Seattle Day 2 - Underground tour

While Jesse is off working hard at the Microsoft conference, I get to have a lazy relaxed day. :)

Took the Underground tour. Parts of Seattle is built upon the old buildings that were destroyed by fire in the1800s then the earthquake. You are literally walking in the spaces below the side walks, most of the skylights are still intact, and form part of the normal street. However they've covered up a lot of it, since the glass gets slippery and starts to breakdown. The glass has an interesting purplish colour, due to the manganese content of glass back in those days, which develops over years. Interesting to note as well is that it is below sea level, and used to be mud flats. So it made sense for them to build up where they could. As for how the fire started, a carpenter's apprentice was melting down blocks of glue to use, which caught fire when he wasn't watching. He then made the mistake of puring water on a mostly oily mixture, which splattered and caught the carpentry shop on fire, which was near the general goods store, that back in those days were full on munitions, and whiskey. Needless to say, it all went up in flames with those perfect sources of fuel.

Had a Creole lunch of a sampler plate of Jambalaya, Crawfish pie and gumbo. Very different cuisine to what I have experienced before. Not bad. Walked off lunch by wandering down to the Piers, looking for the bus to take me to Olympic Sculpture park. There was meant to be a free 99 bus, which I never did see. So ended up walking all the way there. Great view along the waterfront.

Visited the Glass blowing studio, which was another 9 blocks walking,  followed up by a bit of retail therapy then back to the hotel. I got asked today where I'm from, and that they liked my accent. Do I answer I'm from Malaysia or Australia?

-Y-