Tag / Seattle

by Ricardo Sanchez

Gas Works Park in Seattle, what a gem!

Gas Works Park in Seattle is a great place to see Seattle’s skyline and South Lake Union. Gas Works Park is a public park on the site of the former Seattle Gas Light Company gasification plant, located on the north shore of Lake Union at the south end of the Wallingford neighborhood.

Last weekend my son suggested going to this park, since our move to Seattle a few months ago, we’ve been trying to visit popular places. Seattle has a lot of awesome places, and it is close to many amazing mountains and other beautiful areas full of outdoor activities.

During our visit to Gas Works Park, the sky had amazing clouds, but it was still bright enough to enjoy the view. Below are some photos I shot during our visit to this park.

The photos above were taken with a MavicPro drone and a Sony AIII with a Samyang 35mm lens.

by Ricardo Sanchez

Visiting Paradise Mt. Rainier for the first time

Paradise in Mt. Reinier. This place is called, Paradise, because it is. Paradise is an area located on the south slopes of the glacier-shrouded volcano at an elevation of 5,400-feet.

We found out about Paradise a few weeks ago after visiting Stevens Pass. A person working at Stevens suggested that we go to Paradise, he said that we wouldn’t regret it and he was right.

Stevens Pass is a place for skiing and snowboarding, and Paradise seems to be the place for hiking, snowshoeing, and just a place to admire the views of nature.

Below are some photos of our day at Paradise in Mt. Rainier, and just like the other places we’ve visited so far, this has been added to our lists of favorite places to visit again in the Seattle area.

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Paradise at Mt. Rainier
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Paradise in Mt. Rainier is definitely a place to visit, and I’m told it is just as beautiful and full of activities throughout the year; if you are in the Seattle area, there aren’t exceptions to visit this beautiful place!

If you do visit during November – May, there is a requirement to carry tire chains when traveling in the park. We rented it from one of the lodges in Ashford, a town you’ll drive by a few miles before arriving at the park’s southwest entrance (Nisqually Entrance). Make sure to check the park’s weather and road conditions before you start your trip.

 

by Ricardo Sanchez

A Saturday on Stevens Pass

It’s been two weeks since it last snowed (surprisingly) in Seattle and my family and I were already missing it. Truth is that snow days aren’t a common thing within Seattle city limits, but if you drive a little outside of the city limits then you’ll find plenty of powder. My wife, Felly and I are not strangers to snow having lived in Minnesota for about ten years. This past weekend, we finally got ourselves in the car and drove to Stevens Pass, which is an excellent place for winter sports such as snowboarding and skiing.

Stevens Pass is about 80 miles east from downtown Seattle, so it took us about one hour and a half to get there. It is beautiful, Stevens Pass that is. While the day was a bit cloudy, it was still a very scenic place, we weren’t prepared to go snowboarding or skiing yet, but we’ll be coming back soon to do that.

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Our next visit to Stevens Pass will be less photos and more snowboarding or skiing, and we’ll be visiting all of the other mountains soon as well. So much stuff to do out there!

by Ricardo Sanchez

A snowy day in Seattle.

Last month, my family and I moved to Seattle, Washington after living in Austin, Texas for thirteen years.

Moving to Seattle was something my wife and I have been talking about for years, and last year we finally decided to sell our home in Austin and move to Seattle. One of the main reasons for the move was the milder weather in Seattle, and also the beautiful nature of Washington.

Well, it has snowed twice in Seattle since we moved in last month, and everyone tells us that this is very uncommon for the area. We don’t mind, at least not yet. My wife and I are fortunate to work from home, so we don’t have to deal with the traffic or icy roads out there.

Today, my kids and I decided to go explore and play on the snow at Denny Park in downtown. It was beautiful, the snow-covered trees and people playing with their dogs and kids just made it even more special. Here are some photos of our snowy Seattle day.

by Ricardo Sanchez

Cloudy days

It’s been cloudy in the city of Austin for a few weeks now, and while this isn’t uncommon for this time of the year, it has been impactful for me as it reminds me of the type of weather we’ll find in Seattle. Why is this impactful to me? Well, my family and I are planning on moving to the Seattle later this year, and I certainly cannot wait for it. Seattle is a city I enjoy visiting, which I have multiple times and during different times of the year. Yes, I am aware that there are many days where the word “overcast” is the standard word coming out of local Seattleite’s weather experts, and I am OK with that. You see, overcast weather makes me feel inspired and creative, don’t know why. Cloudy days have a positive effect on my energy and state of mind. While it relaxes me, it also brings good energy to me and the need to write, read, code, or do something creative like that.

Rainy days are beautiful in my opinion, and I am not referring to stormy weather but those rainy days that if you are lucky you’ll see from time to time, and hopefully you’ll give yourself some time just to see it and enjoy it. I am a coffee drinker, and also like to enjoy a hot cup of chamomile tea sometimes. Rainy weather makes me want to drink more coffee and more tea. Drinking coffee is like a drug, and I don’t fight against it, I just enjoy it and to be honest, I just cannot resist it even if I wanted to when it is overcast or rainy outside.

There is also the colder temperature; it is common for the temperature to drop just a bit when it is overcast or when it is raining. There is something about having to wear a jacket or a hoody that I enjoy; it just feels right. And while it might be cold outside, it is far more comfortable to be in colder weather than to have to deal with hot temperatures as we do here in Austin, Texas every summer… and fall.

I don’t know about you, but I usually see more people reading, writing, or just having a conversation with each other in public places when it is cloudy and rainy. Perhaps since the weather is “bad,” people tend to stay indoors and talk to each other more than if it was sunny and warm outside, I don’t know. Also, are you less hungry when it is raining? I am, which is yet another reason I have perhaps more time to read, write, code, chat, or any other activity but eating. I overeat, consistently, and I don’t feel guilty because enjoying food is still one of my favorite pastimes.

It’s been cloudy and rainy in Austin for a few weeks now, and I love it. I think this is the world preparing us to be ready for Seattle weather, or at least that is what I tell myself. Oh, and yes I know Seattle doesn’t get as much rain as other places in this country, but they certainly have a fair share of overcast and rainy days, and I am looking forward to it.