Having a ball.

Yesterday I went to the Boeing factory tour - what a place, the largest building (by volume) in the world.
Until you see it you cannot believe it, a production line for 747's. In the 747 bays alone there were 2 partially built jumbo's and a further 3 completed apart from the seating being but in, that's 5 jumbos, and there was still room for 2 more.

The tour lasts 70 mins and costs $15, well worth a visit if in the area. I have also bought a ticket for tonight's local baseball game, the Aquasox, neat mascot, a green frog! Game pitches off at 7pm and there is a BBQ prior to that, and as its July 4th, there is also fireworks, again, best seats in the house were $15. Well we are not talking the premiership here. Really looking forward to it although I won't know what on earth is going on.

Anyhow, rode into Seattle this afternoon, about 23 miles south of where I am stopping. Traffic on the freeway was horrible - been out in the sticks far too long - however I did ride straight to the centre, just like riding into London I suppose.

Parked right next to the Pike Place market which is a fantastic market and a top tourist site. They sell just about everything but was famous for its fish (and still is I suppose) They had a number of stalls selling fresh fish, and they were run by some real showmen, throwing fish amongst themselves and gathering quite a crown, and when I talk about fish I'm talking whole salmon and larger sea fish, some quite ugly.

Also went on a historic underworld tour which takes you into the old Seattle. In 1898 Seattle caught fire and was partially destroyed, the city folk eventually rebuilt the new Seattle on top of the old, and it was some of the old we went to see. You go into a building a street level and drop down below street level onto what was originally the street level. There is still the old shop frontages and pavements down there. There was about 180 people on the tour, split into 4 groups of 45. And this tour takes place every hour. The guide we had was a laugh a minute and you would not believe the stories he came out with about old Seattle, the corruption, prostitution and drugs, fantastic. The tour lasts 90 minutes and again the cost was $15, don't know what it is about $15 but it seems like a popular price.

Into Seattle again today as July 4th the baseball tonight - back on the road again tomorrow folks