Page 4 - FF USA Exchange Diary September 2016

Date: Tuesday 12 July From: Ron OPEN DAY – Activities with Hosts

Ron, Daphne and Margaret went on the Underground Tour of Seattle at high noon and discovered a fabulous tour
guide named Amara. She led us on a very amusing tour of the underground that gave a great insight into how
Seattle became the city it is today. She led us from a sewerage plagued lumber town that burnt down to a more
modern town with a thriving prostitution industry. The gold rush of the 1890's in Canada made Seattle a major
place to stock up on supplies required by the prospectors. The underground tour is a must do in Seattle. The tour
that we took was 75 minutes long and involved walking both below and above ground - the first 15 minutes was
spent receiving very "punny" stories of the founding fathers of the city. As with all good things, the tour finished in
the gift shop.
We then headed to the Klondike Gold Rush museum which gave further information on the gold rush in Canada
and the part played by Seattle.
We continued on to the Frye Museum but unfortunately the main gallery was closed so we left.
Next we visited the University of Washington as our host Joe had both studied and taught there. We had a drive
around and were shown the main square that included a large pond and fountain. The university has some 50,000
students and sits on land that is roughly 2 miles long and 1 mile wide.
We headed home for an early tea as Joe and Joyce both had a church meeting to attend. We were given the
option to go with them to town and look at other things but we declined as we had other things to do at home.

Notes from a few other Ambassadors and hosts
From: Gay
We went into town to the Pike Street Market where we watched the guys throwing the fish and then we went to
the gum wall. A young girl gave me a piece of gum which I chewed and then stuck to the wall, so there is a bit of
my DNA left in Seattle. I took a couple of photos. After this we bought a Dungeness Crab and took it home and
had a salivating late lunch. I have already done the Underground City, and I agree it is fascinating. We went to
dinner at Duke and Melinda's house, lovely property in the hills with horses and walk trails. Veronica and Robert
were also there with their hosts.

From: Anna.
Susan, host Bob and Anna, after a wonderful breakfast (Bob) walked along the Golden Gardens beach, saw
beaver tree damage in the park, then went to Ballard Lochs and saw Sockeye Salmon coming through the fish
ladder, as well as the boats locking through lochs. Pike Place market was the next very exciting venue, especially
as a gas leak evacuated many vendors and visitors. Tea tasting and Hombow were on the menu. Walked through
the Convention Centre and Freeway Park, before visiting the downtown Central Library which was an amazing
piece of architecture and creative floor spaces. In the evening, Pat Nelson hosted us to a beautiful dinner with Ed
and Geoff as well.

Other activities by other people on other days

Ballard Lochs Pike Place Market