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Sunday, July 21, 2013

Alki, North Admiral and the Alki Art Fair

Today, my husband and I went to the Alki Art Fair and walked a 7 mile circuit that included streets in the Alki and North Admiral neighborhoods of West Seattle. The sun came out and we enjoyed great views as we walked towards Alki Point, the westernmost area of Seattle.

We started our walk in the North Admiral area and it appeared that a garden tour was in process. We didn't join the tour but we did admire some impressive homes, gardens and views along Sunset Avenue SW.

Walking down Bonair Drive SW, we came to Alki Avenue and the beach. We saw a sign instructing us not to disturb the seal pups. We spotted quite a few games of beach volleyball in progress and noted restaurants, apartments/condos (some old, some new) and a few single family homes across Alki Avenue.

We admired the artwork being sold at the fair and stopped to read plaques explaining the Ice Age (including a Duwamish legend) and providing quotes about nature from Chief Sealth, the Bible and Buddha.

We continued west to the Alki Lighthouse which is open for tours from 1 to 4 PM on Saturdays and Sundays in June, July and August. We didn't take a tour today but it's now on my to-do list.

We came to the Charles Richey, Sr. Viewpoint where a sign welcomed us to the Whale Trail.

Starting our loop back, we passed the Department of Natural Resources Water Treatment Center and Bar-S Playground before returning to Alki Avenue where we had a great view of the Seattle skyline

and observed the birthplace of Seattle (November 13, 1851). A monument contains the names of the landing party members and has plaques honoring: (1) the Duwamish and other Native People who helped the Alki Landing Party survive the early years here, (2) the pioneers from Plymouth Rock to Alki Point (the monument contains a stone from Plymouth Rock), (3) the early Seattle women pioneers and (4) the founders of Seattle. This last plaque tells of a time capsule buried nearby which is to be opened in 2051.

We walked back along Admiral, crossing the Schmitz Park Bridge, passing Nantes Park (pictured in a prior post) and climbing a staircase near 50th Avenue SW.

At 48th Avenue SW, we came across a "Free Poety" box. I took a poem titled Stuff and read it to my husband on our trip home. No author was listed so I won't reproduce the poem here.

This was quite a walk and along the way we saw a house with a lot of glass garden art,

the westernmost point of Seattle,

art imbedded in the sidewalk (some tracing constellations), housing built on stilts,

fruit trees,

Paul Bunyan (???),

a massive tree

and tree swings.

I will be happy to return and walk more streets in these neighborhoods.

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