Nirvana Fans Unite

Tuesday, June 21st – Millersylvania State Park, Olympia to Seattle and back, Washington - Day 130 

The showers were lovely in Millersylvania State Park for the low, low price of $0.25 for 1.5 minutes. I splurged and used three tokens. 

As a teenager, Gen was a huge Nirvana fan. She knew all the lyrics, wanted to dress like Kurt Cobain and loved the music. Seattle was the birthplace of Nirvana and the grunge music scene in the 90’s. As we drove the hour into Seattle, she was looking forward to seeing the Nirvana related sights. First, we needed to do laundry. We stopped to put the laundry in the wash before making the short drive to Kurt Cobain’s house. You could barely see the house because of the massive hedge but beside the house was a small park with a bench that became one of the memorials following Kurt’s death. When we arrived, there were flowers already on the bench. Another family was also there to take in the sight, so we chatted for a while. He was in the army and had been posted in Seattle but was being moved to Germany. 

We went back to the laundromat; I was dropped off to transfer the loads to the dryer and wait around for the machines to be done. I snuck away to a local pub for a bite to eat while the clothes were in the dryer. Gen, Mary and the kids took the car to get a car wash and see the Kurt Cobain house (Mary had snuck off to a coffee shop the first time we went and had been left behind). 

 With our massive pile of laundry clean, we headed to Fisherman’s Wharf. On the way, we found Mary’s shoe that had been forgotten on the roof of the car at the car wash and subsequently fallen off. We found free street parking and walked through Pike Place Market, the fish mongers district, which was unfortunately closed with only the scent of fish and the happy task of hosing down fish tables to provide evidence of the days work. 

 On the pier the kids climbed on some seal statues for a picture. We walked along listening to street performers; a saxophone player in a Vince Carter jersey got a dollar or two just because of the jersey. The older generation browsed a few stores, and each child got a scarf from a street vendor. We then found a seafood counter and ordered a Manhattan and Salmon chowder in a sourdough bowl to accompany fish and chips. 

 With the sunsetting, we walked back to our car with only a quick stop to see the gum wall, a wall that everyone sticks their used gum to. After convincing Gen not to eat a piece, we drove out of Seattle, past the various stadiums, and along the highway for the hour and a half drive back to our campsite.