Sunday morning, we ate scrumptious pastries at the café across the street from our hotel, then decided to walk slowly toward the train station and stop anywhere that looked interesting.
The most interesting thing along the way was architecture. What fascinating, wonderful structures can be found in Seattle. It was raining again, with very low clouds, and the grey wet day under fabulous architecture reminded me of the one day I spent in Vancouver, BC in similar weather with similar jaw-dropping architecture.
One building seemed especially familiar to me because of an architecture tour my brother Ian took me on once, when he lived here. We had tried to visit the library, but it was closed that day. I told Pedro I thought the building might be the library, and we crossed the street to investigate. It was the public library and it was open! We went inside and explored the space.
From there to the train station, we did not find any more places to stop, so we kept going. We tried to visit the old Union Station, which is said to be beautiful and open to the public, but alas it is closed on weekends. Union Station opened just a couple of years after King Street Station, and served different lines. Alas, those lines lasted only 50 years and the station was closed.
Without anything else to do, we crossed the street to the Amtrak station and found a bench to wait an hour till boarding. Luckily, that was also a beautiful building, which kept me entertained. I found a poster board of historic information on the wall, that informed me that our current train station was opened in 1906.
At boarding time, we headed out to the tracks, and the scene reminded us of European trains. What blew our minds was the spectacular blue sky. While inside waiting, the weather had cleared to epic proportions! The delight was short lived, as night fell by 4:30 and we crept home in the dark in Portland, where the rains had persisted in our absence.
Conscious Engagement 
Wow Crystal, that is amazing architecture. The old as well as the new. The art gallery is a wow as is King St Station. Normally I am not a fan of the mixing of the old with the new. Seattle does try to do it sympathetically.
Brian, I had not even thought of that: mixing old and new architectural designs. But that must be a testament to how well it works, because it did not catch my attention while I was there. Thank you for your perspective. ❤
You’re welcome Crystal 😀
The modern architecture of Seattle is very impressive, but older buildings seem to be no less pretty. It’s good that they decided to build buildings that are not boring in the city, because with that weather (I heard about Seattle’s reputation as “Rain City”) quirky edifices can make a huge difference.
Brian contributed a good perspective, and Bama, yours is helpful as well. Thank you! I had not thought about the mental and emotional boost of beautiful architecture in a place with so much rain. I hope that is part of the reason why it exists! Quirky is so right, and now I think the plethora of art exhibited on the streets must also contribute to sparking the mind on dreary days.
An interesting variety of periods
How I love a blog. Each person contributes so much in the comments! Derrick, I merely admired each building as fascinating, and I smiled in wonder, but I was such a simple vessel before reading my comments. Thank you for noticing the mix of periods and bringing it to my attention. I think I noticed it on such an unconscious level, but I am glad to think about it purposefully now: the 1970s look of the concrete building with diamond shapes, the turn of the century 1900’s facades in the train station, the modern glass and steel of the library and zig zag and peeling wall buildings, and the 1930 art deco of the green glass building behind the one on a curved concrete pedestal.
I am so pleased I prompted you to look at them again. XX
Very interesting architecture! Thanks for the tour! I’ve seen some of those buildings, but not all. What a fun trip. I hope you get a break from the rain. Have you had any flooding issues in your neighborhood?
It was really a special surprise, Lenore, to leave the pouring rain in Portland and have sunshine in Seattle. The forecast was for pouring rain everywhere on the coast. Our neighborhood was spared, since we happen to live on a hill. Tigard and Bull Mountain here, are nicely elevated. But Portland proper had some pretty bad flooding issues at first because of clogged drains. After crews got out and unplugged drains across the city, things have been better. Also, the rains let up after a few days. But then I think Seattle got it hard. Oof, the weather is hard to keep up with! I just got word from my brother in Montana that they are expecting hurricane force winds there. Good grief.
The architecture is amazing, Crystal. I really enjoyed your photos. And the library, wow! I’ll certainly head there if and when we get back to Seattle. Our last trip to the city was in 2018 although we drove around it few times since. And to finish your post off with one of the classic old train stations. What a neat contrast.
Thank you, Curt! I feel lucky that my brother had tried to get me in there years before. Otherwise, I never would have guessed it was a library and open to be explored. Pedro said to me, “I wonder what it’s like up at the top where there is an overhang?” …and it got me to wondering if we could get inside and answer that question. And we did!!
The contrasts were just lucky. I am glad I appreciate architecture of all kinds.
Good for Pedro. I’m sure it didn’t take much persuasion, however, to get you up to the top!
Well, luck plus, Crystal.
I know nothing of the northwest coast. (San Francisco is the highest north I’ve ever been…) Maybe when the Crook goes I can go back to the US and visit…
You are welcome to stay with us when you come, and we will feed you and show you around! ❤
👍🏻