Stuff I did.

Ok, so, being a northwest native I have been on the Boeing tour before (it is a long time field trip fav of Washington schools) but I had out of town company and so we did this tour.

The Boeing factory is the largest building on earth (by volume) and in fact, it is actually like, screw with your sense of perception type big.

This next picture shows why it is so big. 

They make really big stuff in there. 

The factory tour is set up to let tourists walk through and gawk without interfering with the plant at all. You enter from the underground tunnels and then go up to areas that overlook the work area, so you get to view the whole deal without getting in the way.

If you've never seen large aircraft up close, you should try to remedy that. I prefer the SR- 71 but for sheer size you have to admire the engineering on these suckers. 

 Speaking of sheer size...
this is a Dreamlifter. It is a custom altered 787 that Boeing uses to fly in the components of the Dreamliners. We've seen them overhead and they sort of look like hydro-cephalic 787s. 

 Mmmmmm, more power.

 We also went to see King Tut. 

There were lots of artifacts from a variety of dynasties for starters and then a pretty cool set-up for the items that came from the tomb complex of Tutankhamun. 

That cheetah head was there, and there were lots of pieces from the different areas within Tut's tomb.

It was a very well staged display and it had some really interesting pieces.

You know what they didn't have?

Any part of the sarcophagus. Despite the fact it was the image all over the advertisement and there were pictures of it throughout, but NO actual bits of it... which was disappointing to me, a bit. 

 I guess the European museum deal spoiled us. We got to see real mummies, even cat mummies, in Naples and the British Museum has a truly outstanding Egyptology section.
I am glad we did it but I am also glad I waited til the mother in law arrived. I wouldn't have been willing to pay for it twice.

We also visited the Pacific Northwest Ballet Nutcracker. The set was designed by Maurice Sendak (author and illustrator of Where the Wild Things Are). It is pretty amazing.

The bit there in the center where the nutcracker's face is opens up to reveal Clara sleeping and down in front you see the nutcracker and the mouse king having their duel.

The Christmas party is rather gorgeous, the costumes and sets are wonderful.

Look at that tree, is it not awesome?

There are tons of kids in this production and they all do so well.

It is so much fun to watch them.

There are, of course, muscular men in tight pants as well.
 So it has that going for it too.

 There are also the requisite scenes involving skinny chicks flitting about in fluffy skirts.

Very well done and all that, I'm sure.

In the Nutcracker though, you also get some slightly more interesting spectacles,

and in Seattle's Nutcracker

they have a distinctly Sendak flair

which makes them even better!

 It is a holiday tradition

and a lot of fun,.

That last shot shows Kent Stowell on the 25th anniversary of the Nutcracker. He was the choreographer for the Nutcracker and the one who convinced Maurice Sendak to get involved in this project back in the early 80s. 

I am so glad he did.

RIP, Mr. Sendak, and thanks for making this ballet beautiful, fun, and something kids can enjoy.

So there ya have it. That is what I've been up to lately.