Once again we were the last ones to leave the motel, the cleaning staff was trying twice to enter the room already. Eventually we left, me writing the
travelogue, and headed to the border, just a few kilometers away. The border officer was not interested in any firearms or goods for sale, but rather in the car's license plate and our citizenship status. When I said the dreaded "permanent resident" he asked me for "the card" which of course I don't have yet, so I handed him my passport and pointed to page 27. With a bedazzled look he left the
booth, to return only minutes later and -- for the first time in my career of crossing the US border - let us in without any further
harassment.
We chose the fastest route to Seattle. This lead through some more and some less scenic areas, mainly through fields. Once the road ended in the Columbia river and for the first time in America, we found ourselves on a ferry. This ferry was truly no match for The Channel ferry, of course, but it was definitely cuter and for
free.
Around six we arrived in Seattle and found a premium parking spot right by the market. Out of habit I fed the parking meter
even though I didn't have to and we went on to explore the downtown area. Unfortunately the market area was already pretty much packed for the day. But the downtown area was still there, decorated with pigs of different kinds, I guess the latest artistic explosion, but a cute
one.
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For dinner we went to the Cutter's Bayhouse restaurant, right by the market and the bay, a truly elegant establishment with an impressive menu. We got the cutest table, a side-by-side table with a wonderful view of the rest of the restaurant. This way I chose my dish: "What is this gentleman eating?" -"Copper river king salmon, available only for three weeks". Well, then, Copper river salmon I ordered and ate, and very much to everyone's surprise, liked, very much. I also ordered a small side salad. What I got was a large plate of some greens -- and berries. Berries! I got berries in my salad. It was yummy, don't get me wrong, but I had berries in my salad.
After a small yet filling dessert and a $100 check we left and headed to the Space Needle. We just missed sunset but the twilight around here is pretty darn long so we made it
up-elevator just in time to see the light change. The usual view was this time enriched by a guy walking on the outside, on the steel perimeter of the tower.
People's comments ranged from very matter-of-factly "how long does it take for the restaurant to turn" to the more emotional outcry of some girls "oh no he's going to die, oh please no!" I calmly pointed out that it takes a lot of courage for me to go up the Space Needle in the first place and that it would take a significant number of additional horses to get me to the outside. Essan was very supportive and comforted me throughout this entire emotional
ordeal.
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It should be noted that the pictures of the skyline didn't work out because I am a moron, and despite the fact that we had to return to the motel to get the tripod I forgot to get the appropriate lens. So I found myself taking pictures of the skyline with the 17-35mm lens, thank you very much. Next time...