Behind-the-Scenes

INGRID THOFT

The other morning I was walking home from the gym, strolling through Pike Place Market.  It was early, and I realized that the market I was seeing was a far cry from the market that most tourists, and even locals, usually see.  In the middle of the day, rain or shine (yes, it really does happen) Pike Place is a riot for the senses.  The scent of lilies and raw fish, the deep colors of fresh cut blooms, and the sounds of buskers are all part of the experience.

That particular day the market was technically open, but it was empty and quiet, and I got a kind of behind-the-scenes peek into what goes in to bringing Seattle's top tourist attraction to life everyday.  There are some permanent stalls, but even the fish mongers and the produce people have to pack their products away each night, although their "store fronts" remain in place. 

Most of the vendors have to pack away not only their wares, but also their display cases and lighting.  At the end of each day, they store everything on pallets with wheels, lock it away in a secure part of the market, and roll it out each morning to begin again.  

It isn't just the behind-the-scenes at Pike Place that interest me.  A number of years ago my husband and I sprung for the full-day Backstage Tour at Disney World.  We'd been to the park enough times that we were ready to see something new and did we ever.

We went into the famous tunnel system under the park, which allows "cast members" to move about without being scene by the general public.  We learned that they test carpet samples in the employee buildings to decide which options are most durable.  We saw the enormous department dedicated to holiday decorations and were told that the park is always being painted and the light bulbs are always being changed.  When they finish, they immediately start again.  This tour satisfied my inner organizational freak and changed the way I look at the park forever.

Where else would I like to go behind-the-scenes?  I know it will never happen, but I would love to get a peek behind the curtain at a big international airport like Dubai.  I can only imagine the systems that exist in such a facility.

How about you?  Have you seen inner workings that have amazed you?  Is there any place where you'd like to get the backstage tour?