Sunglasses in Seattle

For a place that sees about 87 days of sunshine each year, what do you think is the item that is bought here most often? Umbrella? Raincoats? Think again. The answer is “sunglasses”. Seattle is famous for the highest per capita sale of sunglasses in the USA. Surprising, isn’t it? The reason for this is intuitive if you follow this train of thought. On the few days that the sun does show up, people excitedly wear their sunglasses and promptly forget them, misplace them or just simply, lose them. So they go out and buy another one. And so the sales go up.

Today was such a spring day when the sun shone so brightly in the afternoon that sunglasses showed up. We trusted the Accuweather forecast and planned a sightseeing trip to the city. A comfortable bus ride and we were in front of the famous Pike Place market on the waterfront. The shops sell fresh vegetables, flowers and of course, seafood from the Pacific Ocean. Row upon row of freshly caught halibut, salmon, clams, crabs and even octopus, were proudly displayed on beds of crushed ice. Fresh-picked vegetables and fruits beckoned to my vegetarian soul and oh, the tulips, they were everywhere – yellow, peach, pink, purple, red and so many shades combining all of the above. The street level shops also showcased talents of local craftspeople with handmade bags, glass and silver jewelry, paintings and porcelain. As we walked by, fascinated with the displays, we were entertained with live music.
I lingered in a couple of used book stores that had books by Naipaul and Arundhati Roy, besides the standard fare by Grisham and Nora Roberts. Aparna studied the “doggie” merchandise in shops dedicated to selling dog (and cat) paraphernalia – t-shirts, photo frames, key chains, doormats, you name it, bearing dog trivia. Every fifth store appeared to be either Starbucks or Seattle’s Best or Tullys, all coffeshops. Does anyone brew coffee at home!

We soaked up the sunshine, mild and gorgeous, beckoning us to stay outdoors, away from the tacky souvenir shops and high-priced boutiques and galleries. After a lovely Mexican lunch at Qdoba’s, we took pictures of the ocean as it glimmered, calm and busy as ever. We waited outside the Seattle Art Museum, taking pictures of buildings and people, as we waited for 554. The giant buses, equipped with facilities to help persons with disabilities use the services, “kneel” at the bus stops to help passengers board. For wheelchairs, a ramp opens up from the bus and lays down on the sidewalk, for smooth entry of the passenger onto the bus. Aparna was fascinated with the equipment and the concept itself. These wonderful facilities to enable handicapped persons enjoy public areas and resources became mandatory after the enforcement of Americans with Disabilities Act which went into effect in the 70s, to assist handicapped soldiers who had returned from Korean war.

We bought one notable item at Pike Place. An unusual pair of earrings and a pendant, made of glass, handmade by a Washington artist. The store displayed beads, necklaces, and other pieces of jewelry, stunning color combinations and shapes and designs. Each item was made by one person, Isis Ray. In the description of the handmade flameworked glass beads provided with our purchase, she says “I love working with glass because it is the perfect medium for expression through color and light, and its permanence will outlive us all.” In an era of machine-made, million pieces of trashy stuff that is dumped in indistinguishable shopping malls all over the world, the unique creations of an individual artist compelled to create beauty, one piece by one piece, was the highlight of a wonderful sunny day.