Well, the thing is, this is the first time I am traveling in which I am staying in a hostel. So, I really didn't have lots of expectations, since it's just impractical to expect things and then find out later that they are false. But, I did see beforehand what I was getting myself into, but the bar was not high.
Anyway, so I get in, and apparently, I am sharing a dorm room with 7 other people. I met most of them. One is a Spaniard from Barcelona (why is it that Barcelona seems to be a creeping influence around my persona nowadays), another is an Israeli who just got discharged from the Army, another is an American from the South whose goal is to walk from Mexico to Canada (he has a few more miles to go), and a few other people who I haven't seen and talked to yet.
So, I landed in Seattle-Tacoma International Airport about 5:30 PM, and the view on the left side of the plane (where I was seated) was just superb, when we approached the airport. This is due to the staggering sight of Mount Rainier, looming just south of Seattle. Just to be on the safe side, I had dinner in the airport before heading to town. After grabbing something to eat, I caught the bus that took me to downtown, where my hostel was located.
So apparently, there are things happening here in the hostel every day, and it differs every day too. Yesterday (a Tuesday) was jazz night, so I figured I might as well join strangers in heading to this jazz bar. After that, we went exploring the breweries in the area, and yes, their beer is superb. Not like piss, as in those beers that you can readily find in supermarkets.
The diversity of the people here is amazing. I just went with an Israeli, a Quebecois, a German, and a couple of other folks both from here in the USA and overseas, and they are fun to be with. Granted, I usually do not mingle with people I don't really know, so I don't just drop my guard down. But hey, the purpose of this trip is to not worry about the dissertation for just a week, and enjoy myself. So yeah, so far I am enjoying this town.
So there. For today, I am planning on heading around the sights within walking distance of downtown. Tomorrow, on the other hand, I will be bussing around town, giving some fuel to my geekiness.
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