurt so much that we had to take the light rail back to our Pioneer Square hotel. We discussed the discrepancies of where we stayed and the reality of life for those just one block West, where there were dozens of tents that housed the homeless.
There were multiple occasions when Amara brought up how it would have been to visit the city with her Middle School peers. That she missed out on those experiences felt sad but at the same time, I felt deeply grateful that I could afford her the opportunity to see and be in the Pacific Northwest city that was calling to her. We left filled with many new memories, a broader knowledge of the cities history and a heart that was full with love and gratitude.
This blog is random shots I took while in the city.
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