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December 10, 2006

Ride The Ducks!

Yesterday afternoon, Elaine and I took ninety minutes to "Ride the Ducks" around town.

It was a total blast.

Ducks aren't unique to Seattle; they're found in a number of cities in the US (Boston and Philadelphia both have them, for instance). If you've never seen a Duck, it's basically a truck that can go in water - an amphibious vehicle from World War II, originally used to get troops from boats to land. These days, they've been equipped with upgraded sound systems and very enthusiastic drivers, and they're found zipping all over town loaded with tourists.

Out guide, Cap'n Daniel, was great - he (clearly) loves his job and has a real passion for Seattle. As we drove around, he was cracking corny jokes, pointing out landmarks, and sharing little bits of Pacific Northwest trivia. We started at the Space Needle and proceeded to see the waterfront, Qwest field, Pioneer Square, the downtown shopping district, Aurora bridge, and Gas Works Park. Ultimately, we launched into Lake Union and toured the houseboats.

Make no mistake, the tours are goofy as hell. Think "morning radio show" goofy - sound effects, James Brown's "I Feel Good", the Gilligan's Island theme, B'52's "Love Shack" - you get the idea. It works, though: we found the enthusiasm infectious, and both of us were giggling for most of the trip.

If you have relatives coming to Seattle for the holidays and you're not sure what to do with 'em, go on the tour. It's totally informative, fun, and a great way to see a lot of the city in a short period of time. (Plus: amphibious! How cool is that?)

Posted by Gavin Shearer at December 10, 2006 1:12 PM. Posted to Entertainment.

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