Seattle...Day One

I have always wanted to visit Seattle, mainly because of the climate...66 degrees and partly cloudy with a chance of rain. The weather did not disappoint and I got to wear my fleece vest the entire time, which makes me so happy.

We traveled up to Seattle early Friday morning, with the kids and my Dad along for the adventure. We flew out of Ontario, which was a great way to start the trip...low stress checking in and getting through the security line. We had a stop in Sacramento, but no plane change, which was great. Terra did great on the flight and was content with sleeping or seating on our laps. Of course, she always had Trent to entertain her. We got into Seattle around noon and took the light rail into the city. It was so nice taking the light rail into the city, much better than having to rent a car and navigate through the city and traffic. We had to walk a few blocks to our hotel, which we learned was much easier without luggage in tow. The climb up the street to our hotel was not so much fun, but we made it and it got easier each time.

Once we caught our breath we checked into the hotel, got a quick bite to eat and headed back to the light rail station where we would get off at Pioneer Square and try to locate the start of the Underground Tour (which turned out to be harder than we thought, but that was because we made it harder with a few wrong turns).

On our walk to the light rail station we could see the Space Needle.

 Traveling around Seattle on the light rail.

The light rail and bus station.

 Trent doesn't seem too impressed...that will change.

The few wrong turns we made out of the light rail station to the Underground Tour turned out to be ok because Trent found some totem poles to check out.

 And some firemen statutes.

Pioneer Square

 Waiting for the tour to begin.

 Trent and Grandpa

 Trent behind the camera.

 The start of the Underground Tour.

 Our tour guide.

 Trent taking in all the tour guide had to say.

A little history of the tour: Bill Speidel wrote about and founded the Underground Tour. "The city was consumed in the Great Seattle Fire of 1889, a town founded on mostly soggy tideflats whose streets would, whenever the rains came, bloat deep enough with mud to consume dogs and small children.

After the fire, which destroyed some 25 square blocks of mostly wooden buildings in the heart of Seattle, it was unanimously decided that all new construction must be of stone or brick masonry. The city also decided to rise up from the muck in which its original streets lay. It was this decision that created the Underground: The city built retaining walls, eight feet or higher, on either side of the old streets, filled in the space between the walls, and paved over the fill to effectively raise the streets, making them one story higher than the old sidewalks that still ran alongside them. 

Building owners, eager to capitalize on an 1890s economic boom, quickly rebuilt on the old, low, muddy ground where they had been before, unmindful of the fact that their first floor display windows and lobbies soon would become basements. Eventually, sidewalks bridged the gap between the new streets and the second story of buildings, leaving hollow tunnels (as high as 35 feet in some places) between the old and new sidewalks, and creating the passageways of today’s Underground."

The tour was so cool and so out of the ordinary of things you usually see.  A city underneath a city, pretty neat.  From Pioneer Square we got back on the light rail and took it to Safeco Field to see the Seattle Mariners play. Again, the light rail was a great way to get around, we didn't have to pay for parking and deal with the traffic...awesome!

 Safeco Field where the Seattle Mariners play.

 Across from Safeco Field is Qwest Field where the Seattle Seahawks play.

 Trent and Terra with the mascot.

 Trent taking a break and playing his iPad.

 Awesome seats with a great view.

 Grandpa and Terra

Our friend Brittney from church who lives up in Seattle met us at the game. 

It was great to spend time with her.

 Trent got his wish to be on the big screen...by dancing...nutball.

 Trent and his signature pose of holding up the field.

 That's a better picture.

 Terra keeping an eye on who has the camera.

 Group photos!

The Texas Rangers beat the Seattle Mariners, but that's ok we had a great time. The stadium is amazing and so family friendly.  We were all pretty tired after the game and could not wait to get to the hotel and go to bed. We needed a good night sleep because the next day would another long day.