Cheerfully wandered around the city, getting myself lost. Ended up at the Pike Street Markets, which I'd heard a lot about. So I went for a hunt around, partly for snacks, and also a map.
It is an amazingly cool market with so much awesome shit. Like the Subiaco Station St markets crossed with the Schools farmers markets, but bigger and on all week (with loads of interesting shops underneath). In a beautiful location.
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| The view from the outer stalls at the markets |
Including two second hand books and a place that advertised itself as the oldest comic shop in Seattle (or similar, I can't find the plastic bag with it written on it). So er, I may have gotten distracted.
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| Top row: Batman Mad Love, Deathstroke, Harley Quinn: Preludes and Knock-Knock Jokes and Madame Xanadu: Exodus Noir. Bottom Row: White Jenna (Jane Yolen), Searoad (LeGuin) and The Witches of Wenshar (Hambly) |
In my defense, most of these are either really hard to find, or I really wanted to read and stuff is stupid cheap here. Plus I knew that after GGC I'd be sending a huge box of comics and books home via the post anyway. The Hambly book in particular I've been hunting around Perth bookstores for, for something like a year and a half now.
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| A small selection of the tomatoes available at only one of the stores. |
Food here is pretty weird. On the one hand you have a lot of (most) easily obtainable stuff, which is mostly plasticky unreal stuff that if you were in Australia would have all sorts of weasel words and quoatations around it. Especially cheese and 'avocado' on sandwiches here. On the other hand the variety at the farmers market, the freshness is astounding and would be hard to get here. AND is cheap compared to Australia. I bought a huge pile of fresh and tasty cherries for $2 while wandering around.
NOT PICTURED: the armsocks I really have to go back and get because OMG they look so warm and comfy. I don't care that its the wrong season (here).
Service is much better at cafes and restaurants to a disturbing degree. But then that's all about getting the tip isn't it? Don't even get me started on how creepy and confusing tipping is. Woooo way to blame the customer for endorsing business's to stuff over one of the most vulnerable (to stuffing over in this way) of employees, American government. Tax also often isn't mentioned in stores. Its just a lovely surprise when you take your book/food/whatever to the register. How that is legal and not misrepresentation I don't even...
For me so far this traveling and exploring business seems to be all about the small differences and changes and effects. Talking to people and soaking up vibes rather than seeing the big shiny things and tourist attractions.
This might be because I did my ankle on the bad leg in on the second day (tripped on some stairs). It's mostly fine, not swollen or that bad anything, just the muscles aren't enjoying the hills or my usual (bad habit) of compensating for my knee on shitty terrain. So a minor annoyance. :P
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