Sleepless in Seattle
There was a time when airlines would offer the shortest route between two places but our voyage to Jamaica involved a 11 hour layover in Seattle! This was just long enough to go into the city centre, so I tried to make the best of our limited time there. I talked to friends and searched Google to find what to do during the layover.
It was our first time in Seattle – I was travelling with my son Ian (8 years old). I realized how conservative I can be when planning a trip with him. We developed a list of three things to do in Seattle, but ended up far busier during the five hours spent in the downtown area. This gave us a good feeling of mission accomplished.
We left our hand luggage in a storage at the airport and took the light rail train to downtown and the interesting waterfront area. Seattle Aquarium was our first stop. Well-organized, it is a much smaller version than the huge Monterey Aquarium, where we have been to twice and so keep the visit short – but certainly enjoyed the touch-pools.
From the Aquarium, we went to the Great Wheels ferris wheel only steps away. This attraction is considered one of the two best ferris wheel in the world! From our gondola we reached 175 and enjoyed excellent views over the harbour. Despite being an avid and experienced climber, I actually felt a little nervous that high up!
We left the waterfront to visit the disgusting Gum Wall (yes, a wall covered in chewing gum) and made three new contributions to it. One block from there, we found the first Starbucks but didn’t dare to waste precious time in its always long line. We did have a delicious gelato and spent a bit of time in the Seattle Art Museum – SAM. This was my son’s first art museum and we visited at his own pace.
We ate at Beecher’s Handmade Cheese and my son was fascinated by the artisanal cheese making process. We loved lunch. It was a good choice. Before dark, we went back to the airport, cleared security and waited until nearly midnight for our flight to Atlanta. Ah, the joy of night travelling!
From Atlanta, we flew to Montego Bay for a week in Jamaica. But that is another story….
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