Out and About Adventure - Volunteer Park

I've been covering a lot at work these past few weeks which has left no time for a good outing!! Fortunately, the scheduling stars aligned somewhat the other evening and we were able to enjoy the last bit of light up at Volunteer Park. It's kind of a funny story - I thought this park had an observatory tower so I first went there at night...being new to Seattle the park had been recommended to me "because it's a great view" so when they must have also said there was also a conservatory inside the park, I heard observatory! Oopps! Just for the record, this park closes the tower stairs at 9:45 and the gates promptly at 10:00 pm, haha!

One of the many reasons I wanted to visit Volunteer Park is the view! Within the park, off to one side, stands a water tower, wrapped with stairs and covered in brick - from the top is essentially a 360 degree view of Seattle! Oh how I envy the view of the past! On the walls are delightfully informational plaques on the history of Seattle Parks. I'm fascinated with the fact that by and large, most parks are a cultivated, composed and maintained "nature." I'm not saying this fake nature is bad, not at all, my fascination simply stems from the change of landscape and adaptation over time and I enjoy fantacising about how it once was. For example Golden Gate Park, built entirely on sand dunes, almost didn't take at all but you would never know that from looking at the strong, tall eucalyptus trees. What could have just been windy dunes is now an escape within the city filled with all kinds of neat discoveries! I enjoy trying to picture the natural landscape of parks, how it was as the 'young' park with tiny trees and bushes, or what the view would look like without the buildings, etc.

A few of the pretty things from around the park : peaceful koi ponds : bold blooming flowers : blue waters that made me dream of white sandy beaches :

The sunsets recently have been wonderfully dramatic, especially the one from this night with that strange bottom layer of almost 3D clouds. 

I also really loved the Asian Art Museum building. The front doors are beauuutiful! One day I hope to actually go inside haha! The conservatory was glowing beautifully in the twilight but we didn't go into it, another adventure for another day.