July 11, 2004

Your (US) tax dollars at work.

Twice a day, we ride the #17 Metro bus past the Hiram Chittendon Locks in Ballard. The locks are a very popular tourist destination, with the parkings lot full almost every day, and the grounds of the lock swarming with visitors. Even this magpie has been down to the locks to watch boats going through and look at the salmon going through the fish ladder.

At the end of the locks is an iron drawbridge, over which passes one of the main rail lines between Seattle and Canada. Several times a day, the bridge is lifted to let ship traffic pass from the locks into Puget Sound, and the raised bridge is visible from all over the adjoining neighborhood (including this magpie's house).

Lots of people take pictures of the bridge. Most of them don't have any trouble, even in these paranoid post-9/11 years. However, you might not want to take pictures of the Ballard Locks if your skin is brown.

Via MetaFilter.

Posted by Magpie at July 11, 2004 03:31 AM | War on Terrorism | Technorati links |
Comments

Boy, Magpie - we were certainly touched by the same story.

Posted by: Mary at July 11, 2004 04:20 AM

indeed. i see that bridge every day. i'll never think of it in the same way.

not being brown myself, i've been thinking of going down to the city side of the locks and conspicuously taking pictures of the bridge to see what happens.

Posted by: Magpie at July 11, 2004 06:18 AM