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