This was the first forth of July that I've had with my sister's in a very long time. Most of the one's we've enjoyed have been in Indonesia or Singapore, at the Embassy Rec Center... I don't ever remember being in the US with them for independence day. Since none of us (Andrew and I included) had done the whole gas-works (a park overlooking the city which used to be a gas refinery in its hayday) hooplah, we thought it would be a fun adventure.
We had to park about 2 miles away from the venue since there were SO many people there, and in the failing light, find somewhere to sit. Since there were 5 of us, that made it a bit challenging. But, on the sloping hills of the park, we settled down and watched the sunset. The warm summer breeze blew across the water, while my sister's and I participated in a Seattle Tradition. After what seemed forever, a choir sang our Anthem, before a Marine Chopper did a victory lap around Lake Union baring the United States Flag. (That was pretty cool) The fireworks was set to an electic array of music... It was a lot of fun, and wonderful having my sister's there. Although it was REALLY crowded, we all had a great time.
Here are some photos to document the occasion.
To help you better understand the scale of the crowd - the picture didn't encompass the OTHER side of the hill... There were plenty of people there, but enough law enforcement and event staff to keep everyone in check. Security was pretty tight, with all possessions being checked before you entered the park for firearms, explosives and alcohol. I didn't see any problems though, as everyone was there to have a good time.
For those of you not familiar with Seattle, there's the Gas Works in the upper left hand corner... The whole park used to be a public Gas Works, and then the land was donated to the Parks Service for Seattle to enjoy the views and as a urban escape.
Here's a view of Lake Union, notice how HUGE the barge carrying all the pyrotechnics is. There were police boats guarding it the whole time, even the day before and through the night in preperation for 4th of July. The view is really one of the most beautiful - we go to the park often to eat lunch during the day... But it's not usually this crowded. =)
Danielle, Estelle and I once darkness fell and stars began to explode. I had spent fourth of July with my Ex for the 3 years before hand... Having the girls there with me was a great change of status quo for me. Hopefully we'll be in the same place again next year. We'll get to the park earlier, of course. =)
Danie enjoying the fireworks - which have come a long way in their development. Notice the red heart fireworks in the background.
Danie enjoying the fireworks - which have come a long way in their development. Notice the red heart fireworks in the background.
Andy and I, enjoying each other's company.
Here we are in a sea of people! Talk about trying to carve some space out of nothing... We brought food to eat though, and cards to play with. Thank god we brought blankets, it was nice to bundle up and watch the fireworks.
From left to right: Muddy, Estelle (grey), Danielle (while) Riani and Andy.
The Fireworks - It was a beautiful display, well worth the wait and the struggle through the throngs of people. Fourth of July has always been a symbol of hope for me, of pride and opportunity. Not only are we the land of the free, we are also the richest and most powerful nation in the world - we have the responsibilty to be true leaders in the world. With all our talents and resources, we could do more. Much more, for ourselves, and for our fellow human beings... Especially those who do not enjoy the rights and freedoms we take for granted. Independence Day is more than about Fireworks and Hotdogs, I only hope I'm not the only one who believes that.
