On the Waterfront - Seattle, Washington (Summer 2024)

The Seattle waterfront has changed drastically since I lived in Seattle in the mid-1970s. At that time, the horrible 2-level Alaskan Viaduct snaked along the waterfront. Underneath was a sort of nether-land, similar to the underside of the Southeast Expressway in Boston. But at least there was parking under the concrete. Back then, waterfront Seattle was a working district, with warehouses, small factories, and industrial activities. 

Today, the viaduct is gone! Alaskan Way is sunny. Now there are bike lanes, gardens, and a clean new surface street, Elliott Way. Warehouses have been rebuilt into condominiums, and totally new buildings have been erected. And the traffic flows underneath through the SR99 tunnel. 

Alaskan Way

Pier 50 view north along Alaskan Way (Kodak Tri-X film, Rolleiflex 3.5E camera)

The grotesque viaduct once marred this view. Now this is a cheerful and popular bund or esplanade.

This monstrous cruise ship loomed over the waterfront. I have never been close to a vessel this large. It was like a floating office building. I can understand why more and more popular destinations in the Mediterranean, like Venice, Santorini, and Barcelona, object to these ships disgorging thousands of tourists in a short period. They overwhelm the local infrastructure, water supply, and plumbing. But the merchants like the shoppers.

Pier 70 view south along Alaskan Way from the Olympia Sculpture Park

Sounder commuter train

BNSF tracks near Pier 66

In the past, I wondered where the trains came from that ran on the tracks parallel Alaskan Way. I only recently learned that the Great Northern Tunnel extends for about a mile under the business district. This was a major engineering accomplishment in 1904. The southern entrance is just north of the King Street station. The northern entrance emerges from the mountain almost under the Pike Place Market. The opening is obscured by fencing along Elliott Way.  This is another example of the great engineering that made a nation. 

Great Northern Tunnel north entrance (Samsung phone digital file)

BNSF freight train near Pier 70

It feels like a train comes along about every 15 minutes. The amount of commerce is amazing.

Pike Place Market

Everyone takes pictures and selfies at the famous Pike Place Market. My Olympia photography friend comes here often and does excellent work. I took pictures in the Market in 1973 when I lived in Seattle. 

The famous Pioneer Building is a Richardsonian Romanesque edifice of stone, red brick, terra cotta, and cast iron. It faces Pioneer Square, now rather grungy because of the homeless and filth. 

I remember entering the Pioneer Building when it was being renovated in the early 1970s. There was an inner atrium with iron railings. Somewhere in the basement was the well-known French restaurant, the Brasserie Pittsbourg. I remember eating here with friends and, possibly, my dad. Do I have any photographs from those happy and innocent 1970s?

Entrance to the Brasserie Pittsbourg, March 3, 1970 (courtesy of the Seattle Public Library, photograph by Werner W. Lenggenhager, 1899-1988)

This ends our short walk in downtown Seattle and along the waterfront. I took these photographs on Kodak Tri-X 400 film with a Rolleiflex 3.5E camera with 75mm ƒ/3.5 Xenotar lens. This is a 1959 model still going strong. Most Rolleiflex twin lens cameras are superb picture machines. Praus Productions in Rochester, NY, developed the film.

On the Waterfront - Chalcis, Greece (Nov. 2024)

Euripus Strait, Chalcis, with lift bridge linking Euboea to the mainland

Chalcis (also called Chalkida or Halkida) is an ancient city on the Evrípou Strait, which separates mainland Greece from the island of Euboea (Evia). The weather in late November was still sunny and warm, so we thought, "Let's go to Chalcis, look around, and eat by the sea." A typical Greek outing. 

An unusual phenomena of the Evrípou is an irregular tidal current, which changes direction six to seven times a day.

Ice cream time

Nap time

The municipality has cleaned up the waterfront and added benches and recreation areas. 

This is a cheerful waterfront on a sunny day. Summer will be much more busy.

Santa checking out Ice Cream Man

They still sell Fanta in Greece?

Oh oh, getting the Evil Eye next to the Citroen 2CV (Samsung phone digital file)

 Dear Reader, you know what comes next: LUNCH in Nea Lampsakos, a few km south of Chalcis.

It does not get much better than this. And, of course, this is followed with a Greek coffee and a baklava. Ahhh.... (but no nap??)

This ends our November 2024 visit to Greece. I hope you enjoyed the short tour. 

More Wandering around Athens (Nov. 2024)

We continue wandering through Athens. I never lose interest here. 

Uncontrolled late-20th century urban sprawl, northwest Athens. Mount Parnitha is in the distance. (Samsung phone digital frame)

Parts of Athens are a congested concrete jungle. City fathers failed grossly to not impose green space requirements, build parks, or lay out arterial highways after World War II. In the scene above, the land in the foreground had disputed ownership for over five decades but will be preserved as park land.

Scooters on Asklipiou Street, near the Politeia bookstore (21mm ƒ/4.5 Zeiss ZM lens)

The Politeia bookstore has a good selection of books in many languages. In the past, we shopped at the famous Eleftheroudakis bookstore, but it closed in 2016 after 120 years of business.

Phones, Asklipiou Street

I am not a fan of graffiti, but it adds some color to the rather severe limestone walls. It does not do much for the phone booths. 

Lycabettus Hill from the National Museum (50mm ƒ/2 Summicron lens)

Mrs. Poppy's store in the Plaka (35mm ƒ/2.8 Pentax-A lens)

Monasteraki Square (35mm ƒ/2.8 Pentax-A lens)

Deep thinking, Athenas Street

Most of these frames are from Kodak Portra 160 film. If you are interested in earlier visits, including the 1950s, please type "Athens" in the search box.

Athenas Street, Athens, with the 21mm ƒ/4.5 Zeiss C Biogon Lens (Nov. 2024)

I've walked along Athinas Street tens of time over the decades, but I can't resist re-exploring each time I visit Athens (Greece). The noises, smells, colors, signs, tourists, merchants, and bustle make it fun if a bit intense. These vendors sell almost everything for the household except, possibly, large appliances. 

This last trip was in November of 2024. In the past, November in Athens could be cold, wet, and blustery. But 2024 smiled on us. It was dry and reasonably warm. My relatives tell me that more and more tourists linger in Athens later in the season than pre-pandemic. Greece as a winter destination?

This time, I wanted to try my 21mm ƒ/4.5 Zeiss ZM Biogon lens. It is wide enough to let you grab big chunks of the scene, which is handy on crowded streets. I used Portra 160 film in my Leica M2 camera and measured the light with a Gossen Luna Pro digital light meter. 

These card phones still work?

Ah, some colorful grunge

Central Market

The Central Market is best early morning, when vendors and buyers haggle over octopus, fish, and other goodies. I have written about the market before. If you are interested, type "Central Market" in the search box.

The spice vendor. I always take bags of fresh oregano home to USA with me.

The nut vendor

Dear Readers, you know where this is going. What do you do after several tiring hours exploring the city? Why, you go eat fish, of course!

I suggest Attalos Restaurant at Adrian 9 in the Thissio area near the Flea Market. Don't forget some Horta (Χόρτα) for your greens, a glass of Retsina, and baklava for dessert.

This ends our short walk downtown. More Athens and Greece to come soon.

My Leica M2 with the 21mm ƒ/4.5 Zeiss C Biogon lens, correct Zeiss hood, and a Leitz 21mm viewfinder. Note the finder is offset so as to not cover part of the shutter speed dial.

Kodak T400CN Film in Athens, Nov. 2024 (Abandoned Films 13c)

Here are some more examples of the long-discontinued Kodak T400CN black and white film in Athens, Greece (see the previous article on using T400CN again). Being long expired (the film, not me), I exposed it at Exposure Index 50 in my Leica M2 camera. It is a bit limiting in dark places, but I was careful to hold steadily, so even exposures of 1/30 or 1/60 of a second look fine.

Athenas Street with Monasteraki Square in the distance (Leica M2, 21mm ƒ/4.5 Zeiss Biogon lens)

Mrs. Poppy's souvenir store in the Plaka (21mm ƒ/4.5 Zeiss Biogon lens)

Anafiotika kitty (below the Acropolis)

Kitties in the twisty winding alleys below the Acropolis are a thing. I saw two photographers with big lenses concentrating on cat portraits.

Anafiotika artwork (21mm Biogon lens)

Anafiotika artwork (21mm Biogon lens)

First Cemetery, Athens (35mm ƒ/2 Summicron lens)

First Cemetery is the resting place for generations of prominent Athenian citizens, including politicians, poets, authors, and even Heinrich Schliemann.

Seattle Sonics having a coffee at carpo, Psychico 

Beetle in front of traditional villa, Psychico

I remember when Psychico was a quiet town of traditional 2-floor villas. My parents rented one in the 1950s. But now, and quickly, Psychico is becoming a suburb of apartment buildings. 

Northeast Photographic in Bath, Maine, processed the T400CN film in standard C-41 chemistry. I scanned the film with a Nikon Coolscan 5000ED scanner, controlled by NikonScan 4.03 software. The digital ICE system effectively cleans spots and blemishes.