Postcards: I saw Seattle's junk and I liked it!

Now go put those Saw movies in your Netflix queue!

Quick: did you enjoy Connections - that awesome, if short-lived, TLC special with the Einstein-hair guy (James Burke)? Like most TV that won't liquefy your brain, it was originally produced by the BBC.

If you liked that, you'd like the Underground Tour in Seattle. Dell and I had to do something Seattle-y while she was here, and she's not the type to ogle a landmark like the Space Needle from the ground (or pay $20 to go to the top), so we chose the quirky-guidebook-pick route: seeing Seattle's underbelly.

I'd rate this attraction quintessentially 'Seattle-y' just for the attitude about the history: 'Yeah, it was weird! We embrace it. And we also like puns.'

A skylight from the underground

In case you aren't familiar with the historic background, Seattle's waterfront district was re-graded after its great fire in the late 19th century, which was a relief since the entire place was built on a tide plain. The residents had to deal with all sorts of sewage-based nightmares.

The guides have lots of historical bits to share while the group wanders around slightly damp basements left over from the major civil engineering hassle that ensued. Some of these spaces are filled with semi-interesting junk, like old elevator parts, arranged in photogenic piles.

I totally recommend it.