Some Seattle Color

Seattle, like Portland, is an interesting place and what makes it the most interesting is some of the people who live there. And when I say interesting, I mean weird.

I'm really not sure what it is about the Northwest that either makes people march to the beat of a different drummer, or just is a safe haven for those that do. I've lived here my whole life and would like to think from most people's interpretations am fairly normal - so it can't be the water. Maybe the lack of sun? Who knows.

During our trip last weekend to The Emerald City I took the opportunity to take a couple pictures. I try to be sneaky about this - with crazy people you never know what kind of reaction you might get. This is why I didn't get a pic of the oddest sight from the entire trip.

Walking behind Pike Place Market, near the parking lots between the market and Puget Sound, two obviously homeless men passed us going the other way. They looked typically homeless: disheveled, dirty, and rough around the edges. However, they were talking animatedly about something. As we came closer one of them whipped something out of his pocket to show the other, adamantly talking about the object.

It was a cell phone.

Wait, what? He apparently was going on about the features of his phone to the other man. Not to be outdone, the other man whipped out his cell phone, just as animated. Apparently they were comparing features in their cell phones. Really? Homeless people with cell phones? I mean, I know a lot of people have lost their jobs and all...but that's not something I ever expected to see.

Oh, and then they traded phone numbers. Apparently they weren't worried about not getting the bill paid.

Or who knows, maybe they weren't homeless and were just a pair of disgusting messes. I could be wrong.

***

Our first stop was supposed to be a couple places in West Seattle, but the street we wanted was apparently closed in the morning for some kind of local parade. Undaunted, we headed into town and then came back in the afternoon. Thankfully everything was all cleared out - or, we thought it was.

As we came out of a store this thing drove by (as always, click the picture for a bigger view):

It looks like a float in a parade, but the parade was over. Perhaps these guys just wanted to keep the revelry going? They were singing and generally having a good time, so yay for them for that. Still, a little odd.

***

As we walked back to our car after hitting up Pike Place Market we walked by this man:

Why yes, that is a red Segway with a Ferrari logo on it, why do you ask? Is that odd? Not something you have seen before?

Actually, I have. The last time we were in Seattle we went to a mall downtown to hit the bathroom and someone on a red Ferrari Segway was rolling through the mall. It could have been this guy, who knows. I wished I had gotten a picture then, so I suppose I should thank this guy for being out that day.

First off, are Segways really allowed in the mall? I mean, isn't it like riding a bike, just without the exercise?

And secondly, who pimped the Segway for him? Ferrari? Really? I mean, I suppose it's unique and if I were ever to get a Segway this is the one I would want, but for now I can think of other things to spend my money on. Like cupcakes.

Not sure if he caught me taking his pic or not, but for now Mr. Ferrari Segway Rider, you are immortalized in this vastly popular blog. Or something.

Made my day anyway.

Note: Apparently they really do sell these things, although the one in the link looks different than the one I saw and took a picture of. The cost is over $10,000...wow....

***

And lastly, I have a question for you, dear readers.

If I see a large group of cars, likely Lincolns or Cadillacs, from the early to mid-eighties, all of them with sparkly new paint jobs and jacked up on 13" chrome rims, is there any reason I should think I'm seeing anything other than gangbangers? Seriously. This was the scene as we drove along Alki Beach on our way out of West Seattle in the late afternoon.

Are there car enthusiast groups who do up their cars like this, like some people put blowers on Mustangs and Camaros? Is this a legit thing? Or is pimping a ride to look like a gangbanger car really left only to gangbangers?

I was driving at the time so no pictures are to be had - Wifey and Misaki were on the opposite side, away from them - but there were about 10 of these cars, all rolling along Alki Beach, either just to be seen or headed for the same party.

Don't see that every day. Well, at least, I don't.