Tacoma/Chahuly

This is the bridge over the Tacoma Narrows. This bridge replaced "Galloping Gertie", the bridge we all watched in high school in a video where it twisted and twisted and fell. That happened in 1940.

Thanks to my guidebook, I became aware that Tacoma's favorite son these days is Dale Chihuly, the glass guy. I have added 20 pics here which is something I've never done before, but I feel it is necessary to understand how Tacoma's boy gave so much back to the city. By the way, Chihuly will turn 70 this year.

The Tacoma Museum has a large collection of his stuff. This is an outdoor exhibit of his "fish floats", the glass balls that Japanese fishermen use to keep their nets afloat.

This stuff sells for a lot of money. A simple small glass bowl is $5,000. So when you see how much is on display that he has loaned to the city, it is quite mind boggling.

This is the entry to their former railway station which was the terminus for the transcontinental railroad. The same guys designed it who designed Grand Central Station at the other end. Tacoma almost tore it down but they saved it to become the courts building.

Chihuly bought into the project and decorated the main atrium.

This is the central chandelier.

This bridge is a bridge to the Glass School. Tacoma is truly the city of glass.

All Chihuly stuff here.

Later you will see a shot of the glass furnaces.

Each one of these things is worth a lot of money.

These line the bridge.

This is the glass furnace room.

It's a school and every month they choose a child's drawing to reproduce in glass. They make two. One for the child and one for their museum.

This is out in front of the museum on the waterfront.

This is the ceiling of the bridge.

Tacoma is only 30 miles south of Seattle. It makes for a lovely day trip.

Seattle's Japanese Garden

To me, this Japanese garden reflects the character of Seattle. They have one, it's nicely done, but it's just a part of a great city. It's in a great big park close to the University of Washington where many people jog.

What a beautiful tree and don't think this was created by nature. There are many wires attached to this tree to accomplish this look.

This garden is so different from Portland's. They tried so hard in Portland whereas here in Seattle they've just done it.

Ed really liked this gate.

Iris along side of the lake.

A very nice Japanese garden.

Seattle's Asian Art Museum

This is the view as your approach, with the Space Needle in the distance. We are higher here.

This is the entrance, a very significant building.

Be sure to come here if you visit Seattle.

An interior shot of the central foyer.

Monks doing their thing; making one of those ephemeral sand paintings.

Ed's Trip to Tour Boeing

The largest building by volume in the world, 492,000,000 cubic feet, 98 acres under roof, 75 football fields including the end zones. This building houses the assembly lines for the 747's, 777's and the newest, 787 Dreamliner. The doors visible behind that plane are 300 ft. wide and 90 ft. tall.

The Future of Flight tour of the Boeing factory is fascinating for an aviation fan. It takes an hour and a half and they will not let you take any electronic equipment, i.e.: cameras, cell phones, etc.

The front entrance to tour headquarters. They sell models of every Boeing plane ever made, including the executive quality planes, at $350 a copy.

The plane in the foreground is one of four jumbo 747s that they call Dreamlifters. The newest plane, the 787, is assembled in modules in factories all over the world: Japan, Italy, Wichita, etc. and they ship the modules to the plant to be assembled. There are only four assembly stations on that line and they said that they can assemble the 787 in three days. They haven't delivered any yet but have orders for 857 planes at $189,000,000 a copy. They stressed "buy America"; just say: "if it ain't Boeing, I'm not going!"

Around Pioneer Square

We went to Pioneer Square today, after we got off the ferry from Bainbridge Island. Here we are, walking around, lots of art galleries.

A totem pole.

When I first saw the knitting I said: what is it? But as we advanced thru the square, we actually met up with the artist who had made all the pieces and was installing it. She is being paid by either the City of Seattle or the Chamber of Commerce. It's very cute.

Nice places to have coffee or food in the square.

The person on the ladder is the artist doing the installation.