Travelsmartplanet

Birds always have a great view from above. In Seattle, by the waterfront, they can see the Olympic mountains, the Pacific Ocean, the city and sky. 

This pole of newspaper plates reminds us of the Great Seattle Fire which destroyed the entire central business district on June 6, 1889. The fire started in the basement of a downtown building and lasted for less than a day. It quickly spread to the Dietz & Mayer Liquor Store, which exploded, the Crystal Palace Saloon, and the Opera House Saloon. Fueled by alcohol, the entire block from Madison to Marion was on fire and Seattle’s water supply could not cope. You can take a tour of Underground. Seattle as the city was rebuilt on top of the old ruins.

Seattle’s history of architecture styles can sometimes be glimpsed all at once.

It’s important to be reminded every so often that we are living on land which belonged to someone else. This totem is down at the waterfront where the Free Seattle walking tours start. That’s the Olympic Mountains in the background.

I think the The London Eye was first. Set up as one of their Millennium Projects, the slow moving ferris wheel gives you a slow moving view of a city. Here we caught a glimpse of it in Seattle down by the waterfront.

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With sea, mountains, greenery, and blue skies from so many vantage points, you can see why Seattle has become a place people want to live and visit.

Big smiles all around for the yummy layered strawberry shortcake cup from the Biringer Farm food truck in Seattle. Would be nice to see more of this around other cities.

Here’s a moody shot of the iconic Space Needle in Seattle looking like something you could make with a giant erector set.

On the back of Jimi Hendrix’s “Love or Confusion” lyrics, this drawing from early 1967 is believed to be by Hendrix and his girlfriend Kathy Etchingham. It depicts his Dylan-esque hair, military jacket, Iron Cross necklace, heeled boots and towering Marshall amplifier stack. It also references his manager, band members, and other groups like the Who and the Beatles.

Jimi Hendrix paraphernalia has a big part to play in the MoPop museum collection in Seattle, WA .