The idea was to make a road trip through California but if we were to cross to the "other side of the world" we had to go to Seattle to visit my friend Leya (I told you about here). It's a bit strange to take a detour of 1300 km (distance from Seattle to San Francisco) but it would be even stranger not make the effort to see her and her family. I had already visited Seattle 10 years before exactly (when I lived in Japan) but it was like the first time. My memory had retained very little.
Os primeiros dias foram passados devagar, a recuperar do cansaço da viagem e jet lag (mínimo comparado com o regresso a Londres!). A Leya e sua família vivem em Green Lake, uma zona residencial perto de um parque com um lago enorme. Deliciei-me com as casas de madeira com alpendres e as árvores em flor de início de primavera. Passeámos à volta do lago que me fez tanto lembrar Oslo e o lago Sognsvann, perto do qual vivia.
The first days were spent slowly recovering from the long journey and jet lag (minimal compared to the return to London!). Leya and her family live in Green Lake, a residential neighborhood near a park with a huge lake. I delighted myself with the wooden houses with porches and blossoming trees. We walked around the lake that reminded me of Oslo and the lake Sognsvann, near which I used to live.
Mais recuperados lançámo-nos para o centro e mostrei ao R. um dos meus edifícios favoritos: a biblioteca central pública de Seattle desenhada pelos OMA/Rem Koolhaas. É uma obra incrível e é uma biblioteca incrível, enorme, cheia de espaço e livros! Passeámos pelas avenidas, vimos as vistas do alto da Columbia Tower, Pioneer Square e visitámos também o Public Market um misto de atracção turística e mercado a sério.
More recovered we headed to downtown and showed R. one of my favourite buildings: Seattle's central public library designed by OMA/Rem Koolhaas. It's an amazing building and an incredible library, huge, full of space and books! After we left we walked the streets, saw the views from the top of the Columbia Tower, Pioneer Square and also visited the Public Market, a lovely place, a mix of tourist attraction and a real market.
Outro dia atravessámos o Puget Sound até Bainbridge Island. Adoro viagens de barco urbanas e ver uma cidade assim à distância na água é sempre mágico. Não tirei fotos em Bainbridge porque estava demasiado ocupada a deliciar-me com as sandwiches do Hitchcock, gelados e cafés!
Another day we crossed the Puget Sound to Bainbridge Island. I love urban boat trips and to see a city from the distance reflecting in the water is always magical. I didn't take photos in Bainbridge because I was too busy delighting myself with the Hitchcock sandwiches, ice cream and coffee!
Em Seattle chove bastante e eu claro escolhi o pior dia para ir ver as cerejeiras em flor no campus da Universidade de Washington. Apesar da molha monumental que apanhei fiquei feliz porque as árvores estavam lindas. No mesmo dia visitámos também o Experience Music Project num edifício pouco inspirado do Frank Gehry e gostei bastante da exposição sobre os Nirvana (que caso não saibam são de Aberdeen, uma terra muito perto de Seattle).
It rains a lot in Seattle and of course I had to choose the worst day to go and see the cherry blossoms on the University of Washington campus. Despite being amazingly soaked wet I was so happy because the trees were truly beautiful. On the same day we had also been to the Experience Music Project an uninspired project by Frank Gehry and quite liked the exhibition on Nirvana (which were from Aberdeen, a town very close to Seattle).
E acima de tudo passámos muito tempo aconchegados em casa com os miúdos, a jogar Catan (sou totalmente viciada) e a comer refeições caseiras com vinho português. Já tenho saudades!
And above all we spent a lot of time huddled at home with the kids, playing Catan (I am totally addicted) and eating home-cooked meals with Portuguese wine. I already miss it!
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