Bill Speidel’s Underground Tour is mostly worthless. No, wait, I got a 2$ beer out of the deal. And well, we were in places you can’t get to without the wristband. And I learned a little history. I guess it was fine…
DID YOU KNOW that UPS started as laudanum drug runners for prostitutes? Me neither. Juicy.

Basically, Seattle – the original downtown, Pioneer Square – burnt down in 1889 or something (wiki it). They were in a hurry to rebuild, because at high tide they were getting wet. They wanted to raise the ground, but it was taking too long. People rebuilt their buildings, then along comes the city and raises the streets. Really. You had to use LADDERS to get from the street to the store front. It was muddy and yucky and unsafe and lots of drunk guys died falling off the street. Really. Finally they filled in the sidewalks, and made the second floor the first. THEREFORE there’s stuff underground. Still with me?

We took the 90 minute tour yesterday and had a great guide. He made it fun, and told the stories in order to help you imagine you were looking at amazing things. Unfortunately, after the ensuing Klondike Gold Rush and WWII plundering, you’re left looking at very little. I respect that they kept things the way they were, but wouldn’t mind a little help; pictures or drawings or little recreations to help me visualize what on earth that could have been like.

There was an old toilet:

There, I just saved you 20$. You’re not going to make me go again, are you???