My first full day in the Emerald City
was plenty sunny so Sarah and I went
to the Space Needle,
which is something
I knew I'd never do
if I didn't do it
immediately.
We rode the 600-odd feet to the top,
past paint crews and under tarps
as Asian tourists politely echoed
everything the tour guide said.
You can't take your coffee
on the observation deck,
and if you're thinking about jumping,
forget it--the whole top is wired
shut tighter than a hamster cage.
So we walked round and round the platform,
one level above the revolving restaurant,
and though it was pretty clear
we still couldn't see Mt. Rainier.
Then we rode the monorail!
It cost a buck to go five blocks
and let us off in the middle
of a mall foodcourt.
We couldn't get on the first bus
out of there fast enough.