top of page
USA: West Coast 2017
*David Lynch Intensifies*
12th October:
"I imagine if I had ever seen Twin Peaks, the drive through North Bend would have been more exciting. Should I watch Twin Peaks? As it was, it was pretty indistict. The view of Snoqualmie Falls was amazing. A hotel is perched next to the edge of the cliff, overshadowing the Falls themselves, which were magnificent to look at."
"I imagine if I had ever seen Twin Peaks, the drive through North Bend would have been more exciting. Should I watch Twin Peaks? As it was, it was pretty indistict. The view of Snoqualmie Falls was amazing. A hotel is perched next to the edge of the cliff, overshadowing the Falls themselves, which were magnificent to look at."
River Photo #412
12th October:
"The walk down to the bottom was a refreshing change of pace. Going from hurricane-devastated islands and tropical coastline to thick, oppressive forest was very pleasing to me. I'd missed the woods, and even though I couldn't really go too crazy with the cross-country, it was still great to be surrounded by lichen and mushrooms for a while.
Not literally surrounded, you understand. Even if I had been, it would've been incredibly unfair to the surrounding plants with regards to subduing me - I could just step over trhem, or kill for time whilst I waited for them to succumb to the increasing encroachment of suburbia into the wilderness."
"The walk down to the bottom was a refreshing change of pace. Going from hurricane-devastated islands and tropical coastline to thick, oppressive forest was very pleasing to me. I'd missed the woods, and even though I couldn't really go too crazy with the cross-country, it was still great to be surrounded by lichen and mushrooms for a while.
Not literally surrounded, you understand. Even if I had been, it would've been incredibly unfair to the surrounding plants with regards to subduing me - I could just step over trhem, or kill for time whilst I waited for them to succumb to the increasing encroachment of suburbia into the wilderness."
Old Man River
12th October:
"We walked all the way down to the base of the Falls, and down the river a little way. There were rocks and boulders perfect for climbing that extended out into the river proper, which Richard and I had fun climbing. He slipped and got his feet wet a couple of times."
"We walked all the way down to the base of the Falls, and down the river a little way. There were rocks and boulders perfect for climbing that extended out into the river proper, which Richard and I had fun climbing. He slipped and got his feet wet a couple of times."
River Photo #413
12th October:
"We found a mostly-removed Mormon quote - Helaman 5:12 (something about rocks and foundations apparently) - drawn into the sand and filled out with rocks."
"We found a mostly-removed Mormon quote - Helaman 5:12 (something about rocks and foundations apparently) - drawn into the sand and filled out with rocks."
A Very Cool Tree
12th October:
"Going from hurricane-devastated islands and tropical coastline to thick, oppressive forest was very pleasing to me."
"Going from hurricane-devastated islands and tropical coastline to thick, oppressive forest was very pleasing to me."
Salmon!
12th October:
"We then went to look at the salmon farm (a salmonry?) at Issaquah, which was as exciting as it sounds."
"We then went to look at the salmon farm (a salmonry?) at Issaquah, which was as exciting as it sounds."
Salmon 2: Return of Jafar
12th October:
"The salmon were super-huge and tried their best to make it upriver. Not all of them made it."
"The salmon were super-huge and tried their best to make it upriver. Not all of them made it."
Funky Shop
16th October:
"Once I was about to make my way up to the market, I saw a little arrow drawn in chalk on the pavement, and above it was written 'unicorns and sloths this way.' I thought 'this is either going to lead me to some kind of shop or down a dark alley where some drug addicts are going to feel me up.' So naturally, I followed the arrows and the pictures, and to my relief they ended up at a funky merch shop."
"Once I was about to make my way up to the market, I saw a little arrow drawn in chalk on the pavement, and above it was written 'unicorns and sloths this way.' I thought 'this is either going to lead me to some kind of shop or down a dark alley where some drug addicts are going to feel me up.' So naturally, I followed the arrows and the pictures, and to my relief they ended up at a funky merch shop."
Pike Place Market
16th October:
"First stop once I'd got off the bus was Pike Place Market. It's kind of like one long food market with those fancy clothes and artisinal stalls from Camden Market interspersed."
"First stop once I'd got off the bus was Pike Place Market. It's kind of like one long food market with those fancy clothes and artisinal stalls from Camden Market interspersed."
Walks Through Seattle
16th October:
"Before I actually reached Capital Hill (sorry this diary keeps jumping around the chronology I always remember stuff as I'm writing) I talked to ahomeless man. He was asking for an energy drink so I took him to a shop nearby so he could choose what he wanted.
I don't know how honest he was being with me, but he was good-humoured and happy to talk. He said he's been travelling around the States for about 9 years with his brother, everywhere between New York and here. He's going to head South to see if he can find work."
"Before I actually reached Capital Hill (sorry this diary keeps jumping around the chronology I always remember stuff as I'm writing) I talked to ahomeless man. He was asking for an energy drink so I took him to a shop nearby so he could choose what he wanted.
I don't know how honest he was being with me, but he was good-humoured and happy to talk. He said he's been travelling around the States for about 9 years with his brother, everywhere between New York and here. He's going to head South to see if he can find work."
The View Fom Capital Hill
16th October:
"It's kind of sad that it's all grid systems over here because it feels like you lose a lot of the exxcitement that comes from exploring European cities. Capital Hill ain't no Soho/ Covent Garden. In fact it reminded me of Hampstead, as suddenly I was in leafy suburbia, not really knowing what I should've been looking out for."
"It's kind of sad that it's all grid systems over here because it feels like you lose a lot of the exxcitement that comes from exploring European cities. Capital Hill ain't no Soho/ Covent Garden. In fact it reminded me of Hampstead, as suddenly I was in leafy suburbia, not really knowing what I should've been looking out for."
Not Quite the London Eye
Crow's Nest (but a Seagull)
"I Should Buy a Boat..."
Walk of Fame
1st November:
"I am surprised at how long the Walk of Fame is. It's not even just one side of the street. It's not even just one street! And Mark Whalberg has a star? What's he done that's so special? Andrew Loyd Webber has one too, but at least that's understandable."
"I am surprised at how long the Walk of Fame is. It's not even just one side of the street. It's not even just one street! And Mark Whalberg has a star? What's he done that's so special? Andrew Loyd Webber has one too, but at least that's understandable."
Chinese Theatre
4th November:
"All in all, it wasn't anything special. In fact the amount of homeless people (a worrying amount of them amputees), people in costume standing amongst disinterested crowds, and aspiring musicians failing to even give away their CDs, it painted a pretty cynical picture of Hollywood."
"All in all, it wasn't anything special. In fact the amount of homeless people (a worrying amount of them amputees), people in costume standing amongst disinterested crowds, and aspiring musicians failing to even give away their CDs, it painted a pretty cynical picture of Hollywood."
"No Pictures in the First Room."
2nd November:
"After a bit of a communication breakdown, we found ourselves walking down a dark alleyway, and out into a car park behind some buildings. Two bouncers were sat behind a rope, one guarding a door. Both could almost have been on break, considering their location and the cigarettes in their hand.
'I.D's please,' said one. 'OK, head up the stairs, turn right. No pictures in the first room.' Nick helped Tarquin up the stairs in front of me, and after a quick twist of the corridor we came to a small bedroom with a burlesque dancer lounging on the bed. She greeted us, asked that we don't enter the same way we exited, and have fun. As the final words left her lips the bed slid back to reveal a staircase."
"After a bit of a communication breakdown, we found ourselves walking down a dark alleyway, and out into a car park behind some buildings. Two bouncers were sat behind a rope, one guarding a door. Both could almost have been on break, considering their location and the cigarettes in their hand.
'I.D's please,' said one. 'OK, head up the stairs, turn right. No pictures in the first room.' Nick helped Tarquin up the stairs in front of me, and after a quick twist of the corridor we came to a small bedroom with a burlesque dancer lounging on the bed. She greeted us, asked that we don't enter the same way we exited, and have fun. As the final words left her lips the bed slid back to reveal a staircase."
Speakeasy #2
3rd November:
"I went to another speakeasy (Good Times??) not far from the hostel with some other people, and again it was pretty cool. The entrance was a friedge door this time, and inside was a pretty funky bar with a bigger stress on dancing: live DJ, people crammed into a corridor, but laughing all the same."
"I went to another speakeasy (Good Times??) not far from the hostel with some other people, and again it was pretty cool. The entrance was a friedge door this time, and inside was a pretty funky bar with a bigger stress on dancing: live DJ, people crammed into a corridor, but laughing all the same."
Sunset Boulevard (I Think?)
3rd November:
"Eventually I ended up joining some guys out on a stag-do, except the husband-to-be was having a breakdown outside, and there were only three of them who were still there. Two of them were his brothers."
"Eventually I ended up joining some guys out on a stag-do, except the husband-to-be was having a breakdown outside, and there were only three of them who were still there. Two of them were his brothers."
A Different Perspective
6th November:
"The contents of the museum was good too, I guess."
"The contents of the museum was good too, I guess."
The Mesoamerican Exhibition
6th November:
"The were some pretty artworks from the early modern/ Renaissance period, and an exhibition of pre-Columbian Mesoamerican art."
"The were some pretty artworks from the early modern/ Renaissance period, and an exhibition of pre-Columbian Mesoamerican art."
More from the Collection
Getty Museum
6th November:
"The design of the building was just so pleasing to me; all the clean lines and straight edges in stone were super applealing."
"The design of the building was just so pleasing to me; all the clean lines and straight edges in stone were super applealing."
The View from The Getty Museum
6th November:
"As you do there's some really pretty views over the LA area, and on the other side was a staggered colection of perfectly positioned houses all with great views of the city."
"As you do there's some really pretty views over the LA area, and on the other side was a staggered colection of perfectly positioned houses all with great views of the city."
Order and Chaos
6th November:
"To avoid staying up all night writing about stuff that happened yesterday, I'll summarise by saying that the Getty Museum is an amazing palce to spend a day. I totally wasn't bitter that the Getty kouros wasn't on show. Nope. No way."
"To avoid staying up all night writing about stuff that happened yesterday, I'll summarise by saying that the Getty Museum is an amazing palce to spend a day. I totally wasn't bitter that the Getty kouros wasn't on show. Nope. No way."
bottom of page