Last Monday, Martin Luther King's day has been the perfect opportunity for myself and a friend to visit some other places in Washigton State besides Seattle.
On our way to Olympia, capital city of Washignton State, we were so astonished by the beauty of the landscape that we decided to take the little roads instead of the freeway.
That's how we randomly happened to visit the Nisqually Bird Sanctuary.
Ok, it might sound super cheesy, but the walk we took in that park has been incredibly rejuvenating.
That's how we randomly happened to visit the Nisqually Bird Sanctuary.
Ok, it might sound super cheesy, but the walk we took in that park has been incredibly rejuvenating.
After that, we hit the road again to go to our main goal: Olympia.
Let's be sincere: I was a bit deceived. Olympia is a very small town and you notice that nothing much is really going on out there. However, they have a pretty cool record store called Rainy Day Records which impressed me by having a large section for rockumentaries.
And hey! Olympia is the hometown of K Records and of the Riot Grrrl movement...!
Let's be sincere: I was a bit deceived. Olympia is a very small town and you notice that nothing much is really going on out there. However, they have a pretty cool record store called Rainy Day Records which impressed me by having a large section for rockumentaries.
And hey! Olympia is the hometown of K Records and of the Riot Grrrl movement...!
Finally we decided to go further in our visit - and also because the teenager in me was praying for it - by driving to Aberdeen, hometown of Kurt Cobain.
Aberdeen is a poor and depressive suburb where there is nothing to do BUT they happen to have a super cool store: the Star Wars store where my friend found a crazy animated figurine of Darth Vader threatening people with his red lightsaber because they "are not Jedis yet".
I must admit that this store has been a good surprise!
Aberdeen is a poor and depressive suburb where there is nothing to do BUT they happen to have a super cool store: the Star Wars store where my friend found a crazy animated figurine of Darth Vader threatening people with his red lightsaber because they "are not Jedis yet".
I must admit that this store has been a good surprise!
Concerning Kurt Cobain, there is nothing much apart from the "Welcome to Aberdeen - Come as you are" sign when you enter the town and a very small (dog) park right next to the K.C bridge, on the bench of the Whiskah river, where Cobain used to spend time when he was a kid and where some of his ashes were scattered.
Like a lot of young people, I had my "I'm-a-rebel-I-listen-to-Nirvana-you-can't-understand" period but after almost ten years, I am still very into the band and it was somehow moving to visit Aberdeen, even if I was surprised that the band was so poorly remembered.
Like a lot of young people, I had my "I'm-a-rebel-I-listen-to-Nirvana-you-can't-understand" period but after almost ten years, I am still very into the band and it was somehow moving to visit Aberdeen, even if I was surprised that the band was so poorly remembered.
My conclusion of that day spent wandering around Washington state is that where you come from/grow up determines who you are and what you will do in your life, and I'm sure that somehow all those bands who are part of the Pacific Northwest scene, each in their own individual way, Nirvana included, but of course not the only one, were influenced by living in the region.
There's got to be something with this place.
There's got to be something with this place.
But again, it's only my humble opinion...
A.C.
