To get to the Space Needle at Seattle Center from the city center (without a car, anyway) the easiest way is to take the monorail from Westlake Center. Walking around the city, the monorail tracks snake through the many skyscrapers...

	At Westlake Center (great shopping mall!) ride the escalator up up up...
	Here's the platform where you buy your ticket & wait for the train, which runs every 15 min or so

A quick train ride later you arrive at the very cool Seattle Center... Exit the station to gaze upon the mighty Space Needle! Very cool architecture, and epitomizing the 1960's futuristic style... The whole time I was there I had the theme from The Jetsons playing in my mind...

	Buy your ticket, and walk the circular path toward the glass entrance "hallway"...
	Now inside this iconic futuristic landmark
	Glance toward your right to see the giftshop - fun shopping with tons of merchandise!
	- but for now we continue onward to stand in line for the next elevator (fortunately the lines moves very quickly)
	Now at the top! When you first step out of the elevator, you can stay indoors or go outside for amazing views of the city

	Looking out at Seattle city center. I was so psyched the skies cleared up!		Another shot of the downtown area - this time sticking my camera lens in between the wires
	Walking around and around - one view is better than the next!		Looking Northeast toward Lake Union
	Looking Northwest toward Vancouver		Still looking toward Vancouver
	Looking down at Seattle Center		Looking eastward...
	The sun is starting to set over the water - so beautiful!

	Also at Space Center is the Science Fiction Museum, with very unique architecture. It's definitely worth visiting - I'm not really a sci-fi fan, and even I loved it
	Walking inside, you can see the monorail tracks above - very cool!
	The inside is as cool as the outside... Unfortunately photography is not permitted :-( but I did manage to snap this photo in the restaurant (which has the BEST pizza I've ever tasted!!!)
	The Space Needle at night, all lit up... Seattle Center also has an amusement park (notice the ferris wheel at left) so it's a great place for kids!
Washington Hotels

The Central Library is definitely one of the coolest buildings, and undoubtably worth a visit. Here are 2 images from outside - its odd angles, sloping planes and blue metallic sheen make it stand out

The entrance - a unique triangular passageway...

	Once inside, you won't want to leave...which is perfect given Seattle's rainy climate!		Looking down from the second floor
	At one of the upper floors, looking down toward the back of the buidling		- and at the very top floor looking down at the city

The entrance to Columbia Center (or the Bank of America Building, otherwise known as the "Darth Vader Building")

The entrance looks mild enough, but then you look up...I can see why it's know as the Darth Vader Building - at the very top is an obvervatory offering amazing views

	Inside the observatory		On the 70-odd floor is the observatory, with this model of the building
	Looking down toward the northwestern portion of the city...You can see the Space Needle further north
	Looking straight down...don't fall!
	Looking down toward the Financial District & Smith Tower		Looking southward toward Mount Rainier

The view from my hotel (Crowne Plaza). You can see Columbia Center and the Library Walking around the city you can't help but look up Skyscapers loom...they almost look the wise old sages peering down at you I don't remember the name of this buidling but the architecture was beautiful

	Pike Place is a grand indoor shopping arcade - truly a maze of halls, shops, food vendors & restaurants		Walking walking some more...
	There is definitely a carnival theme to Pike Place...		It almost feels like you're back in the early 1900's...
	Outside, almost across the street from Pike Place, is the very first Starbucks (a grande hot chocolate sounds good right now...)		Also nearby are the Harbor Steps, leading down to the water. Like I mentioned, it was November so the trees are bare - I'm sure this area looks beautiful in Spring!

	Kinnear Park lies just north of Seattle, on a high hill. This view is looking up at the park; steps take you all the way up...(but the climb is worth it!)		Pausing on the steps to turn around and enjoy the view...
	Ah the lovely view... Again, this was November so the trees are bare - but how beautiful this must be in Spring/Summer...		Cool art sculpture
	Steeping back a bit...flowers appear everywhere		...and looking toward the Pacific...you feel like you're on top of the world here... What a great place to come to reflect and wind down at the end of the day

	The city is so beautiful after dark -- all lit up, and so colorfully		Westlake Center at night
	A visual treat! I took many more nighttime shots, but unfortunately they came out blurry :-(		Here are the Harbor steps at night
	Seattle Center - you can see the Space Needle at the center Very sci-fi...

Myrtle Edwards Park is located northwest of Kinnear Park in lovely Queen Anne Hill

It's a smaller park, but with beautiful views, and worth checking out...

	The view looking towards Vancouver...

	Mount Rainier from the plane