I had the opportunity to travel to Seattle, Washington way back in 2007 while I was working for a daily newspaper in Manila.
I used to write for the paper's technology section and one of the topics I often wrote about was online gaming which was still at its infancy, back then.
Professional online gaming was just starting to become big in the early 2000s, with players from all over the world forming teams that often compete for prize money. The Republic of Korea took the lead in "cybergaming," and the country was the birthplace of the first "World Cyber Games."
And so I was there in Seattle covering the 7th edition of the World Cyber Games to report on Team Philippines. The tournament was quite uneventful, probably because Team Philippines was unable to advance in the latter stages of the games.
However, I did enjoy spending some free time walking in Seattle. The city has a good mix of old and new, with skyscrapers towering over quaint neighborhoods. I had the chance to visit a few "taverns" and coffee shops. I saw a lot of technology companies alongside traditional businesses which showed Seattle's vibrant economy.
In 2007, costs are fairly reasonable and you don’t have to break the bank to have a good time.
Me and a couple of journalists took a stroll in the waterfront, had lunch atop the Space Needle, then headed out to Pike Place Market and watched fishmongers do their thing. The fishmongers put on a show of tossing fish (usually salmon) before wrapping it up with brown paper for the waiting customer. The spectacle usually draws a fairly large crowd.
Here's a fun fact: it is said that the fish throwing was actually a prank on an employee which eventually turned into a beloved tradition. Customers loved the "act" so much that they actually visit Pike Place Market just to see the fish-throwing.
I used to write for the paper's technology section and one of the topics I often wrote about was online gaming which was still at its infancy, back then.
Professional online gaming was just starting to become big in the early 2000s, with players from all over the world forming teams that often compete for prize money. The Republic of Korea took the lead in "cybergaming," and the country was the birthplace of the first "World Cyber Games."
And so I was there in Seattle covering the 7th edition of the World Cyber Games to report on Team Philippines. The tournament was quite uneventful, probably because Team Philippines was unable to advance in the latter stages of the games.
However, I did enjoy spending some free time walking in Seattle. The city has a good mix of old and new, with skyscrapers towering over quaint neighborhoods. I had the chance to visit a few "taverns" and coffee shops. I saw a lot of technology companies alongside traditional businesses which showed Seattle's vibrant economy.
In 2007, costs are fairly reasonable and you don’t have to break the bank to have a good time.
Me and a couple of journalists took a stroll in the waterfront, had lunch atop the Space Needle, then headed out to Pike Place Market and watched fishmongers do their thing. The fishmongers put on a show of tossing fish (usually salmon) before wrapping it up with brown paper for the waiting customer. The spectacle usually draws a fairly large crowd.
Here's a fun fact: it is said that the fish throwing was actually a prank on an employee which eventually turned into a beloved tradition. Customers loved the "act" so much that they actually visit Pike Place Market just to see the fish-throwing.
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