Swedes and Salmon

I am not sure why, but for some reason I was really looking forward to the events on Sunday (although at the same time I was bummed out that it was my last full day in Seattle).  Just like how I get excited by Vietnamese culture, I also get excited by anything Swedish, and on Sunday I had my fill. 

We started off by going to a Lutheran church service.  The week before we had attended the Catholic Newman Center mass and the following Tuesday went to a BBQ and movie night at the (Catholic) church.  The social event was sponsored by their pro-life group, which put an interesting spin on things, but it was still a fun night with lots of good food and friendly people (mostly college students).  The Lutheran service was really cute and familiar, and it was especially noteworthy because on that particular day they combined with a Methodist congregation.  This was followed by a joint potluck, which we attended.  If we went back to Seattle I could see myself returning to that church--they were an older group, super friendly, and seemed very active in the community.  They even had a hiking group!

After the potluck Seth and I took the bus to Ballard, a nearby Scandinavian town west of the U District on the edge of Puget Sound.  Our first stop was the Nordic Heritage Museum, which was hosting the annual Viking Fest. The homemade aebleskivers looked mighty good, but I had eaten too much at the potluck to bother waiting in line :P

The Nordic Heritage Museum hosting Viking Fest.  The museum was interesting, interactive, and well organized, but it was in serious need of air conditioning!

Some sword fight that reminded me of the Renaissance fair the day before

 

The adorable viking ship mascot

After leaving the museum we walked down to the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks down by Salmon Bay.  This area is also home to the peaceful Botanical Gardens.

Follow the fish!

Lots of people (visitors and locals) come out to see the boats queue up at the locks

A fish ladder to help spawning salmon make it past the locks

We waited in the viewing area to watch salmon jumping up their ladder.  We waited and waited and only saw one *non-jumping* salmon.  I am almost certain he was asleep. How disappointing!!

A train crossing Salmon Bay

Ballard Locks

Ballard's artsy downtown

Ballard Centennial Bell Tower

Girls Gone Renaissance (Faire)

Last weekend Phuong noticed a Renaissance fair was going on and was very eager to see what it was like.  Neither she, Que, nor I had been to one before, so we decided to make a half day out of it.

The Renaissance Faire in Bonney Lake, WA.  It wasn't hot in the shade but it was scorching in the sun, and there was a lot of sun!

One of Robin Hood's risque performances

Our brave knight chatting it up with the ladies and having a drink before the joust.  No wonder he fell off his horse while trying to (literally) pick up a maiden soon after.

 

 

This lady had a troupe of acrobatic rats.  Phuong and I were disappointed that we missed all the rodent tricks because we arrived a bit late

The sheep quietly watching the arms demonstration

Life in Renaissance England wouldn't be complete without turkey legs, banh mi, and iced tea :o)

Tesla Time

One morning Que booked an appointment to test drive a Tesla, the luxury all-electric car with an ultra powerful engine that can go from 0 to 60 mph in under 4 seconds.  Not only did it receive Consumer Reports highest score ever, but it is also earned the highest crash test score of any car ever tested.  I had never seen one before and I would have been happy to just go to the dealer to see one in person, so Seth and I were excited to be invited along for the test drive.

Que did most of the driving, but Seth got to take it around the block at the end.  When the dealer said "step on it" to test how well it can accelerate when entering the highway, Seth did.  It was so fast I could feel my body smash back into my seat and after only a second or two we were already speeding past cars that had been going much faster than us.   

The very beautiful Tesla, which could easily pass for the Batmobile

Que is being shown the ropes (and yes, she did have to pretend to be in the market for a Tesla when she came in for the test drive)

The trunk has an optional two additional seats that can sit people under 5 feet tall.  My aunt and two cousins are eligible to ride here.

What better way to follow up the test drive than with sushi?  I hear the salmon is pretty good here. 

Poking around downtown

Wednesday was spent getting to know the heart of downtown Seattle, beginning with the frontier-themed Pioneer Square, then the carnival-like Waterfront and the sprawling, lively Pike Place Market, and finishing with the Olympic Sculpture Park.

Totem polls and food trucks seem to be popular (Pioneer Square)

A waterfall garden to honor the UPS serves as a retreat from the city

Shady Occidental Square.  Seth first came here a couple weeks ago--it must have been a bad day because he only saw uncouth street characters

 

Along the waterfront

Pike Place Market: Opened in 1907 and is one of the oldest continuously operated farmers markets in the US.  It is surprisingly big and disorienting since it has several buildings and levels and also outside stalls.

The fish market where fresh fish get launched through the air by the venders

These flowers do not get launched (and if they did, they wouldn't make it very far)

 

Outside on the street there is a shop, Beecher's, that makes its own cheese and turns it into incredible creamy mac & cheese

 

Near Beecher's is the original Starbucks, still entertaining crowds and churning out its coffee with a science-like precision

 

Giant dog, stepping on a napkin, and Tiny dog, hiding under Giant dog.  This woman is twisted.

 

The gross yet oddly fascinating 'gum wall' in the alley by the market

After leaving the crowds behind at Pike Place, we took a walk through Belltown.  This bar is called Shorty's and specializes in pinball, hot dogs, and Hep C.  Actually, there was a long string of these types of vintage grunge hangouts, and they were surprisingly intriguing.  Nearby we even met a nice guy named Raheem hoping to unload some MJ on us.

I didn't think we'd make it past Belltown,  but we eventually found ourselves in Olympic Sculpture Park. 

 

 

"Too bad" we didn't make it to Hempfest over the weekend.  They were predicting high numbers -- over 250,000! -- since marijuana was legalized in Washington State this past year, and for this festival they were allowing public MJ smoking.  The cops were even going to pass out bags of Doritos (no joke!), with messages taped onto them.  Crazy northwest people.