Sleepless in Seattle

By Pramod De Silva

Space Needle. The first time I heard it around three decades ago, I thought it was something out of science fiction. Later, when I found that it was a very real structure that exists right here on Earth, in Seattle to be exact, I yearned to see it for real. I got that opportunity recently as part of a tour to the USA.

The Space Needle may not be as tall (just 184 metres) as some of the other iconic observation and telecom towers around the globe, but it is unique. Perhaps its only connection to space is that its top structure resembles a flying saucer, also known as UFO.

As the official website of the Space Needle puts it, “Seattle Starts Here”. After all, the name says it all. Opened in 1962 for the World’s Fair in Seattle, it is easily the city’s best known landmark. The futuristic building, which resembles a needle pointed to space when viewed from the ground or from afar, was designed by renowned architects Edward Carlson, Victor Steinbrueck and John Graham.

Distant buildings

This is the best place from which to view Seattle and beyond. You can even gaze at the distant buildings while enjoying lunch or dinner at the 42 metre wide Skycity Restaurant, 150 metres up, which offers a 360 degree view of the city as it makes a full circle in 47 minutes. On selected dates, it even has a wine academy where you can learn all about wine.

After a hearty meal at Skycity, head to the observation deck (160 metres), from where you can survey the entire city and on a clear day, see all the way to the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, Mount Rainier, Mount Baker and surrounding islands.

It can be very windy in this city, but the Space Needle can withstand winds up to 200 miles per hour and it can even survive a 9.1 earthquake. It is equipped with 25 lightning conductors. Its lifts can travel up to 16 Km/hour. Unlike many similar towers, it is not used for broadcasting purposes - it is purely an observation/restaurant tower.

The Space Needle is lit minimally at night, though it is equipped with a Legacy Light or Skybeam, powered by lamps that total 85 million Candela shining skyward from the top of the Needle which is switched on only on special occasions. Day or night (admission hours from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.), it is a must-see attraction in this Pacific northwest city.

As soon as you come down from the Space Needle, make your way to the famous Duck Tours queue on the other side of the street. It is an experience you will never forget - this is the only way to Seattle from the ground - and in the water. Yes, the Duck Tour uses authentic World War II Amphibian vehicles to take visitors around Seattle. The experience is aptly called “Ride the Ducks of Seattle”, but the ‘Duck’ here does not refer to the graceful animal, but to the brand of amphibian vehicle used - DUKW. Started in 1997, it is the biggest tourist attraction in Seattle apart from the Space Needle.

Landing craft

The DUKW is an amphibious landing craft developed by the United States Army during World War II. It was designed to deliver cargo from ships at sea directly to the shore. The DUKW (D-built in 1942, U-amphibious 2-ton truck, K-front wheel drive, W-rear wheel drive) was equipped with a hull pump that could move 260 gallons of water a minute. It also came with a hand pump that could move 50 gallons a minute.

It could climb a 60 percent grade and broach an 18-inch high obstacle. It had a range of 350 Km on land and 80 Km in water. It could carry a cargo load of 2,400 Kg and hold 25 fully equipped troops. DUKWs were designed to maneuver with great agility. They could fight their way through choppy oceans, huge breakers, and exit the water onto soft sand without losing traction. They had specially designed ‘windshield surf boards’ to avoid taking on too much water. Thousands of DUKWs were built for various amphibious operations and hundreds still survive in full working condition.

The most interesting aspect of the Duck tour is the live commentary by the captain (all Ducks are driven by fully qualified marine captains due to the water operation), which is witty, entertaining and above all, hugely informative. Most, if not all, of the captains are Seattle natives who know their city inside out. By the way, the Captain will invariably point out the actual house (or rather houseboat) where Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan spent several Sleepless nights in Seattle, while the Duck is in the waters of Lake Union.

There is one other attraction that you cannot miss while spending a few days and nights in Seattle, sleepless or not. Established in 1907, the Pike Place Market is perhaps the best known local market/fair in the USA. Pike Place Market is the city’s centre for fresh, local produce, specialty food and small independent businesses.

The Market continues its “Meet the Producer” tradition with a year-round farmers market, owner-operated bakeries, fish markets, butcher shops, produce stands and specialty food stores. Within the nine acre Market historic district is a daily crafts market, which features the quality work of 225 craftspeople. Do not miss a chance to sample the freshest seafood and see the busy fishmongers in action.

If you want to have a coffee afterwards, there is only place to go - the world’s first Starbucks which opened in 1971 in the Pike Place market itself. It is also one of the few places in the Starbucks universe where you can buy Starbucks souvenirs and merchandise in addition to various varieties of coffee.

Fully restored

Before you fly out of Seattle, there is one other place that you have to visit: The Museum of Flight, the largest private air and space museum in the world with more than 150 old and new aircraft, most of them fully restored and functional.

Among the exhibits are Lockheed Model 10-E Electra, identical to the one piloted by Amelia Earhart, the first US Presidential jet VC-137B SAM 970, BA Concorde, Caproni 20 (the world’s first fighter plane built for WW I), Douglas DC-2 and the Lamson Alcor, the world’s first pressurised sailplane.

Seattle has at least one other attraction built for the World’s Fair which is still popular - the Pacific Science Centre which has some of the original science exhibits from 1962. To whet your science appetite further, Seattle also has a famous zoo (Woodland Park) and the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium.

The best way to end your visit is to take a live-narrated cruise around Elliot Bay and Seattle Harbour which will give a panoramic view of the entire city, taking in city’s historic waterfront, Emerald City skyline, shipyards, Alki Beach and of course, the Space Needle. And if you have the correct papers, do not forget that Vancouver in Canada is just about three hours away by road and rail.

That is, if you can tear yourself away from the many attractions that the city of Seattle has to offer to first time and repeat visitors day and night - going sleepless is par for the course.