Seattle's Space Needle and Chihuly Glass Garden

Every city has an icon that it is known by -- Chicago has its John Hancock building, Los Angeles has its "Hollywood" sign, New York has many but the first that comes to my mind is the Empire State Building...and Seattle has its Space Needle.

This aircraft warning beacon stands 605 feet in the air, and I went 520 feet to its observation deck. What a view! It also has 25 lightning rods on its roof to withstand lightning strikes.

It was built for the 1962 World's Fair, and the builders started building in 1961 -- 400 days later it was completed. Today, some 54 years later, people from all around the world come to see this engineering marvel.

Besides standing 605 feet in the air, its foundation is 30 feet deep and it is anchored to the foundation with 72 bolts that are 30 feet in length.

You can walk 848 steps from the bottom to the top of the observation deck or take the elevator, which travels at 10 mph during regular wind and 5 mph during high winds. It takes 43 seconds to go from the bottom to the top.

The views were incredible.

 

Different views of Seattle reaching into the Pacific Ocean.







In the same compound as the Space Needle is Chihuly Glass Garden. OMG -- what talent, what beauty, what vision this man had/has. This is the work of Dale Chihuly, born in 1941 in Tacoma, Washington, and displayed throughout the world.

Since I am getting into stain and fused glass, not the blown glass he does, I have an appreciation for this art and understand the time and dedication one has to practice it. The following is some of his pieces displayed in Seattle.

All you see here is blown glass in a myriad of colors.










We walked through the displayed rooms, room after room with my mouth agape in wonder, awing that this work existed and completed during my lifetime. It takes a lifetime to master glass, and look at its beauty and form.



His work continued outside and hung from ceilings leading us from one wing to another.



Needless to say, we spent the day in this compound, enjoying the view from the observation deck at the Space Needle, and then wondered among the blown glass for hours enjoying a cup of coffee and simply taking in the colorful pieces.









That night we ate at Elliot's Oyster House and I had salmon (again, no baked potatoes were served). It was good, the atmosphere was ideal as we sat outside next to the water and the service average. I would go back if there weren't so many more restaurants to try in Seattle.




Tomorrow is the last day in Seattle, and then all aboard the ship.

Until then...have a great day.