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Seattle |
Other opinions
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1st note: I went to Seattle in work.
2nd note: It was autumn 3rd note: I tried to appreciate the city. 4th note: Honestly, I didn't. Not much. It is huge. It is developed. It is organized. But... It was cold. It was dark. It was sad. The so called attractions are common or expensive. The few interesting (yes, there were some) didn't pay the jetlag problems. Of course, I was working, so nothing to complaint. Maybe a more touristic approach, in another weather conditions would provide a different feeling. Maybe. But with such a large world, and all its beauties, even in the USA, I don't see myself planning a touristic visit to Seattle. Unless... I went to Tacoma twice to see its glass museum. Twice I found a closed door. Bad luck. I saw the Glass Bridge and the city's court. And back to Seattle |
Seattle
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Space Needle A really beautiful structure, a fast elevator, but the best pictures are taken from the ground, and the price you pay to go to the top is exaggerated for what you get there. However, even knowing that, everybody goes to the top, so... we did the same, of course. Address: 400 Broad St., Seattle, WA 98109 |
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Pike Place Market - Disappointed The book said that it was one of Seattle highlights, so we had to go there. Maybe it is something odd for the American way of life, but I must confess that I found no distinctive details comparing with dozens of Portuguese markets. Maybe because we arrived late? Maybe because we had excessively high expectations? I don't know. But what I saw was, for us, rather vulgar. Phone: +1 206-682-7453 |
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Chihuli's Boathouse I know that it is not opened to common public. I know that our visit was a special gentleness, we have no right to expect to be generalized. However, I wouldn't make justice to Seattle, omitting this wonderful experience. I only can't tell where and how. Sorry for that, but Chihuli is a name and... a key. |
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I don't know if Chihuli is an Indian or not, but I admired the sensibility he shows about Indian culture. His "boathouse", more than being a cathedral of glass creation, is a carefully displayed collection of indian artifacts, that evidence the pleasure of just holding them. |
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Pilchuk Glass School Almost 100 km north of Seattle we visited Pilchuck school. It is one of the most famous glass schools in the world, and more than the professional information we got from their kind director, we had time to appreciate the beauty of the wooden buildings, respectfully integrated in the landscape. A nice place. |
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Will it be possible to identify a city with one person? At least it worked for us: we visited Tacoma searching for Dale Chihuli's works, and found them where we expected them, in the museum and the glass bridge, but also where we couldn't expect - in local court. We had not much time to go further, and, until next visit, Tacoma, for us, remains... Chihuli's city. |
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Glass Museum and Bridge Dale Chihuli made a revolution in glass.I’m not totally convinced about the beauty of the bridge, since it looks too much as store shelves, but the glass works are great. I was sad for not entering the museum nor the studio, though I think it can't beat the superb one at Corning. Address: 1801 Dock St. Tacoma, WA 98402-3217 |
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Chihuli's Bridge I was disappointed with the glass bridge! I was expecting to see glass used in the structure, or shaped to combine with structural elements - it is not. The bridge seems a sort of glass warehouse only wit two interesting vertical elements. |
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Tacoma's Federal Courthouse Would it be possible in Portugal? Na! Our courthouses are always sad and severe buildings, exclusively concentrated in legal affairs. Art? One painting in the main room, and... that's it. Or nothing. But in Tacoma, watching from outside the windows decorated with Chihuli's pieces, I had to enter the courthouse. Austere, discreetly elegant as it is convenient, but the tribute to the local artist continues in the large chandelier, and... dignifies the place. |