Was in Seattle last weekend. I just somehow love Seattle. It's somewhat similar to Vancouver, yet so different and American. The huge freeways and tall skyscrapers and I just love the steeps hills everywhere. I have yet to visit San Francisco and cannot imagine how steep those hills need to be famous and the ones in Seattle are not.
As we didn't have that much to do, we ended up driving around the metropolitan area and there are many interesting areas to be found. I will post lots of photos later when I get to that, but I love how varied Seattle is.
They have a nice boom going on in Downtown, but the skyline is seriously beginning to table top at 40 stories that most new towers area. Amazon's first two towers look great upclose, but I disliked how they are such a bright part of the skyline after dark. Great things still happenning and Columbia Center is not that lonely anymore!
Unfortunately I didn't manage to drive the new 520 as it was completely closed on Sunday when we had the time. I also skipped on the new Tacoma Bridge as the weather was cloudy on Monday morning and there would have not been a view of Mount Rainier. Next time!
Ended up driving many backroads between Everett and Bellingham and discovered some nice areas to visit later on.
I am always amazed how bad traffic can be in Seattle and I-5, I-450 and all other major roads are congested even in the evenings. Those huge freeways are also so uncomfortable to drive in rain after dark, making it difficult to see lane markings.
They seem to have converted HOV lanes on I-450 to HOT lanes in the past few years. I wonder when I-5 will follow the suit? Also, Bellingham could use an extra lane in both direction, as that section always seems super busy with the local traffic using I-5 to move across town.
It also always surprises me in what condition roads in America area. I felt so sorry for my tires all around Seattle and its freeways as the surface is so hard and huge potholes are everywhere. I will not complain of our premium highways ever again.
