Our train trip today - Seattle to Vancouver (minus the two children sitting behind us and family)

 

 

Leaving Seattle

Everett

and more

heading up to Edmonton

the very beautiful bays and coves all the way up

White Rock on the border

crossing the flats

heading in to Vancouver

and just before the station

a quick up date today.....  we loved Seattle, wished we could have had an extra week there. missed the amazing museum of music and science fiction, for those interested, Captain Kirks command chair, the original Daleks costumes to name a few.  Plus some of the amazing street shopping we just didn't have time for or a harbour cruise .....
so we caught the train up to Vancouver and then even the coast up to Vancouver, amazing, particularly close to Seattle, just little bays of sandy beaches, houses right on the water and stunning views across Puget Sound. 

looking across Puget Sound from our table at dinner last night

and more

looking back toward Seattle

Ok. Today is a blokes day! After all, what is Seattle all about?

First stop was a tour of the Boeing Everett factory to see the assembly lines making the 747, 777 and 787 (Dreamliner) The building covers over 100 acres, or 75 football fields, or the whole of California Disney World plus 10 acres of parking. In other words, the biggest footprint of any building in the world! Over 1,000,000 light fittings in the factory alone.

Unfortunately no pictures inside, we weren't allowed to take anything with us. Not so much because of security but someone dropped a camera once and put a million dollar dent in a new 747! The building consisted of 3 separate assembly lines, each operating in quite a different way. The photo's are all from outside.

Back into town to be dropped off to catch a public bus out to the Seattle Museum of Flight. This is one of the most significant plane museums in the world, but will let the photo's do the talking there. However the trip reinforced my personal view that public transport should be banned, quite disgusting and a waste of tax payers money!

Back to town and we had dinner at a restaurant on the waterfront at the bottom of town. It was fabulous.

Tomorrow is a very early wake up for the train trip to Vancouver. Just not enough time here.

 4 of these modified 747's exist used to ferry completed sections of the 787 here for assembly

The 'nursery'. All new. The green is a protective plastic coating from the assembly line. "Yes sir, we will paint it any colour you like, once you make your second payment".

Museum of Flight. SR71 Blackbird

Blackbird. Fastest plane ever built.

A shrink wrapped fully restored B29 Super Fortress

B17 Flying Fortress. Smaller than I thought and one of the most elegant planes ever built 

Air Force 1 - No1

Could only be 1 plane in the world - discounting the Russian copy

Concord. Actually quite small inside. Would be claustrophobic, good thing you weren't ever in it for too long. (if you were ever lucky enough to actually go in one)

 Air Force 1

 



B747 No1

Had the thrill of a life time this morning! Well getting to the airport with the shuttle that is..... even Rus thought the guy was going to get air going down the streets.
That and his singing in Italian made for an interesting drive. I think it was worth the tip!!!!

Took forever to get through USA security and then they nearly had a heart attack over my bottle of water, worse than coming in to LA for goodness sake.

Made it to Seattle, and wandered down to the Pike Place market and the town. Now this is a nice city! the sound is beautiful and with out so many people, not so busy and laid back. (although there was a gaming conference/expo in town for the long weekend and some very odd people in costumes around)

Barbershop America style ... these guys were good ....

the bay

view out of the hotel window

Today is Sunday here, so a rest day was required.

Jill is a brunette. Reasonably intelligent, but often moody. Does not like enclosed spaces, is claustrophobic, does not multi task well especially when she has to think of two cities at a time. works better after a wine (whine).  Open to interpretation of what she is thinking, and doesn't like to look ahead to any new possibilities. However, she can be good in a crisis, and then she often repeats herself just to make sure you have heard correctly and get it right. She can be tardy in giving instructions, and often naps for long periods of time, and then suddenly bursts into life, often startling the occupants with her voice.
We took Jill out to breakfast this morning, just to thank her for her help .....

Jill enjoying her morning coffee and muesli, her standard breakfast

having a wee chat about where she was and saying goodbye

Jill, my friend for the last two weeks

Jill, not so sure about this relationship and how well it worked!

 

 

 

so after coffee and dropping the car off, we headed down to the wharf area to check out the America's cup village. Caught a taxi after ending in the wrong place and it an area full of homeless and druggies......

 

 

that is the worst thing with San Fran ...two blocks over and you can get it so wrong.... and it is dangerous ... they are out to get you and fleece you ....

 

 

anyway the village and then a cable car ride today, back to do washing, rest and organise for the next bit. Fly out to Seattle tomorrow and the Boeing factory on Tuesday, Wednesday train to Vancouver!

 



Ditched the car today and used the "hop on hop off" bus around the town. Best move really as San Fran is difficult to navigate and get around and park. this took the whole day. Up to Alamo Square to see the "painted ladies" nothing much really just like Dunedin student flats in a row, and really not much better condition. I think Dunedin would win on this front!  over to the Science centre and then on to the Golden gate bridge. Lots of traffic as the Bay bridge was shut so it was a crawl, in fog. Rus sat up the top on the way back and got blown around and wet! I sat inside and was warm and apparently saw as much as him ......... 

Then through town to Union Square were we stopped off for lunch.   Sigh ......... Sax 5th Ave, Maceys, Tiffany's, Louis Vuitton, you name it, it was there. Dragged Rus into Macey's and looked around.   6 floors of clothes shopping! the best was the floor of china and glass, just like S&C at home (Auckland, Smith and Caughey's) but out standing stuff. Walked to china town which was a let down again. Just like cheap junk shops in a row with some touristy fronts and a gate. Caught bus back to hotel and a dinner. Have a nice Irish pub next door, cheap good food and drinks. So fried pickles again! YUM! (Really, you do have to try them!) and wine. One meal between two is enough. the meals here are huge. Finished with an Irish coffee for him and a herbal tea for me, sort of........  orange pekoe tea, a blackberry, shot of  grand marniar and a shot of amaretto! 

san Francisco city hall

the painted ladies

going on to the bridge

on the other side

heading back

yuck

didn't go in to these two

 

but went in here .... didn't buy anything though

China town

Alcatrez from the Embracardro