So We Went to Seattle...

DSC01616, originally uploaded by cameronduff.

Evening Ladies and Gents!

So we went to Seattle with Damian and Louise last weekend, and in keeping with my budding reputation as a keen travel diarist here, friends, is my account of that fair city. Fair it is too, despite the Vancouver style wind and rain! Seattle is an awesome city with loads of energy and plenty of spunk. Then again you'd expect nothing less from a city that has produced Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, my favourite Mark Arm of Mudhoney infamy (there's a story wrapped up in this relating to my first adolescent rock and roll experience travelling down to Brisbane to see Mudhoney at the Livid Festival in 1990 but I won't bore you now with the details!). Now the city is also responsible for Microsoft (hmmm!), Google (yeah!!) and Starbucks (hiss!) so let's just say that for a city the size of Vancouver or Brisbane, Seattle must be doing something right.

Well in addition to music and globe devouring info tech companies, Seattle also boasts soem remarkable architecture. With Damian as an able and loquacious guide, we toured that newish Seattle public library (that's me on the steps of the middle conference level) as well as the Hendrix Museum (aka the Experience Music Project). The library was truly fascinating...interesting aside...at the US/Canada border we were asked by the US Customs agent why we were travelling to the US; Anj and I explained that we were going to visit the public library and he said "hmm, you must really like books eh?". Yes comrades, we really like books and with over 1.2 million of them in the most exquisite of environs the Seattle public in where it's at. We also told the customs officer that we were going to visit the Jimi Hendrix museum - "right on brother" he exclaimed - so I think we recovered sufficient street cred for him to let us through the border! Brief recap! We were a) communists for being so enamoured with Seattle's library (after all, what good can come of books in the land of the free!) yet b) fellow travellers for being down with the greatest guitarist of all time so a mixed bunch at best I guess.

Anyway, we love the United States! The couple of times we've visited now we've come home dreaming of ways to move there...hey it's all sultry RnB divas, doughnuts and street hustle. Bring it on comrades!

Oh yes and we also had the most AMAZING vegetarian meal there in many, many moons. The Tea Pot cafe if you're interested, was absolutely mind blowing, mouth watering, amazing! I've got two words for you! Drunken Tofu!! Yes it exists and yes we ate it. Twas delicious too though rather less intoxicating than I was hoping but hey! You can't have everything. Well we all stuffed ourselves like good Americans are wont to do nonetheless, you know when in Rome and all. After that we went for a drink in a refurbished funeral palour. I'd make a stupid gag here about it being a bit of a downer but I bet you saw that coming.

So in summary for those looking to find a point (good luck!); we had a great time, saw some great architecture, ate like kings, played guitar in the music project, watched a video on the history of hip hop, saw some great art, thought about Spinoza (art on demand or the one minute sculpture - see photo above) and generally had some wild old good times.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUM!! Love you, I'm gonna call real soon.