Pacific Northwest Trip July 2009 Final Thoughts

UPDATED: February 5, 2022

This was an addendum to a series of posts dealing my fifth trip to Seattle and second of two trips that year. I’ve made minor corrections to these reports. Also, I’ve added additional thoughts with the hindsight of three years later or to add further clarification. Newer updated designated "NOW". 

I'll some up the negatives first, then the positives

The negatives:

·         Perhaps the trip was a bit too soon after my last trip, especially since i was still posting pics to Facebook and thus not really away that long.  I think the excitement I usually feel just wasn't there

·         The location of the hostel.  I didn't mind the bus ride so much as the walk to/from the hostel once I reached Ballard, especially "To" as I was usually tired at the end of the day

·         The 24-hour sickness was understandably my least favourite part of the trip

·         Finding more uphills.  Walking uphill is no fun

·         Record heats.  I'm a sun worshipper but there are limits

·         The guy who started to sell me beer but then changed his mind with no explanation

·         Not having as much time to do the stuff I like to do in Seattle in the eve because of the hostel location

[NOW: The hostel is now in Belltown, far more convenient for me. It went from being called Hostel Seattle to City Hostel Seattle]

The positives:

·         The hostel itself; the place itself was quite nice and the people there were friendly

·         Everett and Lynnwood were still fun the second time around

·         Watching the Greenwood parade and seeing Almost Live's Pat Cashman

·         The International Fountain, especially when the dog was there

·         Visiting the Silver Platters and Easy Street Records near the fountain

[NOW: That Silver POlatters has moved to 1st Ave S. That Easy Street Records has closed.]

·         Revisiting my favourite haunts in general

·         Visiting Olympia, especially the downtown area

·         Watching the Torchlight parade setup, which was actually more fun than the parade itself

·         Swimming in Lake Washington during the heat wave

·         Seeing downtown Puyallup

·         Seeing the baby tigers At Cougar Mountain Zoological Park

[NOW: That zoo is now called simply Cougar Mountain Zoo.]

·         Seeing Seward Park

So perhaps a bit too soon after my last trip, but I still had a good time overall and faced some unique challenges.