Clowning around in Seattle

We went to a bar with very interesting patrons.
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Driving into downtown Seattle on a Thursday afternoon and hoping to find a nice $50 hotel room is a bit optimistic.  That's how we started our adventure into Seattle.  As it turns out, the "nice" hotels (Best Western) were at LEAST $150, and rooms were sold out.  We ended up finding a near-condemmed hotel called the "A-1 Motel" about 2 miles out of downtown for $65 (including free Wi-Fi).  To turn on the shower, you needed to use a wrench that was so thoughtfully left on top of the toilet.  And speaking of the toilet, it only flushed non-solid items if you know what I mean.   It was absolutely without a doubt the most horrible place we've ever stayed.

Brian with our friend Harry, a Seattle resident.
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Despite the hotel, Seattle was a good time.  We went to the gigantic REI store, then later we met up with a friend of ours named Harry, who took us to an interesting bar downtown ( see pictures of scary clowns).

To anyone that has not been to Seattle, I must say this : The Space Needle is NOT TALL!

To anyone that has not been to Seattle, I must say this :  The Space Needle is NOT TALL!  I always expected to drive into Seattle and see the Needle standing tall among all the downtown buildings.  In fact, it's just a tiny little structure!  What a shock.  I've been to the CN Tower in Toronto, which at 1,815 feet tall (and 3 times the height of the Space Needle) is the world's tallest building.  But Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks didn't make a movie called "Sleepless in Toronto", did they?  Heck no!  We paid our $14 dollars per person to ride to the top of the SN and see what all the fuss was about.  It was cold, windy, and somewhat cloudy but still something that all tourists should do.

Space Needle, from the ground.
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Once you are done looking at the lovely Seattle views, the Space Needle elevators leave you smack dab in the middle of a gigantic gift shop.  They sell anything imaginable with a Space Needle image or the Space Needle name emblazoned across it.  Coffee mugs, shot glasses, jewelery, notepads, pens, cookies, candy, light up pens, boxer shorts, coin purses, stained glass, christmas ornaments, t-shirts, puzzles, I could go on and on.  The only thing I didn't see sold is Space Needle logo toilet paper, but chances are they will sell that soon.  And as long as I'm on this dorky Space Needle tirade, let me say this - If you own a Space Needle T-shirt you are a BIG NERD.  Yes, a BIG GIGANTIC NERD.  Do people really need to know via a rhinestone studded shirt that you've seen the Space Needle?  I don't think so.

Brian dreaming about all the Space Needle products he'd soon purchase at the gift shop.
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Anne