An Empty City

     It was the emptiest day of the year in Seattle on Super Bowl Sunday. The hustle and bustle of city life had dispersed into crowded bars, or apartments with big screen TV's and lots of snacks. It was the perfect day to wander around the city. I met my friend Ces, another non-football fanatic and we set out to explore our familiar city disguised as a ghost city. Last Super Bowl Sunday, we spent our time in a very similar fashion. So just like the rest of the city, watching the Seahawks in the super bowl for a second year, we duplicated our day. But our day was full of wandering downtown and Vietnamese food instead of football.

    The vacant streets and corridors gave the city a slightly eerie feeling. There are lots of spots in downtown Seattle that have an eerie feel to them even with lots of people around. But usually the eeriness creeps up on me. I will be in a location that I never thought of as particularly abnormal when suddenly I realize that there is something a little creepy about it. Seattle has a rugged history of free spirited gold minors seeking their fortune in the Pacific Northwest. Now all their ghosts lurk in old stories and the cities imagination. 

    Pike Place definitely feels a little eerie at times, but it is always so crowded that it is difficult to notice. Ces and I went to the market on Super Bowl Sunday and took some pictures. Most everything was closed, so I took pictures of closed gates and darkened windows. I didn't see a ghost, but I did see shadows and reflections which are often mistaken as ghosts. 

   Part of the reason Seattle became a ghost city during super bowl was, of course because our team was in the game. Even though I am not excited about sports, I was disappointed that they did not win. When the Seahawks win, the whole city is filled with an energy of good cheer.