Seattle: One of America's Most Romantic Cities

After extending my stay in Portland for another week to explore the city, I decided to take a day trip to nearby Seattle. The drive was only about three hours, and since it was my last week before returning to Thailand, I didn't hesitate. I felt safe traveling alone, especially since I had already managed to travel to Washington D.C. on my own, which was much farther away. Seattle was just a short bus ride away, so I saw no reason to be afraid. This time, I didn't even need to ask my mother for permission, as she was the one who suggested I take this trip.

Initially, I was worried that a day trip wouldn't be enough time to see everything, but after doing some research, I realized that it was possible, especially if I focused on exploring Downtown Seattle.

From what I've read, Seattle is a very livable city.

Located in the state of Washington in the northern part of the United States, Seattle is not to be confused with Washington D.C., the capital of the United States located on the East Coast.

The city boasts a well-developed transportation system, making it easy to get around.

It is also known for its clean and safe environment.

Seattle is often considered one of the most romantic cities in America.

It offers a variety of natural attractions, including mountains and the sea.

It is home to the renowned University of Washington.

The city is also the birthplace of the famous coffee chain Starbucks, with the world's first Starbucks store located here.

And for seafood lovers, fresh seafood is readily available in the city, particularly at Pike Place Market, which is situated near the waterfront.

However, the city also has a high cost of living.

As mentioned, we only had one day to explore, making this a rather rushed trip. Not only were we short on time, but we also had limited planning time due to needing to plan our upcoming Las Vegas trip in two days.

Therefore, we decided to focus our exploration on Downtown Los Angeles.

We left home around 5:30 AM, the earliest we've ever left since moving to Portland.

To reach Seattle, we must take a BoltBus from Portland's city center. The roundtrip fare, booked online, is approximately 40 dollars.

The bus was scheduled to depart at 6:30 AM, but it was delayed and arrived around 7:30 AM. Several passengers expressed dissatisfaction with the delay.

Upon arrival, the driver scanned passengers' QR codes to verify their tickets. Passengers were then called to board in designated zones.

Starting from zones A, B, and C in order, we boarded a spacious bus with comfortable seats and an onboard restroom. The journey took approximately three hours, during which we enjoyed views of the expressway.

Arrived in Seattle.

We arrived around 10 am, and the downtown area was still relatively quiet.

The weather is pleasantly cooler than Portland, even though it is summer.

A noticeable observation is the significant presence of homeless individuals. The odor on certain streets is distinctly that of the homeless population.

Be cautious when walking, as some homeless individuals may approach you and ask for money. Ignore them. Our first destination was the original Starbucks location, as we anticipated large crowds later in the day. On our way, we passed through Pike Place Market.

Walk for a while and turn right, then you will find the Starbucks.

This coffee shop is very popular with tourists.

At that time, we thought the line wasn't very long, so we joined it.

Photo of the restaurant's atmosphere

Upon entering the store, you will find Starbucks merchandise for sale. If you are interested in purchasing any items, please inform the staff at the counter. The displayed items are for demonstration purposes only.

When ordering in line, we ordered as usual. That day, we ordered a small Green Tea Latte Ice, which cost 4.25 dollars.

The actual wait time for our order was not very long, as we only placed an order. However, once the order was placed, a staff member directed us to another line, the beverage pick-up line. This line may have a longer wait time.

We informed the staff that the name was Nest, but what we received was Nancy.

Writing your name on a Starbucks cup can still be funny, even if you order at the first store.

Upon exiting the store, we were relieved to have arrived early as the queue had grown significantly longer. We then retraced our steps towards the Gum Wall, following Google Maps. Along the way, we passed through Pike Place Market, where the pungent aroma of seafood filled the air. The market offered an abundance of fresh seafood, which looked tempting but came at a premium price.

Pike Place Market is one of the oldest farmers' markets in America.

The bustling atmosphere is filled with vendors eagerly inviting customers to their stalls.

As we walked past a fresh seafood stall, we saw large, appetizing crabs and fish. The stall was crowded, so we decided to take a closer look. The vendor skillfully tossed fish to another person while cracking jokes, effectively attracting a large crowd.

Market atmosphere

We walked around for a while, unable to find the gum wall. Instead, we stumbled upon a small garden.

A view of The Great Wheel and the sea can be seen below.

We still couldn't find the gum wall. It turned out to be in the same location as the park, but it was underneath it. We had been walking around for a long time.

This gum wall is quite crowded with tourists. Some of them have just finished chewing gum and are sticking it to the wall.

We walked out of the market, where there were many shops to browse alongside.

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Following our bus ride, we arrived at Kerry Park, a small park offering stunning views of the Space Needle. The postcard-like photos we captured here were the primary reason for our visit, as opposed to going directly to the Space Needle itself. With limited time, prioritizing our desired experiences was crucial.

We will then head to the University of Washington to see the Suzzalo Library, which was one of the filming locations for Harry Potter. According to the map, it seems that we need to walk down from Kerry Park. The path is very steep.

Beneath the viewpoint is a playground.

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We boarded the bus to the University of Washington, a journey that took approximately 40 minutes. As the sun began to rise, the temperature climbed, and we realized we had not yet eaten due to our busy sightseeing schedule.

The bus stops in front, you need to walk a little further.

We have arrived at the University. It is very beautiful. If you come to Seattle, don't miss the chance to come in and see the atmosphere inside.

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We followed the signs that said "Library" but couldn't find the Suzzalo Library. We even went inside, but still couldn't find it.

We walked back out haphazardly, trying to find the building that looked like this because it was the entrance.

Upon entering, you will see the Suzzalo Library sign, which is located in a different position than the original library.

We stepped inside to a hushed atmosphere.

To reach the Quiet Zone, proceed upstairs and look for the corresponding signage.

It is evident that students and external individuals genuinely utilize this space for reading. As tourists, we must maintain silence while walking and taking photographs to avoid disturbing them.

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After exploring the atmosphere of this university, we returned to the downtown area.

It was 4 pm and we hadn't eaten anything yet. We decided to grab a bite to eat. Luckily, one of our Japanese friends who used to live in Seattle recommended Pike Place Chowder, located inside Pike Place Market.

It's a small restaurant that gets very crowded on weekends, according to our friend. Fortunately, we went on a Monday.

We ordered the chowder, which is like a soup, and it came with a bun. It was delicious.

A soda costs 4 dollars. This city is really expensive, just like everyone says.

After lunch, we had about an hour and a half to spare before we had to catch the bus back to Portland at 6:45 pm. We decided to take a walk around town. The shops in town were similar to those in any mall. After a short walk, we went to the Great Wheel to enjoy the view of the sea in the late afternoon.

For the first time, we witnessed Portland at night. The city lights were beautiful, and the atmosphere was quiet with few people around. We saw some homeless individuals.

As I waited for the bus, my thoughts drifted. My return to Thailand was imminent, and I wondered if this would be my last glimpse of the downtown cityscape, especially at night. I reached for my camera and captured the scene.

And the number 9 bus that goes to our house is here.

We arrived home at almost eleven o'clock at night. The path leading to the house was very desolate, with no streetlights at all. It was very quiet and dark, which was quite frightening.

We hurried home.

Upon returning home, I found the house empty, assuming everyone had already gone to bed. Only Daisy, the dog, was present in the living room, where the television was still playing. Nicole had mentioned that she sometimes leaves the TV on for Daisy to keep her company.

After packing our belongings and taking a shower, we went out to have orange juice and sandwiches because we were very hungry from all the sightseeing.

After a while, we saw Nicole walk out of the room. We greeted each other, and I told her about my trip.

There are places they haven't been to yet, such as the Suzzalo Library and Kerry Park. When we mentioned that Kerry Park also has a playground, Nicole said she would take the kids there to play sometime.

Upon mentioning the Suzzalo Library, Nicole's eyes lit up, revealing her avid Harry Potter fandom.

Nicole shared an anecdote about a time during her university studies when she was assigned a project to create a cubic box. She was the only student who received an A+ grade. We inquired about her approach.

They mentioned watching Harry Potter, but I don't recall the specifics. They claimed to have used a technique from the film to make their boxes more precise, resulting in sharp, perfectly angled edges. They were quite proud of this accomplishment.

After a brief conversation, I excused myself to go to sleep.

It was a pleasure to explore Seattle today. Experiencing a city so different from Portland was refreshing and empowering, proving that I am capable of solo travel.

**Read about my time in Portland here: https://th.readme.me/p/18597

**And the story of a solo trip to Washington, D.C. https://th.readme.me/p/19163

Thank you for reading.