Up High

At a time when I'm seriously looking into the possibility of visiting my local plasma center to subsidize the fuel I consume on daily trips to work, my first visit to Seattle set the tiny little wheels in my head to spinning.......if there was a monorail in Des Moines, I could ride it and not have to sell my blood to companies with funny space-age names like Biomedia and Virotech. Yes, it's pretty cool to be able to save someones life by contributing plasma that's used in the production of drugs and get paid for it too. On the other hand it's kinda creepy too and when they check me for track marks at the Blood Center where I regularly donate for free, are they going to see the signs and turn me away?????

Well anyway. Public transportation! What a GREAT idea.
I wish someone in my hometown of half a million people would give it some serious thought.



The Monorail in Seattle is a pretty cool little ride. It took us right to the Space Needle where we met with the first of many opportunities to be parted from copious amounts of hard-earned dollars while on a recent vacation.

Yes. They had a senior citizens discount.
And don't think I didn't try. I pretty much hate heights so the sixteen bucks was a great excuse to stay on the ground. Until someone else bought me a ticket. oh dear.

It looks pretty high up there.

Oh man. Man, ohhh man ohhhhhh man. Does this thing sway in the wind....I wonder....but up I went with the rest of our crew, against my better judgment, packed like little about-to-die sardines in a teensy, widdy biddy little elevator up, up and up. On the way to the top we had a fabulous view over the city.
That's what they tell me.
I was thinking happy thoughts with my eyes closed.

Thousands of miles into the air later, we arrived at the observation deck and stepped out to enjoy the panoramic view. Here is what it looked like:

Well, that's what it looked like from where I stood.
I had my back pressed against the wall, pleading with God not to let me die. I could just see me as a random ink spot buried in the headlines about a collapsing landmark with comments from governors and engineers and city managers that go something like, "This has never happened before, honest.......we really didn't think it would ever tip over."

I could have gone right back down.
That is, if I could have moved.
I was pretty much paralyzed for a while.

Once I got sort of used to the height, I white-knuckled the rail and allowed myself to pivot.....EVER so slightly........to get a better shot of the fine panoramic view.

Hey, you can call me chicken.
You can call me a lousy photographer.
I choose to think of these shots as.....
Artsy.
A presentation of views from a new perspective.
The fascinating juxtaposition of organic textures against the harsh backdrop of urban consumption.......er, uh........somethin' like that.


sigh.
You're right.

It's just a bunch of tourist butts immortalized on a scaredy-cats camera.
But y'know what? I'll bet all of THEIR pictures look pretty much alike. The usual views. Buildings, water, more buildings, water........boat!........buildings, water and more water.

Artsy.
Yup. I think.