Seattle Center views

During the Sunday outing to the Dia de Muertes festival at Seattle Center, I got a bit overwhelmed by the crowds of people, and went outside for a break.  I planned to sketch outside, but there was nowhere to sit.  It had rained heavily a bit earlier in the day, and all the benches I saw were wet -- and not a single seating area was under cover.  Because, you know, why would you want sheltered seating at a major tourist attraction in Seattle, where it hardly ever rains?

So I gave up on that idea and just walked around taking photos.  I've been visiting this place ever since the World's Fair in 1962 -- it's changed a bit since then -- but the Space Needle never gets old:

The Chihuly glass museum, on the other hand, is quite a bit newer.

I had not noticed these odd statues on previous visits -- and I couldn't find any information about them.  All I know is that they are in front of the Children's Theater.  They remind me of characters you might see in a Hayao Miyazaki film.

This is the Armory, where the festival was held.  Built in 1939, where it housed tanks, it was transformed for the World's Fair into the Food Circus (and shopping mall), and later known as the Center House.  More recently it has re-acquired its original name.

And for our last photo, there's this guy who dresses as a Star Wars stormtrooper, and he hauls around this Darth Vader statue and stands next to it very still, as if he were a statue, too.  When people walk by, he talks and moves, startling them.  These startled folks are encouraged to make monetary contributions.  Seems to be working for him, as I've seen him there every time I've gone over the past few years.

That's all for this past weekend's adventures.  I have nothing else to post about this week, so don't hold your breath!