Grand Stadium Tour III - Part 7

Up early, we started back toward Seattle for our next Ball Game. Before getting out of the Vancouver area, we stopped at a Tim Horton’s for some coffee, sausage biscuits and hash browns. That’s the same Canadian fast-food chain that plans to be bought out by Burger King and move the chain’s headquarters north of the USA border.

Man! The coffee was HOT!

Back on the road, we weren’t far from the border and a wait that we knew we were in for.

Just before we arrived at the International Border, the Canadians took their last shot at us Lower 8 Americans with a huge billboard stating: “Expensive Medicine 200 meters” ahead. We had a good chuckle as we arrived at the border.  There are far more people crossing into the United States than into Canada—we had a good 45 minute wait.

 

International Border

Canada & the USA

 Welcome home!

 

 Flowers Flag

The Border Patrol guy (and US Customs) didn’t give us much grief and we were soon through the check point and back into the US. We headed straight for Seattle.

Finally in the downtown area, we started searching out the Sky Needle, not a hard task, but we needed to find parking also. We chose the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation parking structure and walked over to the needle, bought tickets and we were on the elevator and up to the top in no time.

What a view!

 Seattle's Space Needle from the base

One view from atop the Space Needle

 The Seahawks and Mariners fields - side by side

We spent time looking from every angle on the observation deck, then went inside and had a sandwich for lunch. Heading down in the elevator, we knew we would be funneled out where every exit at any tourist establishment drops you—the Gift Shop. We bought “stuff” for everybody back home and decided to walk the area around the Needle. We headed straight for the old Seattle Post-Intelligencer building that was next to the waterfront—Dilin had wanted to visit the waterfront.

 

Seattle Post-Intelligencer Building (with the globe atop)

 (now just an empty building - paper is on-line activity only)

Making our way back to the vehicle and having a lot of time left prior to the ball game, we decided to find our motel, check in and rest up a bit before leaving for the ballpark. Twenty or thirty minutes later, we were in our room.

We left south Seattle in time to get to the ballpark early and maybe catch some batting practice. We were lucky to find parking only a couple blocks from the park and were soon inside and hunting for the fan shop—gotta get us a Seattle Mariners Hat.

With our new hats perched atop our heads, our next project was the two hotdogs needed to take to our seats. This done, we sat down. What a view we had here also!

Safeco Field (I don't like the new trend in sponsor parks)

 

Checking the division standings - Texas Rangers in last place

Joseph taking our "seats pix" prior to game

Tickets in the Nose-Bleed Section

Game time and the Mariners take the field. I am ready for this to happen. We've waited a whole year to get to this point once again.

 

Mariners take the field

I have mentioned this before, but one of my self-challenges on these trips has been to try to get “odd ball” pictures during the games we have seen. I managed some pretty good ones during the game tonight and am proud to present them here.

 

Ball leaving the bat

 

 Ball leaving the pitcher's hand

Ball in front of outfielder

 

Ball in front of batter’s swing

  

The Mariners get a home run in the bottom of the first inning and that’s the last of the scoring for the remainder of the game—lots of close innings where the Blue Jays threaten, but every threat was handled.

 

Home run ball headed into the stands

Of course, the ground crew in Seattle has to match the rest of the major leagues (and now the minors also) with a dancing exhibition during the field sweep at mid-game.

Ground Crew dancing

The Mariners even used a Big Shift with the Blue Jays’ big designated hitter. I’ve seen this many times now, even one more drastic last year against the Red Sox’s David Ortiz where all the infield is on the first and second base side of the diamond. 

 

BIG Infield Shift

Real excitement—just like it oughta be in the top of the 8^th & 9th innings where the Blue Jays put men on and the Mariners’ closer shuts them down.

 

Game over! Mariners WIN!

  

We make our way out of the stadium, find where our car is parked and head south to our motel. Up early the next morning we are at the airport in plenty of time and await our multiple flights back to Dallas and eventually my drive to Austin.

Another Grand Stadium Tour with tickets in the Nose Bleed Section under our belt. Looking forward to planning our next outing—that is, if we don’t come across playoff or World Series tickets. The Cards are leading their division—you never know!