The Gum Wall

My nephew Nils and Rachel at the Gum Wall
(My thoughts exactly, Rachel!)

Nothing is more American than chewing gum.  That should make the Market Theatre Gum Wall, a local landmark in Downtown Seattle, one of the most iconic sites in America.

This is a brick alleyway covered in (gross!) used chewing gum.  The gum encrusted wall is about 50 feet long, 15 feet high and several inches thick.

Some people even have created art with their gum, stuck messages and coins in it, and generally made a mess.

The Theatre workers tried scraping the gum off a few times, to no avail.  They discovered that it was a tourist attraction - albeit a germy one, and finally left it up.

Kirsti and Jay at the Gum Wall

Believe it or not, there is a similar wall - Bubblegum Alley - in San Luis Obispo, California.

My family was in Seattle last week and took these photos in front of this very curious - and a bit disgusting - wall.  The wall is now so famous it has even appeared in film.

According to Wikipedia it's a popular site with wedding photographers.

Really?