I woke up without getting much sleep. I took in a small walk around South Lake Union. there is a lot of construction going on. There is a new streetcar line that goes there from downtown. Paul Allen insisted that it was needed but I don't know who would use it.
Seattle seems like a work in progress right now. Many construction projects are going on, some of it has halted but not all. South Lake Union looks like it'll be pretty cool when it's finished. Bill Gates is doing his thing at Seattle Center and it looks like the Center itself will be modified to make it more accessible.
I wanted to ride a rented bicycle around Greenlake and the rest of the neighborhoods north of Seattle. But, Gregg's of Greenlake isn't renting bikes anymore so I ended up walking to the "U" district after eating fish and chips at Spuds Greenlake. The "U" District is always ever changing. New stores move in and more move out. A massive building went up near 50th street on the "Ave". I have no idea what building it replaced. All the movie theaters are still intact including the rundown multiplex Metro.
I took the bus over to Ballard where I see many of the institutions of the district. The bowling alley is closed , the cool looking Denny's is gone, leaving only a tiled floor being overshadowed by the many new condominium complexes. The west part of Ballard is like it was when I left. I had a beer at my first hangout in Seattle, The Old Peculiar. It has long stopped being the bar I knew back in91-92. The Lockspot is still there but is now known as the place the fishermen of "World's Deadliest Catch" hang out. I did the Locks as I alwys do when I'm in the area. Looked at the salmon in the Fish Ladder. Mmmmmm. yummy.
Then I took a long walk, a very long walk. First I went down Ballard Avenue and had a beer at the Townhouse. I had an expensive Bavarian brew. I continued on and had a beer at Maritime Pacific's Taproom. I had their Flagship beer. I stopped to look at the ugliest shopping structure I've seen in my memory. Thankfully Mike's Chili is still there and their chili was still good. I'm over doing it with my eating.
I walked the Ballard Bridge across to Upper Queen Anne. I decided not to take a bus and headed up to the top of the very steep Queen Anne Hill. Following the arterial route I climbed to the top, walked along Queen Anne Ave to my former work place the 5-Spot. I worked there when I left Seattle. Many of the people who worked there were leaving at the same time I left. Sooooooo, I wasn't surprised that only one person I knew was there and it was Hank the bartender. Good Ol' Hank, Never the sentimentalist. Still he served me beer and quaffed a few while talking baseball with a Red Sox fan. As a Mets fan it's fun to talk to a Red Sox fan now that I don't have to feel bad about 1986.
Now, when I left I was quite buzzed and my feet had developed blisters. I got in touch with some of my friends to try to get them to show up at Ozzie's. They weren't able to make it. Still I went to Kidd Valley had a burger combo, and rested. I dragged my sorry ass to Ozzie's and sang only a few times. I knew no one else would turn up, so I went back to my hotel.
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