COMPASS
WEST U.S.
NTA members shine
in the Emerald City
BY GABE WEBB
GABE WEBB
As I toured Seattle in mid-September, I realized this Emerald
City is not unlike the Emerald City from “The Wizard of Oz.”
There are gleaming, imaginative structures (the Space Needle
and EMP Museum). People use unique modes of transportation (within an hour of my arrival, I dodged a man riding a
unicycle on the sidewalk).
My first morning in the city, I met Lisa Schmidt, tourism development sales manager for the Space Needle & Chihuly Garden
and Glass. Her attraction comprises an indoor exhibition dedicated to the work of glass artist Dale Chihuly, an outdoor garden
replete with his pieces, and Seattle’s iconic observation tower.
Lisa walked me through the galleries, highlighting the techniques Chihuly and his assistants used to create the glass
sculptures. Pieces range from beautiful, functional objects
to pillars of cascading glass tubes. From November through
April, visitors can see live glassblowing demonstrations in the
garden at the Community Hot Shop, and the museum offers a
variety of packages for tour groups.
“Our VIP Experience is an excellent option for groups of
10 or more people who are looking for an exclusive, unique
Seattle experience,” says Schmidt. “This package enables
groups to begin their private, hosted tour half an hour prior to
®
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UNIQUE GENUINE HISTORIC
SKAGWAY, ALASKA
/whitepassrailroad
/whitepassrail
/whitepassrailroad
Built in 1898 during the Klondike Gold Rush, this narrow gauge railroad is an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.
Experience the breathtaking panorama of mountains, glaciers, trestles & tunnels from the comfort of vintage rail cars.
wpyr.com
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January 2017
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1-800-343-7373
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