Moon Metro Seattle is now available as a Spot guide, a stunning new mobile format compatible with Treo Smartphones and other Palm devices. Moon Spot Guides detect where you are, remember what you like, and can guide you to the hip Thai restaurant around the corner or the Modern Art Museum three blocks away. Download a Moon Metro Seattle Spot Guide now in digital form at Earthcomber.com.

Moon Metro Seattle
2nd Edition
ISBN 1-56691-894-4
$16.95
Purchase here through Amazon.com or visit Booksense.com to find your local independent bookseller.

The widely held belief that it rains all the time in Seattle is an exaggerated myth, much like the legend of Sasquatch (more commonly known as Bigfoot), rumored to inhabit the forests nearby. The truth is that it usually only mists — a long, steady precipitation that nourishes the towering evergreens, giving Seattle the nickname “The Emerald City.” Seattleites tolerate water from above because of what lies below: a cosmopolitan town in the midst of stunning natural beauty.

The muted grays of October through March heighten the contrasts of spring, from Puget Sound’s watery blue depths to the snowcapped heights of the Cascade and Olympic Mountains. On sunny summer days, Mount Rainier lords over all, rising from sea level to 14,000 feet, while ferries, tugboats, and massive container ships dot the surface of Elliott Bay. Given such an idyllic landscape, it’s easy to forgive
and forget the drizzly winters.

At one time, these forests and waterways were crossroads of trade and culture for as many as 40 indigenous tribes. When city founders arrived in 1856, they named the colony in honor of Chief Sealth of the Suquamish people. The region’s bounty soon lured settlers: mill workers and mariners from Scandinavia arriving to harvest timber and salmon, fortune hunters headed for the Klondike Gold Rush, and homesteaders looking to claim free land on the last subarctic frontier.

Today, Seattle is more likely to draw people seeking their fortunes in software, aerospace, and biotechnology, with companies such as Microsoft, Boeing, Nintendo, and Starbucks joining REI and Eddie Bauer as major exporters. And the city is one of the most wired places in America — there seems to be a cell phone at every ear, a Palm in every hand, and a personal computer on every desk. Industrial variety, thankfully, is complemented by cultural diversity. Seattle has the fourth largest Pan-Asian population in the country, the third-largest Sephardic Jewish community, and countless other ethnic groups.

Because you can’t get very far in Seattle without running into a large body of water, a steep hill, or a bridge, the city is concentrated, making it easy to explore on foot. Take a walking tour of the Pioneer Square Historic District and landmark Pike Place Market to absorb the past, then ride the monorail to explore the futuristic Space Needle and Experience Music Project. When it’s simply too damp outside, sit by the fire with a latte and a good book or take in the latest flick. Seattle reputedly has more coffeehouses, bookstores, and movie theaters per capita than any other metropolitan area in America.

The temperate weather also shapes the regional temperament and sense of style. Even after a double-tall espresso, Seattleites tend to be low-key and patient, open-minded and tolerant. Quality of life is favored over making an impression. Grunge is gone and high fashion certainly has its place here, but for the most part, fleece and sensible shoes win out over high heels and leather.

Somehow, although you might not be able to put your finger on the reason, this place makes everyone feel at home. So slip into something comfortable, make your peace with the weather, get into the great outdoors, and smell the flowers (and the coffee). Discover what it is about Seattle that intrigues you — rain or shine.