Seattle

Thats me in Seattle - the last stop before I head home!

Had a busy few days. Came down on the bus on Thursday [USA border took one and a half hours to get through!] and got in around tea time so went to the Experience Music Project on Thursday Night as it's free the 1st Thursday of the month! Got the Seattle Monorail there from my Hotel, it was built for the World Fair at the same time as the Space Needle. EMP wasn't very good, but the building it was in was very impressive. It was founded by the Microsoft #2 Paul Allen.

Yesterday I went to Pike Place Market, saw the worlds first Starbucks! In the afternoon I did a cruise of Lake Union and Lake Washington which was really good, saw Bill Gates' house in Medina which was really something else. After that I went up the Space Needle and got some really good views as the weather has been great here.

Today I went to the Museum of Flight - saw an old Air Force 1 and one of the BA Concordes. It is on the former Boeing Site and Boeing still have some of their facilities there - they have a test and delivery site for the commercial planes so saw about three brand new Ryanair planes there - much more than any other carrier! Then this afternoon I got one of the Washington State Ferries across the Puget Sound to Bainbridge Island. Saw Mt Rainier from the Boat which is quite spectacular.

I've booked a tour to the Boeing Factory in Everett tomorrow afternoon and on Monday I'm planning to go to the Microsoft Visitor Centre in Redmond. Then I'm flying down to LA on Tuesday and fly into London on Wednesday so it's all go!

I've uploaded a few photos to flickr - mostly from the cruise.

Bill Gates House - It is built into the Hill and the
buildings at the top are part of it. 60,000 square foot!


Downtown Seattle taken from the Space Needle

Vancouver!

Made it to Vancouver - took a while at the Border as I arrived in Canada by Bus and there were only two of us who needed our passports stamped [Americans don't need passports to get into Canada] and it took them about an hour so I think the rest of the bus thought we were a bit dodgy or something! All is going well, its a very compact city so it doesn't seem to take long to get around at all. Hostel is quite nice and in a good location.

On Sunday I went to Canada Place, which is quite nice. Bit of a copy of the Sydney Opera House perhaps?! Then went a walk to see some of the sights - the BC Place Stadium which has an inflatable roof, and the Library which is very grand. Looked around Gastown and went to Granville Island which has a market on every day - it was pretty good but very busy.

Yesterday was a public holiday for Labour Day but it didn't seem to affect much. Went down to Stanley Park - big urban park in Vancouver, it was pretty good. Then I went out to the Capilano Suspension Bridge - apparently the world's longest and highest suspension bridge. They had also made a treetop walk and had a few things to do but it was quite expensive - wouldn't recommend it! Went out to Grouse Mountian later in the afternoon but the heavens opened once I got the cablecar to the top which kind of spoilt the view. They had a Grizzly Bear enclosure so it was good to see them and a lumberjack show etc.

Today I had planned to go to Victoria on Vancouver Island but it was raining again in the morning so I decided against it - got very sunny this afternoon again so I'm sure it would have been fine! I'll maybe go tomorrow. Instead I went out to Queen Elizabeth park which was really nice. I had been hoping to get into Bloedel Conservatory as they have parrots etc inside the conservatory but it was closed because of a strike so that was abit of a disappointment. Then I headed to the Science Museum to watch a film at the "Omnimax" Cinema (Just like an IMAX but with a curved screen) which was really good. The film was the Human Body (with that Robert Winston guy) and the screen was apparently 5 stories high so you really felt like you were at the centre of the action!

Head down to Seattle on Thursday so tomorrow is my last full day here. Been uploading my photos so they are on flickr.

Grizzly Bear at Grouse Mountain

Capilano Suspension Bridge - Don't look down!

Leaving California!

Heading to Vancouver tomorrow [Flying to Seattle then getting the train up] for the next 5 days. Had a brilliant time in San Francisco - its a great city. Went on the Segway tour today which was an experience, they are really unique. Very intuitive and once you get the knack it's really easy. We spent a few hours touring the Waterfront seeing the main sights. Started off with the speed limited to 4.5mph then they sped them up to 8.5mph. Apparently unrestricted they can go 12.5mph but they can be modified to do 30mph!

Toured around the centre yesterday, at Union Square etc. Decided against going to Yosemite as I don't think a day trip would do it much justice.

Went out to Silicon Valley on Wednesday - saw Apple HQ and Google. Nearly all the major IT companies are based out there. It's a really lush area and it was very warm when I went out - job there would be good! Still planning to go to see Microsoft Campus in Redmond, Washington (Just outside Seattle).

Not many plans for Vancouver yet, hopefully it will stay dry as everyone seems to warn me to expect rain. Home on the 13th Sept so must start getting ready for that!

Heres a photo of me at the Apple Campus

San Fran and the Bay

Had a busy time in San Francisco this last couple of days. Got a 7 day pass for the MUNI public transport here (great - its only $24 and can use the cablecars, streetcars and buses) so have been on the cable cars a few times. They're just like the photos - ride up steep hills no problem! Its a really nice place but there seems to be lots of homeless people around, much more than I've seen in the other US cities.

Golden Gate Bridge!

Been to Alcatraz Island (Prison) and down to Fishermans Wharf and saw the Sea Lions at Pier 39. Walked across the Golden Gate bridge, then the next day I hired a bike and cycled across it to Marin County to some of the small towns over there and got the ferry back - got sunburnt! Its quite foggy here most days for a few hours so you don't feel that warm but the sun still seems to get through. Been up to Cois Tower on Telegraph Hill and got the cablecar up Nob Hill today for some good views.

Today I went along to the cablecar museum, it was really good - this is apparently the only city in the world with cablecars. The cable runs continually under the streets with the cars and when a car needs to get pulled along the driver has to pull a lever so the car "Grips" onto the cable and then it gets pulled along until he undoes the grip.

Been to a Park called the Presidio which was very posh - it is where George Lucas has his studios for the Star Wars stuff so saw that - and a Statue of Yoda! Planning to go out into Silicon Valley tomorrow see Google and Apple HQ's (Mountain View and Cupertino) and the Computer History Museum. No other plans yet, looking into a day trip to Yosemite National Park and I've seen a tour of the Wharf area on a Segway which looks good fun! Got my photos up on flickr (Got a bit carried away with taking photos of the Golden Gate Bridge!)

Cablecar on Calfifornia St

San Francisco

Arrived in San Francisco this morning - picked up at 3am for 6am flight so quite tired now! Seems like a nice place, much colder than LA/San Diego/Las Vegas which is fine as it will maybe get me acclimatised for going home!

Had a really good time in Las Vegas - loads to see there. Went to the Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon on a bus tour one day, they were very spectacular - got on Route 66 on the way down! There are lots of free shows etc put on by the Casinos so didn't cost too much either. Didn't hit the gambling machines though!

I've gotten my photos up now on flickr. In San Francsico for the next 8 days, back to slumming it in a hostel! Went out to Berkeley this afternoon to see the University of California's Campus - very nice area. Public Transport here is much better than LA so shouldn't be too much of a problem getting around. Going to get a ride on the cable-cars shortly - the queue today was right the way around a block! Also planning to go to the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz and maybe out to Scilion Valley see some of the big IT companies' HQs. Seems to be very busy here at the moment, the Hostel is totally full until Monday. I'll stick a few photos in here to show some of the sights of Vegas!



Me at the Fabulous Las Vegas Sign!


New York, New York Casino and Hotel - it was really realistic.

Viva Las Vegas!

Arrived in Las Vegas yesterday, haven't made a fortune yet! Plane was delayed because its surface was so hot the pilot had to send it to be cooled down. Landing was very spectacular as you fly right in over the strip. Vegas seems to just appear out of no-where as you're flying. Spent ages getting checked in to the Stratosphere, they seem to be very busy but the room was even cheaper than I was expecting so that was a bonus. Been to lots of the "Mega-resorts" on the Strip - The Luxor; The Bellagio; Caesars Palace; Circus Circus; New York, New York; etc. Went up the Stratosphere Tower this morning - got a great view of Vegas. Tonight I've been to watch the dancing water fountains at the Bellagio and the Freemont St Experience downtown. I got a bus pass today which was great as it goes along the strip, right past my hotel, every 5 minutes and goes to downtown. It would be quite easy to walk but its been 41 degrees today, and the forecast is over 40 for the whole time I'm here!

Planning to do a tour to the Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon on Thursday, although I don't have anything booked yet. Possibly going to go and see a show some night, but not sure what as they sell ones off at half price for that evening so I'll just have to make a last minute decision!

Internet here is very expensive so probably won't be able to get my photos up until San Francisco (Friday) - but I've got loads already! Continuous TV news out here about the Hurricane about to hit Mexico - shouldn't be any problems this far up though.

Hot Hot Hot!

Me outside Universal Studios, Hollywood

Made it to San Diego, its a really nice place, quite different from L.A. Loads to see and do here, but I've only got one day left so will have to try and make the most of that. Went to SeaWorld yesterday which was brilliant - saw lots of shows with Shamu (The Killer Whale), Dolphins, SeaLions and a show called Cirque de la Mer which was all dancers and Acrobatics-really impressive. Went to San Diego Zoo today, it is huge so there was lots to see there. They've got a few Pandas so saw them, one has just been born so it was somewhere else with its Mum and Dad! Also had a look downtown this evening, I'm living in an area called the "Gas-lamp quarter" which is full of restaurants etc so its always quite busy.

Shamu Jumping at SeaWorld!

Possibly going to go to Tijuana tomorrow, which is just across the border in Mexico. Leaving for Las Vegas on Sunday, where I'm staying at the Stratosphere Hotel - on the strip! Everything seems really cheap out here, the dollar is very strong at the moment.