Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Seattle, day 6



On our last day in Seattle, we decided to visit Boeing's Museum of Flight, a first for us.

But first, we walked to the Boulangerie Nantaise, which ended up being quite a walk. (Incidentally, I don't remember there being so many French bakeries in Seattle when we lived there.)

The kids sampled the pastries, which looked pretty authentic and quite good.

I had an artichoke/red pepper/mozzarella/pesto sandwich on focaccia. It was pretty great.

We stopped at Macy's on the way back so I could buy some Frangos for my book club friends. If you have never had the pleasure of trying Frangos chocolates, you are missing out. They come in tons of flavors, are delightfully creamy, and have just the right hint of salt to balance out the sweetness.

The museum is much closer than I thought to downtown and well worth a visit.

The first section on space travel was fascinating. I could not get over how backwards and antiquated all of the controls looked!

I found out that EVA stands for Extra-Vehicular Activities, or space walks. Who knew?

I must have seen a replay of the first moon walk as a child, because it took me a long time to realize that it happened before I was born!

The museum answers questions about how astronauts eat, sleep, and use the bathroom. Suffice it to say that this confirmed my complete and utter lack of interest in space travel. Plus, their food looks seriously disgusting. And apparently space travel gives you a stuffy nose, which adversely affects your ability to taste, so astronauts put hot sauce on everything (even things which have no business being in proximity to hot sauce).

Did you know that astronauts sleep in sleeping bags that are velcroed vertically to the wall of the ship? They compare it to sleeping in a phone booth. Or that space travel weakens your bones? Astronauts have to exercise for 3 hours a day to combat bone loss, on a pull-down tiny treadmill. One woman ran the Boston marathon from space!

Max doing a flight simulator. He landed the space shuttle successfully; Lucas did not.

The kids loved sitting in small planes and making the rudders move.

And posing as pilots and astronauts. I don't know which expression cracks me up more.

Max did the 4D fighter jet flight simulator. He reported that it was not scary at all, but Lucas was taking no chances.

He and Eva tried out the small Blue Angels mock-up plane...

but the up-and-down controls proved to be too much for Eva and she had to be rescued by the kindly gentleman who had lifted her up just moments before.

I love the way they have all of these planes suspended from the ceiling. It's unreal.



We went on a retired Air Force One.


It was a little outdated. But presidents as recent as Clinton used it!

It's hard to imagine lounging on this sectional in-flight!

We also got to walk through a Concord. Marc is so disappointed that he never got to ride the Concord – apparently that was a bucket list item for him.

Check out this cool U.S. Mail sea plane. I love the postmark.

Even the gift shop had great details.

Of course these stickers made me think of Kristi.

After leaving the Museum of Flight, we drove up North to Katrina's house. Rush hour traffic.

We got to meet her new dog, Frodo. She rescued him from a shelter and he is on anti-anxiety meds. He's pretty lovable and quite a character. He loves to play with hair. Eva was down on the floor playing with him and he started nuzzling her hair. She shocked me by finding it hilarious. You just never know with that girl: will she freak out or crack up? She keeps you guessing for sure.

Katrina's backyard neighbor looks like a patriotic guy with a sense of landscaping style, but it turns out he enjoys porn and public nudity... huh.

Matho playing outside with Frodo. Check out those eyes! Seriously. I'm smitten.

Marc and Katrina went out to get Vietnamese take-out for dinner. (Never fear, Lucas had Little Caesar's.) She didn't have enough large bowls for our pho, so Marc ate out of this trough! He took one for the team on that one.

Eventually we had to leave and let the little kids get to bed. About 5 minutes after we left, Katrina called and said that Matho was distraught that he hadn't said goodbye to his satisfaction. He told me over the phone, and it was adorable.


We got to see the city in its nighttime splendor as we returned to pack for our trip home.


{the view from our window}

7 comments:

Jill said...

I love the picture of the kids posing as pilots ans astronauts, it's so funny! Max's expression is my favorite!

It's hard to believe that Air Force One was used as recently as President Clinton, it looks way too 60's!

I love the Sea Plan postmark!

That "Think Pink!" sticker is even the same font Kristi has used before, weird!

Frodo looks unstable.

Porn and public nudity...yikes!

Unknown said...

something about '60s eras models and museum displays always makes me feel nostalgic (even though i was born at the very, VERY end of that decade.)

i love Seattle so much. thanks for sharing your dailies with us!!

patsy said...

Museum of flight- how fun. Trent would love that place! I think I would too... My dad worked for Boeing for 40 years. Incredible

Great pictures- I'm sad this was your last day :)

Although- I'm sure you are so happy to be home- from BOTH trips!

Quelly said...

I think you should use the picture of the kids posing as pilots as your christmas card this year - hysterical!

jenn said...

I love photos of the city at night.

And I love seeing Max with a camera. I don't know why but it makes me happy.

Kelly said...

I think you have also confirmed my disinterest in space travel. Sounds terrible, and I'm sort of fond of gravity anyway.

That Air Force 1 does look way to "classic" to have been used so recently. Interesting!

And can you buy Frangos at any Macy's? I haven't had those since we lived in Chicago and would get them at Marshall Fields. One of the YCL's at camp who had lived in Chicago and I were talking about Frangos at camp, so it's funny to me that you mentioned them here. I agree, they are divine!

Rebekah said...

Michelle, you're photos make me want to go out and live an intentional life.

I always wonder how astronauts are able to remember which button does what on those gigantic panels. I guess when you're life depends upon it though, you feel extra motivation to study up.

Ooh, the planes are hung that way at Air & Space. It is cool, isn't it?

Wow about the neighbor.

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