Tuesday, June 12, 2012

How to Get to Seattle From Bremerton

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Since we had no work plans for the week, I got approval to head north to visit family. That family just so happened to be staying on a giant yacht in a marina in Vancouver, British Columbia! When they found out that I was so close and had the week to do whatever I wanted, I was invited up for a short stay.

Isn’t that fun?! Sometimes my life doesn’t even seem real because I get to do such fun stuff.

This is a picture of the Bremerton Transportation Center just a few hundred feet from my hotel. I am glad it was so close. I had no jacket, it was forty-four degrees, it was pouring rain, and it was 4:30 AM.

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After I boarded the ferry, I took a picture of my luggage. It was soaking wet from just that short walk run to the ferry dock! I love rain. But…be warned. Apparently the rain had adverse affects on the pictures from my entire week. I think a little water got on my lense and stayed there for most of my photos. Sorry. I am just now seeing it now that they are large on my computer screen.

Isn’t that annoying?

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No ticket is required for trips into Seattle, but I didn’t know that and bought one anyway. I’m glad I did, since my return trip a few days later was really rushed to get to the ferry in time. It was nice to know that my ticket was already purchased.

What does this mean? It means that next time I’m in Bremerton, I can go to Seattle for the day and back for only $7.70!

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The ferry was pretty neat. There were lots of people on board heading into the city for a day of work. Of course, most of them camped out for the hour-long ride and slept. These aren’t homeless people…they are paying ferry customers!

Except the guy on the right in flannel. He very well could be homeless.

Who can sleep when there is this much excitement about going to Vancouver? During my entire trip north, I felt like I was on an adventure. I felt so spontaneous! Never mind that I had all of the ferry and train schedules memorized, just in case. It was really fun. I never do last-minute trips like this, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Maybe I need to get out more?

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We are half-way to Seattle. And it’s only 5:00 AM.

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I tried to head out to the front of the ferry during the ride to get a good picture, but it was pouring rain and rather nippy for someone wearing a t-shirt. This is all you get, folks.

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We wound our way through several peninsulas before getting into open water just before landing at Seattle.

Have I mentioned that Seattle is one of my favorite cities ever? I love it here.

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Hello, beautiful Seattle! No, I’m not staying long today, thanks. I am headed to catch a train at King Station. Why, thank you. I will ride your ferris wheel next time I’m here.

Thank you very much.

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Here is wonderful downtown. I am giving you the awful ferry lights glare free-of-charge. This could have been a pretty cool picture without those lights getting in the way…

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Just after my ferry arrived, another one arrived in the dock next to us. Lots of people are crazy enough to be up this early! Seattle is one hopping city!

Have I mentioned that I like Seattle? No? Well, I do.

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After I disembarked with my luggage, I turned around inside the ramp to take a picture. Rain does terrible things to cameras, and I don’t think that Hubby would let me get the camera of my dreams just because of a little rain on my point-and-shoot. I’ll have to be more careful next time.

I wasn’t playing the part of tourist at all. After I took the picture, the ramp worker asked if I had just gotten off or was trying to get on. I took that as my cue to head out of the ferry station.

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Just kidding. I took more pictures first. Take that, Ramp Lady.

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Do you see all those numbered lanes beneath me? Those are folks lining up to board the ferry back to Bremerton. And that is a pretty view of downtown Seattle.

Man, I love Seattle. Look at the clouds on the tops of the skyscrapers! Isn’t that cool?!

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Look how politely everyone waits his turn? Even bicyclers can ride over on the ferry!

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I had a 0.7-mile walk to King Station from the ferry station. I considered taking a bus, but none of the locals would acknowledge me to help with directions because I was the idiot without an umbrella in pouring rain.

This shot was taken under some supposedly-protected-from-the-rain trees. I  try to capture memories so I can come back and look through these pictures and know exactly what was going on.

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I’m getting very close to the train station now! Here I am just a block away from the Amtrak trains at King Station. I know this because of the baseball stadium here. It was on my map and was very close to the station. (Yes, I had a map. I guess I’m not as spontaneous as I thought). Lots of construction going on here. I can’t believe they timed that during the regular baseball season!

It’s kind of like the crazy people in Phoenix who schedule all road maintenance during the summer. Do they not know it’s 120 degrees?!

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Ooooo, a clock tower. That looks promising…I think I’m getting closer! Can you believe how light it is for only 5:30 AM? It stays light until about 10:00 PM, and it gets light around 4:45 AM. These northerners have so much light!

Too bad they can’t see any of it, thanks to all the rain clouds…

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Yippeeee! I made it in time! My arms were tired from dragging my luggage, but apparently I am in the right place to catch a train out of Seattle.

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Yep. Definitely in the right place. I can almost reach out and touch the train station.

With lots of construction outside and inside, it was nice to see that the cool art deco architecture isn’t being harmed. I love old buildings like this. This was my view after buying my train ticket to Vancouver, BC! It just felt nice to be out of the rain.

Canada, here I come!

2 comments:

  1. I love Seattle, too. I can still remember going down to the farmer's market at fisherman's wharf and eating the best cherries ever. I also remember eating at an outside seafood "fast food" restaurant on the wharf- it was the first time I had ever eaten breaded clams. Oh man, were they ever good! I also remember walking through the market there and pretending I was in some foreign place and feeling really cool!
    Great post, sis! Keep 'em coming! xoxo

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  2. Love the pictures! I'm so glad you were (almost) spontaneous (remember the map?) and made the trip to see the Parkinsons.

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