Washington Page 1, Seattle Area:
Seattle ( fireworks , Space Needle & EMP , University of Washington ~ Page 1a: Seattle Aquarium ~ Page 1b: Volunteer Park Conservatory ) ; Bloedel Reserve, Bainbridge Island

Photographs Copyright 1982-2008 by Tom Dempsey. Custom Print Prices. 
I last updated this page on May 25, 2008. Send comments to: tom@photoseek.com

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Index to Washington:  Page 0: Highlights ~ map ~ 1 ~ 2 ~ 3 ~ 4 ~ 5 ~ 6 ~ 7

• Page 1: Seattle Area: Seattle ( fireworks , Space Needle & EMP , University of Washington ) ; Bloedel Reserve, Bainbridge Island
• Page 1a: Seattle Aquarium 
• Page 1b: Volunteer Park Conservatory 
  
• Page 2: North Cascade Mountains : Mount Baker , Mount Shuksan , Sauk Mountain , Anacortes , Grasshopper Pass , Maple Pass , Rainy Pass SR20 , Hidden Lake Lookout , Sahale Arm , 2a: Skagit Valley Tulips
• Page 3: Whidbey & San Juan Islands: Deception Pass , Ebey's Landing , Fort Casey , Meerkerk Gardens
• Page 4: Mountain Loop Highway: Glacier Peak , Mt Pilchuck ,  Green Mountain , Gothic Basin  , Lake 22 , Walt Bailey Trail , plants, flowers, insects , southern Mt Baker - Snoqualmie National Forest
• Page 5: Central Cascades, Highway 2 & Interstate 90:  Alpine Lakes Wilderness (mountains, larch, mushrooms) , Surprise Lake , Granite Mt , Lake Serene , Carne Mountain
• Page 6: Southwest WA: Mt. Rainier , Goat Rocks , Mt. Adams , Mt. St. Helens
• Page 7: Olympic Peninsula: Lavender Farms , Olympic National Park , Port Townsend , ferries , Mount Townsend rhododendrons

Seattle:

Above: I captured this view of downtown Seattle, the Space Needle, Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains at sunset, on July 4, 2007. (Panorama stitched from 4 images; photographed from the 33rd floor of First Hill Plaza, 1301 Spring Street, Seattle.)

Fireworks over Seattle:

Left : Spectacular fireworks explode over Gasworks Park and Union Bay, at dusk July 4, 2007 in Seattle. A large audience on boats watches from Union Bay.

Above right: Red, white and blue fireworks explode over Gasworks Park and Union Bay, on July 4, 2007 in Seattle. A large audience on boats watches from Union Bay.

Left: Low smoke from the fireworks of July 4, 2007 drifts over downtown Seattle and the Space Needle.

 
Above right: From the top of 1301 Spring Street, I photographed this view of downtown Seattle, the Space Needle, Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains at dusk, July 4, 2007.

Above: Red and green fireworks explode over Gasworks Park and Union Bay, at dusk July 4, 2007 in Seattle. A large audience on boats watches from Union Bay.

Seattle Center:

Above: Visitors see this view of Seattle's downtown buildings and Mount Rainier, from the Space Needle's observation deck at 520 feet (160 m). (Panorama stitched from 4 images.)

Left: The Space Needle, located in Seattle Center, is the symbol of Seattle, and a major landmark of the Pacific Northwest region. Built for the 1962 World's Fair, the Space Needle is 605 feet (184 m) high and 138 feet (42 m) wide at its widest point. When it was completed it was the tallest building west of the Mississippi River. It has 25 lightning rods on the roof, and can withstand winds of up to 200 mph (320 km/h) and earthquakes up to 9.5 magnitude (which would protect the structure against an earthquake as powerful as the 1700 Cascadia earthquake). The Space Needle features an observation deck at 520 feet (160 m), the SkyCity restaurant at 500 feet (152 m), and a gift shop. From the top of the Needle, you can see the Downtown Seattle skyline, Olympic and Cascade Mountains, Mount Rainier, Mount Baker, Elliott Bay and surrounding islands. (Panorama stitched from 3 images.)

Below right: The Seattle Monorail travels through the artistic buildings of Paul Allen's Experience Music Project. (Photographed from the Space Needle's 100-foot SkyLine Level banquet room.)

Left: A bronze roof on Paul Allen's Experience Music Project, in Seattle Center. (Photographed from the Space Needle's 100-foot SkyLine Level banquet room.)

Above right: A deliberately crumpled blue roof on Paul Allen's Experience Music Project, in Seattle Center. (Photographed from the Space Needle's 100-foot SkyLine Level banquet room.)

Left:  A rosy metallic building of Paul Allen's Experience Music Project, in Seattle Center. (Photographed from the Space Needle's 100-foot SkyLine Level banquet room.)

Above right: Visitors ride the Seattle Monorail through the artistic buildings of Paul Allen's Experience Music Project, in Seattle Center. (Photographed from the Space Needle's 100-foot SkyLine Level banquet room.)

Left: From the Space Needle's 100-foot SkyLine Level banquet room, you can see Puget Sound, the Olympic Mountains, and the arches of the Pacific Science Center.

Left: In this view from the Space Needle's 100-foot SkyLine Level banquet room, you can see rides of the Fun Forest Amusement Park, and the domed IMAX Theatre and stylistic arches of the Pacific Science Center, at Seattle Center.

Above right: At the base of the Space Needle is "Sci-Fi Swine", by Jules Anslow, who describes her pig's artistic style as "neo-Dada". This is one of the 100 "Pigs on Parade" in Seattle, first launched by the Pike Place Market Foundation in 2001, to bring public art to the city while helping to raise money for human services. In 1971, the citizens of Seattle voted to save the Pike Place Public Market Center from the wrecking ball and also to ensure vital social services for low-income people. The Market Foundation thought a piggy bank could help raise money for these services, and Georgia Gerber, a local sculptor, designed Rachel, the Market’s bronze piggy bank, which inspired the 100 "Pigs on Parade".

University of Washington

Left: Japanese maples in the University of Washington Arboretum.

Below right: University of Washington Arboretum: Japanese Garden. 
[Published on the cover of the "1996 Graduate Program Brochure" for the Department of Physiology & Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle.]

Left: Seattle Public Library, designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, finished in 2004.

Left: Exterior of 2004 Seattle Public Library.
 
 

Below: A tree growing next to the 2004 Seattle Public Library.
 

Above: Ripples on the water surface distorts this view of an orange and red sea anemone at the Seattle Aquarium, Washington. Click here for more images of the Seattle Aquarium.

Left: Pink orchid flowers in the Volunteer Park Conservatory, Seattle, Washington. Click here for more flower and plant images from the Volunteer Park Conservatory.

Bloedel Reserve, Bainbridge Island:

The Bloedel Reserve is a 150-acre forest garden on Bainbridge Island, Washington, made by the vice-chairman of a lumber company, under the influence of the conservation movement and oriental philosophy. The Bloedel Reserve has both natural and highly-landscaped lakes, immaculate lawns, woods, a traditional Japanese garden, a rock and sand Zen garden, a moss garden, a rhododendron glade, and a Reflection Garden. The Bloedel's French Chateau-style home is preserved as a Visitor Center, including many original furnishings. Reservations are required. Visit www.bloedelreserve.org for more information.

Below: Carol and I visited the beautiful Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island, near the peak of fall colors on October 19, 2005. For more information visit www.bloedelreserve.org.


Left: A pond at Bloedel Reserve, Bainbridge Island, October 19, 2005.


    Below right: Tree trunks and Japanese maple fall color.


Left: looking up into multicolored maple leaves. Bloedel Reserve, Bainbridge Island, October 19, 2005.


    Below right: Stone and sand Japanese garden.


Left: looking up into backlit Japanese maple leaves. Bloedel Reserve, Bainbridge Island, October 19, 2005.

    Below right: Hydrangea

Left: Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island was near its peak of fall colors on October 19, 2005. For more information visit www.bloedelreserve.org

Left: Visitors explore the Japanese Garden.

    Below right: This building combines the style of a Japanese Tea House with a Northwest Indian Longhouse.

Below: mossy branches of a Japanese maple tree at Bloedel Reserve, on Bainbridge Island, Washington.

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Above: Impressive fireworks explode over Gasworks Park and Union Bay, at dusk July 4, 2007 in Seattle. See more fireworks images above.

Washington Map:

Above: Washington Page 1, Seattle Area:  Seattle ( fireworks , Space Needle & EMP , University of Washington ~ Page 1a: Seattle Aquarium ~ Page 1b: Volunteer Park Conservatory ) ; Bloedel Reserve, Bainbridge Island

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Index to Washington:  Page 0: Highlights ~ map ~ 1 ~ 2 ~ 3 ~ 4 ~ 5 ~ 6 ~ 7

• Page 1: Seattle Area: Seattle ( fireworks , Space Needle & EMP , University of Washington ) ; Bloedel Reserve, Bainbridge Island
• Page 1a: Seattle Aquarium 
• Page 1b: Volunteer Park Conservatory 
  
• Page 2: North Cascade Mountains : Mount Baker , Mount Shuksan , Sauk Mountain , Anacortes , Grasshopper Pass , Maple Pass , Rainy Pass SR20 , Hidden Lake Lookout , Sahale Arm , 2a: Skagit Valley Tulips
• Page 3: Whidbey & San Juan Islands: Deception Pass , Ebey's Landing , Fort Casey , Meerkerk Gardens
• Page 4: Mountain Loop Highway: Glacier Peak , Mt Pilchuck ,  Green Mountain , Gothic Basin  , Lake 22 , Walt Bailey Trail , plants, flowers, insects , southern Mt Baker - Snoqualmie National Forest
• Page 5: Central Cascades, Highway 2 & Interstate 90:  Alpine Lakes Wilderness (mountains, larch, mushrooms) , Surprise Lake , Granite Mt , Lake Serene , Carne Mountain
• Page 6: Southwest WA: Mt. Rainier , Goat Rocks , Mt. Adams , Mt. St. Helens
• Page 7: Olympic Peninsula: Lavender Farms , Olympic National Park , Port Townsend , ferries , Mount Townsend rhododendrons

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