Moody's upgrades Saudi Arabia's credit rating to Aa3 with stable outlook    Riyadh Metro to begin partial operations next Wednesday: Report    Al Okhdood halts Al Shabab's winning streak with a 1-1 draw in Saudi Pro League    Mahrez leads Al Ahli to victory over Al Fayha in Saudi Pro League    Al Qadsiah hands Al Nassr their first defeat in the Saudi Pro League    Saudi musical marvels takes center stage in Tokyo's iconic opera hall    Downing Street indicates Netanyahu faces arrest if he enters UK    London's Gatwick airport reopens terminal after bomb scare evacuation    Civil Defense warns of thunderstorms across Saudi Arabia until Tuesday    Saudi Arabia, Japan strengthen cultural collaboration with new MoU    Slovak president meets Saudi delegation to bolster trade and investment ties    Saudi defense minister meets with Swedish state secretary    Navigating healthcare's future: Solutions for a sustainable system    Al Khaleej qualifies for Asian Men's Club League Handball Championship final    Sixth foreign tourist dies of suspected methanol poisoning in Laos    Katy Perry v Katie Perry: Singer wins right to use name in Australia    Trump picks Pam Bondi as attorney general after Matt Gaetz withdraws    Al-Jasser: Saudi Arabia to expand rail network to over 8,000 km    Sitting too much linked to heart disease –– even if you work out    Denmark's Victoria Kjær Theilvig wins Miss Universe 2024    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Filipino pilgrim's incredible evolution from an enemy of Islam to its staunch advocate    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







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Seattle on a shoestring
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 17 - 09 - 2008

HOME to Microsoft and Starbucks, grunge rock and a constant rainy drizzle, Seattle is defined by the collision of urban soul and natural beauty. It's also a great destination for the budget-conscious traveler. An abundance of outdoor activities and a pulsing arts community make it the perfect place to visit while holding onto spare change.
For best bets on live shows and music, snag a copy of The Stranger, Seattle's free alternative weekly, to find out who's playing where. If you're looking for a quieter evening, pack dessert and head to Gas Works Park, in Wallingford, or Kerry Park, on Queen Anne Hill, for stunning views of the city skyline.
Few things go together better than penny-pinching and happy hour, so look for deals around the city for fantastic food. Foodies will want to check out Brasa, (http://www.brasa.com) in Belltown, which rocks 5 p.m.-7 p.m. with specials that include steak frites with cabrales butter $7 or a lamb burger for $5.50. Don't leave without trying the trademark sundae for $4.
For cheap eats at all hours of the day, stick to Seattle staples like Dick's Drive In, (http://www.ddir.com), an old-school burger joint with five locations, or Ezell's, with three locations in Seattle, (http://www.ezellschicken.com), to gobble up some of Oprah's favorite fried chicken. Salmon lovers should check out Ballard Brothers Seafood and Burgers, (http://www.ballardbrothers.com) where the house specialty, a Cajun-style blackened salmon sandwich is just $7.
MUST-SEES:
You can't make it to the Emerald City and not visit Pike Place Market, the heart of downtown and one of the nation's original farmer's markets. Home to the original Starbucks, world-famous flying fish and a maze of fresh produce, crafts, and street performers, it's free and a great way to spend the afternoon. Close by is the Green Tortoise, a brand-new hostel where a bed in a dormitory will run you between $31 and $36 a night, including free Wi-Fi, continental breakfast and free dinner on three nights during the week. Private rooms run about $85. (http://www.greentortoise.net/index.html.)When you've had your fill, wander up Elliott Avenue to the Olympic Sculpture Park, a nine-acre waterfront site nestled on the shoreline with towering, permanent sculptures by some of contemporary art's hottest artists.
Then, visit Ballard and the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, where boats rise and fall as they move between the sound and the inland waterways and salmon run through a fish ladder.
If you feel like window-shopping, wander through Pioneer Square's locally owned stores, such as Elliott Bay Book Company, (http://www.elliottbaybook.com), a 25,000-square-foot tribute to literacy.
For a little cash and some fancy footwork, you might just forget you're on a budget. Good options include the Pacific Northwest Ballet, (http://www.pnb.org), where gallery floor seats are just $25, or for the younger crowd, use a college ID to get into the Seattle Symphony for just $10 (http://www.seattlesymphony.org).
For standard fare, you'll want to visit the Experience Music Project, an interactive and historic tribute to rock, the Seattle Aquarium, Woodland Park Zoo and get on a boat tour in the Puget Sound. To see these sights and more, your best bet is to plunk down $44 per adult and $29 per kid and let CityPass hook you up with a nine-day all-access pass (http://www.citypass.com/city/)seattle.html.
URBAN ADVENTURE:
Look past the Space Needle to views of the soaring Olympic mountain range and Puget Sound. If you're itching to get out in a boat, look to the Northwest Outdoor Center, (http://www.nwoc.com) to put you on a kayak for just $13; the UW Waterfront Activities Center, for canoes and rowboats, at just $7.50; or the Center for Wooden Boats, (http://www.cwb.org), on Lake Union for sailing at just $15. Keep an eye out for special events: NOC offers sporadic Paddle Seattle kayak tours at sunset and moonrise, and the Center for Wooden Boats has free Sunday afternoon sails. If the weather cooperates, head to West Seattle, where Alki Beach is the place to be for jogging, rollerbladding, volleyball or a walk along the water. Look to Wheel Fun Rentals (http://www.wheelfunrentals.com/listlocations/104) to rent you a tandem bike for $12. In Ballard, Golden Gardens is a great place to watch the sun set over the Olympics and roast marshmallows over a bonfire.
In Green Lake, you'll find windsurfing, swimming, and a heavily-used running trail with loads of people out to picnic and play.
GETTING AROUND:
Buses in Seattle are cheap, just $1.50, or $1.75 during peak hours. If you're looking to see the sights, hop on a ferry down at the docks, where $7.50 will get you a half-hour cruise to Bainbridge Island, where a more laid


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