Monday, July 26, 2010

Driving thru Rick Steve's West Germany yesterday.......



....I realized that the longer I live here, the less likely I am to die in the catastrophic failure of the Alaskan Way Viaduct.

***

Recently we bought tickets to Seattle. But I'd read in the Seattle Times that the viaduct still exists, and that people are actually protesting its conversion to a tunnel on Seattle's waterfront. I see both sides of this argument: a tunnel would let the city reach seamlessly to the water, and take away the noise. But I love the viaduct. I should get one of those bumper stickers: I *heart* Viaduct.

Anyway, I wrote this post in May, 2009, in my non-horsey blog, and I wanted to share it cuz I'll be able to drive on my beloved viaduct again soon. I mean, I hope.

***

Driving on the viaduct every day back home, I had Oakland in my mind. How awful to be sandwiched between a double decker freeway and see your death coming.

I was always mindful of that. Now I've got parallel worries of autobahn misjudgements and light-speed train derailments.

The glorious view of the Olympic mountains and Puget Sound won't be placating me before my untimely death in a viaduct failure. (For pictures of this view, see: "Why am I living in Germany".)

Hey, what's up with the viaduct? Are they gonna make a tunnel or what? I hate to lose it, earthquake tears and all, because it offered a breathtaking view every morning, and every night.






The Alaskan Way Viaduct, may it live forever. (Sadly this is exactly how I felt about the Kingdome.)

4 comments:

AareneX said...

yeah, but I don't think we'll ever get around to imploding the Viaduct.

WV: expera
"To die while breathing out in appreciation of the view: Ahhhhhhhhh!

Melanie said...

LOL Aarene X....

The viaduct...who knows when they will decide what to do with it? Until then, find joy in knowing that it is still around...for a little while anyway... : )

Anonymous said...

My daughter in law grew up in Seattle and now lives in Hutten, Germany where my son is stationed with the army.

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

I don't think I could ever drive on that, mostly because I get claustrophobic and city driving makes me nervous anyway. But the horrific scenes of the Oakland earthquakes would haunt me.

Sounds like your missing home something fierce....

~Lisa