Fremont
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Long known as Seattle’s quirkiest neighborhood, the "Republic of Fremont" has its own troll and a Lenin monument, plus an official motto that proclaims the "Freedom to be Peculiar." Several of the offbeat businesses that most epitomized this quirkiness have folded, but Fremont is still a delightful place to spend an afternoon. The best way to reach the neighborhood is across the Fremont Drawbridge, the world’s most active drawbridge according to the Guinness Book. Be ready to wait; on busy summer weekends it often opens every 10 minutes or so.
Public Art
Once you cross the bridge, you'll meet one of Seattle’s most famous pieces of public art, Richard Beyer’s life-size group of commuters and a dog, Waiting for the Interurban. They are often decked out in used hats, balloons, or umbrellas contributed by passersby.
Head one block east and turn up the road beneath the Aurora Bridge that towers above you. Two blocks uphill you'll meet the locally famous Aurora Bridge Troll in the act of devouring a VW bug.
From here, walk to the official "Center of the Universe" at the corner of N. 35th Street and Evanston Avenue, where a 53-foot-high Russian rocket prepares to blast off from one building. Nearby stands Lenin in heroic pose. This statue originally stood in Slovakia until the 1989 revolution, when it was toppled and sold to capitalists. Lenin is now available to the first person with $150,000 to spend.
© Ericka Chickowski from Moon Washington, 8th edition
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Moon Travel Guides make independent travel and outdoor exploration fun and accessible. With expert and adventurous travel writers delivering a mix of honest insight, first-rate strategic travel advice, insider travel tips and an essential dose of humor, Moon Travel Guides ensure that travelers have an uncommon and entirely satisfying experience. Each travel book is filled with unique trip ideas, easy-to-use maps, and detailed information on sights, restaurants, and accommodations. Moon Travel Guides not only point you in the right direction, they inspire new ideas and adventure. Whether you are seeking a relaxing beach trip to Hawaii, or an adventure travel trip to the rainforests of Costa Rica, Moon guidebooks—and Moon.com—are with you every step of the way. Founded in 1973, the Moon Travel Guides series includes Moon Handbooks, Moon Outdoors, Moon Metro, Moon Living Abroad and Moon Spotlight travel books. Moon is based in Berkeley, California and is a proud member of the Perseus Books Group.