Highlights of the Day
In the morning, we visited Microsoft headquarters, coincidentally during its 50th anniversary year. A walk through the visitor center and a hands-on look at the newly released Copilot+ offered a glimpse into the future of AI-integrated computing. In the afternoon, we explored Fremont, one of Seattle’s most distinctive neighborhoods, known for its humor, creativity, and free spirit—from the famous Fremont, Troll to playful street art. The day ended by the waterfront with local craft beer and a delicious dinner featuring fresh Dungeness crab, relaxed and satisfying.
Accommodation: Renaissance Seattle Hotel
Transportation: Public Transportation or Rideshare
It’s no exaggeration to say that Microsoft has changed the course of an entire generation.
By bringing advanced computing technology into everyday life, it transformed how people work, learn, and communicate. Today, we decided to make a pilgrimage to its headquarters.
Microsoft’s campus is about a thirty-minute drive from downtown Seattle, and getting there was easy using the company’s shuttle buses. The campus itself is enormous, with numerous office buildings spread across the area. As we followed our GPS toward the visitor center, we noticed many signs marked with the number “50.” A quick check confirmed our guess—Microsoft was celebrating its 50th anniversary. We couldn’t have picked a better time to visit.
The visitor center was spacious and divided into two main sections: a small museum area and a gaming experience zone. The museum showcased historical products and featured a large screen highlighting major Microsoft launches over the past five decades. The exhibits were fairly simple, and when I chatted with a staff member, he laughed and admitted that a renovation was planned in the coming months, with more content to be added.
The gaming area attracted plenty of younger visitors, though it wasn’t quite my scene. The real surprise came in the product display section, where Microsoft had just introduced a new device—Copilot+. According to the staff, this computer deeply integrates artificial intelligence into the operating system. Tasks like editing documents, expanding ideas, or searching for information can now be done directly within the same interface, without switching between apps. The efficiency gains were impressive—and it made me wonder if this might be my next computer.
After leaving Microsoft, we headed to a very different part of Seattle: Fremont. Named after explorer John C. Fremont, the neighborhood today proudly calls itself “The Center of the Universe.” It’s a place defined by art, humor, and an unapologetically free spirit.
On the bus to Fremont, a man sitting across from us noticed the credit card visible in my phone case and kindly warned me that it could easily be snatched. A reminder that Seattle, like any big city, has its realities.
Not long after getting off the bus, we were drawn into a small shop simply labeled “Brownies.” The hazelnut brownie was soft, fresh, and perfectly balanced—not overly sweet. A small but delightful discovery.
One of Fremont’s most famous landmarks is the Fremont Troll, hidden beneath the Aurora Bridge. Inspired by Nordic folklore, the massive concrete troll clutches a real Volkswagen Beetle in one hand, turning an abandoned space into a humorous and iconic piece of public art.
Nearby stands another unexpected figure: a statue of Lenin in a suit, striding forward with symbols of fire and weapons. Created by Czech artist Emil Venkov in 1988, the statue was abandoned after the collapse of the Soviet Union and later brought to Fremont by an American teacher. Rather than honoring ideology, it functions as an ironic and evolving piece of art, often decorated, repainted, or playfully altered by locals.
As we continued wandering, surprises appeared everywhere—sculptures of people waiting for a bus, a human-faced dog beneath their feet, and two clowns standing back-to-back, holding hands. It was impossible not to smile.
Eventually, we reached the waterfront, where white yachts lined the bay under bright sunlight. The scene felt almost Mediterranean—light, breezy, and free. Across the water sat Fremont Brewing, where we sampled a tasting flight of five different beers. Sitting quietly, drinking beer, and watching the water turned out to be one of the most beautiful ways to travel.
Dinner was at a seafood restaurant highly recommended by friends. As expected, the Dungeness crab was outstanding, and the rest of the dishes were just as satisfying—a perfect end to the day.
