Edmonds Kingston Ferry

Please join me on a sunny day, riding the ferry from Edmonds to Kingston.  

As you come down the hill toward the ferry terminal, the ferry traffic lines up on the right. There is one lane on the shoulder until it splits into two lanes about a quarter mile from Dayton Ave, just in front of the toll booths. Usually there is only one lane open but when traffic is heavy they open the curb lane (where I'm standing to take this photo) as well. During heavy travel days I've seen the line backed up all the way to West Gate, a little over two miles.

Here the two lanes feed across Dayton Avenue to the toll booths and parking lot. 

During busy times all the toll booths are usually open. The parking lot behind the booths (where
the white car is) holds enough cars to fill one of the two super ferries that serve this route.

This is the ticket booth for motorcycles and bicycles. The cycles load first and debark first.

Entrance for foot passengers.

These two ticket machines are on the right just inside the passenger entrance door. Most people use ORCA
Cards so these don't get much use.

This enclosed ramp leads from the ticket office to the drawbridge onto the ferry. You can just see the drawbridge
raised in the distance to the left of the ferry berth.

These turnstiles allow passengers using ORCA Cards or other digital fare holders to pass through.

Here the drawbridge is lowered onto the ferry upper deck.

Wheelhouse of the Walla Walla. The Spokane is the other Jumbo Class ferry on the Edmonds route. Each of them
can carry approx 2,000 passengers. The Walla Walla carries 188 vehicles, the Spokane 206.

Passenger seating areas like this are on both ends. Along the windows there are booths, many with tables.

The galley serves finger food, drinks, etc.

Mt Baker off to the north just before we sailed.

Temperature was about 42 degrees but the north wind plus apparent wind from our forward motion
made it cold out on the forward decks.

Approaching the Kingston terminal, our trip is almost finished, about 20 minutes after departing Edmonds.

Colors Around Town

When we returned from Japan last Friday, the difference in latitude really hit home. I first noticed the cold, then the short days and long nights. Guess I shouldn't have been surprised since Tokyo is on latitude 35.67, about midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Edmonds is on latitude 47.81, or 838 miles farther north than Tokyo.

With the dark and cold days here in Edmonds, I thought I'd walk around town and see what color I could find. Pleasantly surprised to find quite a few bright spots, I took too many photos and decided to share some with you. I'll test my blogging platform and see if they will publish all of them. If you don't like fall colors and flowers, better tune out now. ;-)

There were small trees and tall trees, green trees and multi-hued trees and even a cedar (family) tree with cones.

Many houses had nice flowers in their yards.

Some flowers were continuing to bloom even after their plant set seed pods.

I saw chrysanthemums and roses.

Roses with hips soon ready to make tea.

This hydrangea looked a little tired.

There were dahlias in a few yards.

Saw a couple of hardy fuchsias.

This lonely camellia bloom is a little out of season.

Prime dahlia specimens.

California poppies decorating our Washington grounds.

This eager Azalea seems to be anticipating its normal season by a few months.

Snapdragon begging to have a photo taken.

Tokyo Wrap

Back home in Edmonds, I've adjusted back to local time, adjusted to the cold weather and adjusted to being home instead of each day waking to a new day of traveling and sightseeing.

We had a good time in Japan and were fortunate to make it out last Friday evening just before the typhoon shut down transportation. Our flight from Narita to Seattle was scheduled for 1805. We pushed back a little after six then inched our way forward through heavy rain in the queue for take off. We finally got airborne forty-five minutes after leaving the gate. We rode the bumps up to 41,000 feet where we enjoyed a pleasant ride back to Seattle. The pilots made up most of the wait time so we arrived only 15 minutes after scheduled arrival.

We don't have any trips booked for the next few months so will try to visit some local attractions to see what interesting things want to appear in my blog. Maybe the winter views at the UW Japanese Garden might be forth a visit. Or maybe something even closer to home. I'll see what beckons.

Meanwhile, I'll remember this view of serenity and peace for when times are troubling or I feel disillusioned by the passing scene.

Visiting Nara

Thursday, 10/10/19

Today's our last day of sightseeing. Tomorrow we catch a domestic JAL flight from Osaka to Tokyo then board our JAL international flight to Seattle. 

We had breakfast this morning in the Japanese restaurant in the hotel.  It was a set menu with (bottom to top) rice, miso soup, several small veggie dishes, tofu and pickle dishes, salmon, a slice of egg roll, tofu, squash (carved in the shape of a leaf) and green tea. It looks a little skimpy but it was just right to start off the day.

We caught a train to Nara to visit Todaiji temple, the deer park and Kasuga Shrine. Ikuko found that feeding the deer the "deer crackers" was risky. They bow to ask for a piece of cracker but if you don't feed fast enough they begin to nip your clothes and tug. Sometimes they get too close and nip a little skin. It reminded me of when we were in Venus and she wanted to feed the pigeons. She soon looked like a Christmas tree with pigeons clinging to her hair and clothes begging something to eat.

This old boy was surveying the action, I think he was keeping an eye on the young bucks to make sure they didn't mess with his harem. 

The entrance to Todaiji Temple was awash with people. This is the time of year when students make field trips so no matter which temple or shrine you visit, in addition to the other tourists, there are plenty of students. I envied their youthful energy and enthusiasm. 

The Todaiji (Lit. Eastern Great Temple) is one of the world's largest wooden buildings.

Todaiji is famous for the large (15 meters) statue of Buddha cast in bronze and originally covered with gold leaf. This photo also shows the Bodhisattva on the Buddha's right.  

These schoolboys were wriggling through a special hole cut through one of the columns. This one was proud to have made it through. The hole was made to be the same size as the Buddha's nostril. The idea being that if you can squeeze through the hole you are assured of a better life

Kasuga Shrine claims fame for its lanterns and the Japanese Cedar seen below on the left. The cedar is more than one thousand years old. It has been damaged by lightning and is tied together around the top.

The entrance to Fukushimi Shrine is through one of its torii gates. This one is the largest of the thousands we saw.

This shrine is also famous for its dog gods. The two statues with the red neckerchiefs are representative of the many we saw throughout the grounds. 

Fushimi Inari Shrine is known for its torii gates.