Garuda Indonesia Colours Magazine October 2014 | Page 153

Travel | Seattle 151 © Deymos.HR / Shutetrstock; © Natalia Bratslavsky / Shutterstock; © Goode Imaging / Shutterstock, © Amos Morgan Photography, Seattle WA 5 Senses – Taste ALMOND CROISSANT The role salmon play in our local economy has been eclipsed by technology giants. But they remain a critical part of what makes Seattle…Seattle. town. The Ballard neighbourhood was populated by Scandinavian fishermen; there were boatyards and shingle mills. And, in 1912, Ballard became the site of a project that was way ahead of its time. Engineer Hiram Chittenden understood that if the salmon could not return to their spawning grounds, they would die out, so he included a fish ladder when engineering the Ballard Locks. This custom bypass allows the salmon to find their way home and fishing vessels to return to the sheltered waters of Seattle’s lakes. The fish ladder isn’t really a ladder: it’s more an elongated staircase, a series of pools with an entry on one side and a slightly raised exit on the other side. The salmon leap up each step, battling the downhill current. I find it impossible not to cheer for them, even though they are rushing towards their own end. They are the definition of driven, beating themselves against the obstacles to reach their destination. At the locks, there’s a window into a landing on that staircase; you can look through the thick glass at the fish pausing before tackling the next series of steps. I take visitors there year round for the exhibits that explain the salmon migration, but it’s best to visit in late summer when the population is at its highest. About 35km from Seattle there’s another fish ladder. A bridge spans Issaquah Creek and, late in the season, you can look down and see the waters are full with the battered fighters. Their skin has turned red with age, their bellies and sides are scraped from miles and miles of hurling themselves against rocks and tree roots and whatever else lies between them and their original spawning grounds. They are exhausted and they are nearly home. The Coast Salish Native American tribes of the Pacific Northwest have long understood the significance of the salmon. A Yakima legend tells how the people suffered when they did not care for the fish, a Squamish legend tells of how different types of salmon came to the people, and there is the Haida legend of Salmon Boy, who learns respect for the salmon from the salmon themselves. They knew that the salmon were a gift, that managed fishing and good stewardship of the land would ensure their annual return. There are several examples of salmon-inspired art at the Seattle Art Museum and the salmon adorn jewellery, cast glass, painted cedar boxes and more at the Steinbrueck Native Gallery just north of Pike Place Market. The twice-baked almond croissant at West Seattle’s Bakery Nouveau might be the city’s best-loved pastry. If you go on a weekend, be prepared to queue. www.bakerynouveau.com Almond croissant dua kali panggang di Bakery Nouveau, Seattle Barat, sepertinya merupakan roti terenak di kota ini. Jika Anda berniat ke sana di akhir pekan, bersiaplah mengantre. The role salmon play in our local economy has been eclipsed by technology giants. But they remain a critical part of what makes Seattle…Seattle. Our established local chefs – people like Tom Douglas and Thierry Rautureau – adapt their menus to accommodate the salmon in season. There’s a welcoming committee for the return of the salmon every year in a tiny park above the Fauntleroy ferry dock in West Seattle. In Issaquah, there’s Salmon Days, a huge festival with music and art that celebrates the return of the salmon. If you’re lucky enough to catch the summer powwow at Discovery Park in Magnolia, there will be salmon on the menu, and salmon represented in the art sold at the craft booths. I carry the salmon on my hand in the shape of a gold ring. It reminds me that to travel is a great adventure, and also, that there is just as great an adventure to be found in returning home.