The Emerald City

I went with Joyce and Darlene to explore the city of Seattle, Washington.

We went to Westlake Center for a little shopping. It's a four-story glass enclosed shopping pavilion in downtown Seattle. We ran into this group of well-dressed people who wanted to have their picture taken with me.

Next was a ride on the monorail. The monorail was built in 1962 for the Seattle World's Fair. Now it provides a quick ride from downtown to Seattle Center.

I was a little afraid of this happening.....but I made the trip safely.

The Seattle Center is the home of the famous Space Needle. You can see a live view from the top of the Space Needle here. The space-age structure was built for the 1962 World's Fair whose theme was Century 21.

Watch Elvis ride the Space Needle elevator to the restaurant that rotates 360 degrees while you dine.

Seattle Center is the location of many wondrous things. The Pacific Science Center, EMP, SIFF Cinema, the Space Needle and Key Arena among them. I go there for the candy!

We did take in a movie while we were there but you can see I didn't have a very good seat. I could only see the middle of the screen. Couldn't you at least have gotten me a booster seat?

We did run into Justin Bieber. Some people say we even look alike.

What do you think? The resemblance is eerie isn't it? Everyone has a doppelganger.

We headed over to Chinatown-International District and ran into an amazing sight.

It was a celebration of the Chinese New Year. The Year of the Rabbit. During the Chinese New Year, lion dancer troupes will visit houses and shops in the Chinese community to perform the traditional custom of "cai ching" or literally (plucking the greens.)

A quest by the lion to pluck the lettuce tied to a red envelope containing money (hey, wait a minute, there was money in that envelope?) hanging highly in front of the building. The lion will dance and approach the green and the red envelope.......

to "eat the green" and "spit" it out to leave it in a nice arrangement but keep the red envelope. The lion dance is believed to bring good luck and fortune to the business and the troupe is rewarded with the red envelope.

I understand the slug is not found everywhere? Why are Washingtonians so lucky as to have them oozing down our wet sidewalks after a rain?

You don't tan in Seattle, you just rust.

                                                           Kirby