Sci-Fi Seattle

When Seattle hosted the World's Fair in 1962, it designated a corner of the city to the enterprise and christened it the Seattle Centre. Most strikingly, they built a structure now famous around the world and which has featured in numerous films - the Seattle Space Needle. It's name was actually given in scorn by a journalist of the day, who thought the structure was a ridiculous folly, but the name stuck and this folly, rather like the Eiffel Tower in Paris, is now one of the main attractions in the North West United States.

                                    

I decided to visit the Space Needle for myself and had an amazing two days in the surrounding area, which is now a hub for parks, arts, science and entertainment.

                                

                                                     My Usual Suspects Mug Shot!

           

For those of you who know me best - imagine my immense pleasure at discovering that Seattle was hosting a very special Star Wars exhibition at the Experience Music Project (EMP) Museum adjacent to the Needle! I booked a ticket and entered the world of my childhood. The Star Wars exhibits were excellent and I was able to stand within touching distance of Chewbacca, R2D2, C3PO, Darth Vader and a multitude of other costumes and creations from the various movies. Large screens dotted around the exhibition streamed various documentary programmes about costume manufacture and design, intercut with film footage and interviews with cast members and crew. It meant that whilst others were in and out in 30 minutes, I was still merrily wandering around two hours later! 

       

                             

        

        

                                                  It certainly appealed to my inner geek!

Downstairs, there was more, as the EMP then had an exhibit entitled the 'Infinite Worlds of Science Fiction' and I was able to get close to over 150 original props and items from iconic Sci-fi TV and films such as Terminator, Doctor Who, 2001 A Space Odyssey, Alien, Bladerunner and War of the Worlds.

                             

       

But the science didn't stop there. I then toured Science Fact at the Boeing Museum of Flight, which had an entire building dedicated to NASA, the Shuttle and all things space. 

                               

       

         I even got to tour the lifesize Shuttle Training vehicle

  

        

          

Now I can fully recommend Seattle to all visitors. I toured the subterranean streets (the former home of smugglers, prohibition breaking speakeasies and brothels), took a cruise around the harbour, walked the Olympic Sculpture Park, visited the Seattle Museum of Art, explored Lake Washington and the Ballard locks and took time to go to the famous Fish Market (I even managed to watch the film 'Sleepless in Seattle' whilst I was there) before boarding an Amtrak Cascades train and heading north into Canada. Washington State is beautiful and I was blessed with fabulous weather (not the persistent rain which everyone talks about!) Visit Seattle. It is so much more than Starbucks, Microsoft, Boeing, Amazon and the Seahawks.

                                       

                                 

And as for the Space Needle being a ridiculous folly - I went up twice - so I could see Seattle at night too!

Paul x