Pike Place Market Essay, Research Paper

Visiting Seattle?s Pike Place Market

Exiting off the freeway directly down any one of the steep hills, one can?t avoid running into the famous sign that serves as a Seattle landmark, ?Pike Place Market?. The market, itself, sits on the edge of a cliff. Looking out one sees all the ferries moving across Puget Sound bringing people to and from the many islands. Most live on the islands and ferry into the city for work. Turning abruptly and looking into the street, one?s surrounded by the city?s buildings towering like a forest of trees.

As the Pike Place Market begins to come to life Vendors are anxiously setting up their booths for the day. All the men at the local fish market are singing loudly together as they throw over the counters every kind of seafood known to mankind. The seafood is packed in ice out in the open, where the tourists can take pictures. Little kids scream with excitement as they touch these slimy, lifeless fish with big eyes staring back at them. The smell of fish from all the stalls stinks so much it looms over the entire market, making it difficult to enjoy the smell of the hundreds of fresh-cut flowers the local vendors are setting up across the way. All along the walkway vendors are beginning to display their fruits and vegetables. Local artists are setting up their booths some displaying pictures of Washington?s beautiful scenery; The Space Needle, Mount Rainier, Puget Sound, Seattle?s night line. Typical looking hippies from the 1960?s are setting out their tie-dyed T-shirts, smoking pipes, in scents, and beaded jewelry they have made. Others are hanging clothing up with Seattle logo printed on them.

Bakeries begin opening their doors for business with the fresh smell of pastries wafting through the streets. Coffee vendors, famous for being on every corner, are grinding beans with ?Seattle?s Best?.

People are slowly starting to trickle onto the streets. First are the men and women in their business attire known as ?the regulars? in line at their favorite coffee vendor getting their morning fix. The same people stand in line at the bakeries buying a box of goodies to take back to the office for all their co-workers. At lunchtime looking up at the city, it looks like a stampede of people bumping into one another rushing down the hill. The regulars are back for their fresh fruit, veggie and seafood lunch.

Here come the locals for their morning walk. First sitting at the tables having their morning cup of coffee. One morning while we were visiting, an unattended parked car rolled down the hill backwards and hit a table where the locals sat. This created all sorts of chaos in the street with the police, paramedics and fire department and tow truck blocking the streets. Fortunately, none of them were hurt, only the car. Eventually they continued on with their daily conversation with the vendors, this time with a story never to be forgotten by all those there. The locals shop for their meals daily, selecting the best fruits, vegetables, seafood, fresh-cut meat and flowers, leaving the market by noon so their not caught up in the lunch rush.

Tourists are wandering from all parts of the world, having their pictures taken sitting on the big iron pig that sits at the front entrance to the market. They are eating red juicy strawberries the size of golf balls and listening to the trio of men singing out on the street, with their guitar case empty on the ground hoping for donations. Many are buying souvenirs the vendors have come to sell.

As evening rolls around, local businesses begin to close down. Vendors are slowly packing up for the night, hoping the last-minute customer will come and buy, making it one less item to pack up and take home.

As darkness covers the city local transients and prostitutes are walking the streets. ?Even the poor have their place?. One digs through trash looking for a bite to eat while the other offers tricks to get her bite.

Whether a tourist, businessmen, a local resident, homeless or prostitute, Pike Place Market is a place to visit during the day and or on the weekends, time and time again. The food, people, vendors and entertainment make all come back for more.