Back and Forth Across the Pond

I knew I wanted to visit Chihuly Garden and Glass, a museum showcasing the beautiful work of local glass artist Dale Chihuly, before I set foot in Seattle. Some friends I know from the University of Houston had gone there a couple of years ago and posted photos on Facebook. I was hooked and knew I had to see Chihuly's work in person. I was not disappointed! The first room I visited was the Northwest Room. Chihuly was inspired by the artwork of the Native American tribes who hailed from the Pacific Northwest. One wall was covered in these woven blankets. I think the idea was to demonstrate the influence they had on the glass "baskets" Chihuly created. I just thought they were rather pretty, so I snapped this pic. Chihuly was intrigued by the way Native American baskets drooped and sagged from age and use, and he mimicked that in his glass creations.   Next up was the Sealife Room, which included this 15-foot tower.   My iPhone did not do this...

My ASEH panel presentation was Saturday afternoon. The audience was small (That's what happens when you're scheduled right after lunch.), but engaged. It went well and I think we were all pleased. I went out to dinner with friends that night and was up well past my normal bedtime. I thought I'd sleep in this morning, but nope, I was up around 7:15. So I strolled to the local doughnut shop, Top Pot, for a sugary treat and to try the Ovaltine latte I had heard about. After I ordered, I ran into two of my friends from the night before. So I had a nice conversation over a maple bar and Ovaltine latte. Oh, and the latte was yummy! Afterward, I decided to set off on my little adventure. My plan: Take the monorail (which dates back to 1962 and the World's Fair) the two miles to the Space Needle. Have a wander there and see the glass museum. Then I would walk down to Pike Place Market, look around, and cap it off with lunch at this Indian place I had noticed the night befor...

As promised, here are the rest of the tour photos:  The Seattle skyline  From this distance, the masts of all the sailboats moored at the marina look like sticks.  One of the ferries that takes folks out to the islands. Puget Sounds doesn't have bridges because it's really deep. I think the tour guide said depth was around 1000 feet.  Our wake One of the local companies was commissioned to build some new ferries. This is the hull of one being fashioned. The top is being made elsewhere and will be brought here later to be attached.  You may be wondering why I took a photo of a Coast Guard ship. We have those in Florida. What's the big deal? Well this one is an ICE BREAKER! Not much call for those in Florida waters.  These cargo cranes are the tallest in the world. They're made in China (Surprised?) and were shipped here fully assembled!   Another ice breaker!  Home of the Seattle Seahawks. A...