Sunday, September 5, 2010

On the Waterfront... and then some...

We had such a good time downtown last week that we decided to spend another Saturday sightseeing in Seattle. Our first stop was to be the Seattle Waterfront.

Walking there, we passed a very cool weather vane that is actually a giant metal umbrella that moves with the wind. Wendy was about to snap a picture of it, and I jumped up in the air to pretend I was holding it! Oh, it is so fun to be a sock monkey! I crack myself up sometimes!

We went a little farther and decided to walk behind Pike Place Market because it was already very crowded there. I thought the sign would make a good hat, so I asked Ken to take a picture of me so I could pretend I bought a souvenir there.

The first thing we saw on the waterfront was one of the cruise ships that leaves for Alaska from here. I hope I get to go on a cruise ship someday. And I hope I get to Alaska so I can see my friends Louise and Tom!
We took a few minutes to look at the map. I kept pointing and saying, "We are HERE!" over and over. Wendy and Ken agreed that we were in fact here, and Wendy said it was time to go somewhere else. I looked up and saw the Alaskan Way Viaduct and got very excited. Actually, it was Wendy who got very excited. This is the highway that drives her nuts when she has to drive on it. All because one night on TV, she saw a National Geographic show "Monster Quake" and the computer animation of what will happen to the road RIGHT HERE in "the big one" is pretty dramatic. In fact, Wendy said, where we were standing, according to to the simulation, would be UNDERWATER in an INSTANT! I told Wendy that sometimes a little education is not a good thing, and that now was the time for HER to move on and go somewhere else. Ken smiled at me, nodded, and said, "Good one, Ernie!"
We were on Pier 59, right next to the Seattle Aquarium. I was certain that there would be some sea monkeys there, and I wanted to go inside, but Ken said we had to keep moving because we had to "be somewhere" at Noon. There were SO many things to see right there on the waterfront that going inside wasn't very upsetting. First we saw a big, noisy fountain! It was a wishing fountain! Wendy gave me a penny to wish on. I stood there, closed my eyes, made a wish, and THREW my penny into the fountain! But then I realized I had a better wish I could make, and I tried to get my penny back. Ken grabbed me by the tail JUST in time!
Oh, what we saw next was AMAZING! There is art EVERYWHERE in Seattle, and here on the boardwalk next to the aquarium was a very, very tall deep sea sculpture! What a great playground for me! First I scampered up the seaweed and I hid as best as I could. I started yelling, "KELP ME! KELP ME!" Oh, it was a HOOT! Then I scooted down to the octopus and pretended he got me in a very tight grip with one of his arms. I did my best Smokey Robinson impression, singing, "You really got a hold on me...." (I so love Motown!). 
Then I scooted over to look at this big fish who was staring at me. He looked so familiar. I realized exactly what I was supposed to do. I played "On the Waterfront" with him! He was Brando as Terry, and I was Rod Steiger as his brother Charlie. We acted out the backseat of the car scene. The fish was so good - he did a really good Brando and said, "You don't understand. I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it." I couldn't remember what I was supposed to say next because I was laughing so hard!"
 
In fact, I laughed so hard I fell off the kelp! When I stood up, I could not believe my eyes! DOUBLOONS! TREASURE! JEWELS! GOLD! I thought I was supposed to take some, but it was not real. They should know better than to try to fool little sock monkeys like that. I got sad. I looked up to see this giant weird fish, and I told him I was sad. So he SLURPED me! Well, that made me feel better!
Next we went to see some of the businesses. A gift shop window had a display of some sock fish! Who ever heard of sock fish? And they even have signs so you can let people know if Bigfoot lives nearby. I thought Bigfoot looked a little like one of my uncles.
 
There were lots of fishermen on this waterfront. A GIANT fisherman has his own restaurant and he greeted me at the corner. Then there were some of his friends on top of the restaurant, and I pretended to be part of the crew! Inside there was a restaurant named The Crab Pot. I was so upset! There was a fisherman with a crab in a cage who was caught! I found a way into the trap and tried to help the crab... but he tried to pinch my tush! I got out of there FAST!
I was pretty happy that we found another carousel! It was pretty, like the one at Comerica
On the way back to the car, I found a newspaper that made me think. It's called "The Stranger" and I thought I could be a good cover monkey, because I'm pretty strange. Right before we got to the car, we were walking down Pike Place and we passed the very first Starbucks ever in the universe. I wanted to go in, and I stopped for a picture, but I knew not to ask because we had to be somewhere at Noon.
Well, it was pretty exciting where we had to be! We met our friends Wendy (ANOTHER Wendy!) and Mark at Safeco Field! We were going to see the Mariners play baseball! WOOOO HOOOOO! Another baseball game! And they are the MARINERS! So it was like we were still at the waterfront! Ken was so nice - he brought my hat and glove. I sat in the seats with Wendy and Wendy, holding up my glove saying, "I've got it! I've got it!" It was so cool! We could see how they changed the the scoreboard! A little man was waiting to change the scores... but the Mariners and the Twins didn't get too many runs. We even got to see the Rookie of the Minnesota Twins wearing his Rookie Back Pack! His looked like a MONKEY! I yelled, "HEY ROOKIE! I HAVE A BACK PACK, TOO!" I don't think he heard me.
We wandered around a little because I was getting antsy. Am I glad we did! A TRAIN actually choo-choos right past the field! It is so LOUD and I was waving to the people in the train as it zoomed by. Then I saw a BRIDE! I mean a real BRIDE at the ballpark! I was going to get to see a WEDDING! Wendy told me she looked like a bride, but that it was actually a bachelorette party, where this almost-bride Michele and her girlfriends had a party at the ballpark. I think if I ever get married, I want to get married at Comerica Park.
Well, it was a long day, and it turned out pretty sunny. They didn't have to close the roof at Safeco, and sitting in the sun made me tired. I cuddled up with Wendy (my Wendy, not Mark's Wendy) and I took a nap. When I got up, we were home, and we decided to sit out on the porch and have some snacks. 
I finally got my cup of coffee from Starbucks! Well, actually, it was a cup from Starbucks, but Ken said I wouldn't like coffee. So I just had milk and a doughnut. Life is pretty good.

2 comments:

  1. Ernie, your adventures are awesome! Are you on facebook?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi, Sharky -

    Yes I am! Find me at Ernie SockMonkey, if you have not already!

    Thanks!
    Ernie

    ReplyDelete