Saturday and today have been spent preparing to head back to Kansas, although yesterday was my family here's first realy foray into the delicious world of Thai food. I'm glad I could introduce them to the tantalizing, palate-satisfying menu, and was lucky to find a good Thai place very close to where they live, which makes things that much better. I didn't do much else except eat and hang out yesterday.
Today I've done a lot of the same, although I have to buckle down and unpack/repack all my stuff and confirm all my flights for tomorrow. I'm not too worried about it, but it's the part of traveling I enjoy the least. It's just a hassel. Oh well, everybody gotta do it, no?
I've spent too long on these blog posts, but I wanted to get everything written down before I forgot so much. I'm sure my impressions would have been different if I had written them as they happened, and I'm trying to get into better practice of doing that, but so far, not so good.
My general observations will have to wait until after lunch, because now this chica is HUNGRY and ready to take a break from the computer. Too much computer = total burnout for me.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009 - Sold on DC and the Folklore Festival
Friday, I ventured out to the National Mall to take in the Smithsonian Folklore Festival. The featured countries were Latin/South America and Wales, and there was a section on the spoken word in African American culture, which was fantastic. I've had an interest in Welsh culture since I was fairly young, 12 or 13 probably, and I was interested in seeing all that the festival had to offer in terms of cultural significance and learnings.
I was not disappointed. There were food tents, music, poetry and storytelling, farming, nautical culture, carpentry and craftswork of all kinds, and the influence of Wales on the world. I know there were many others, but that's what I can recall. I spent some time there, in the hot and humid sun, luckily wearing my strapless yellow sundress, which I LOVE, taking in the exhibits and absorbing the culture.
I then met up with another KU alum near McPherson square, and we chatted over tea, iced for me, hot for him, about why I should move to DC, and how amazing it would be to live here, and why there's no good reason not to be out here. We talked a bit about his job, and also about new KU Law gossip, which was more fun than it should have been. He did a great job pitching the city to me, and made the thought of living here even more exciting than it had been for me previously.
After coffee, I went back to the Mall and sat in on some choral performances of Welsh ballads, and then had the chance to sit in on some story telling in the Giving Voice oratorium tent, where I heard two different styles of storytelling representing the African American culture. It was great, because I realized that these stories are really everyone's stories. We tell them differently, but the characters, the exxentric uncles, the overbearing mothers and grandmothers, they're all the same, across cultures, and when these stories are told, we can really see ourselves and our own lives in them. I loved that. The festival closed down at 5:30 pm, which was perfect timing for me to get over to Dupont Circle to meet up with Lizzy.
I hadn't seen Lizzy since we all met three years ago in Istanbul for the Summer '06 study abroad program, featuring guest lecturer Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Lizzy went to a different school, but she fit in with our KU brood just fine, and although it was only a month together, we've all managed to stay good friends since then, in some form or another. So it was great to see her, and see another neighborhood, which was a really nice one with a lot of historical significance.
We talked for over two hours, about school, life, working, travel, everything that we loved, dogs, boys, everything. We went to a nice little place called Bar Dupont, which was just the ticket. And while we were there, a massive but short-lived thunderstorm passed over the area, which led to a funny discussion about "weather" in different parts of the country. It was so good to just catch up after so long and realize how, although so many things have changed, some things, and some people, just don't. That's a wonderful thing to behold.
Lizzy also did a great job of convincing me to move to the city, so a double dose of awesomeness about DC had me floating on thoughts of being out here, all the way back to the metro. I made it back home in one piece, although it took longer than I thought it would to get home. A happy Friday for sure.
I was not disappointed. There were food tents, music, poetry and storytelling, farming, nautical culture, carpentry and craftswork of all kinds, and the influence of Wales on the world. I know there were many others, but that's what I can recall. I spent some time there, in the hot and humid sun, luckily wearing my strapless yellow sundress, which I LOVE, taking in the exhibits and absorbing the culture.
I then met up with another KU alum near McPherson square, and we chatted over tea, iced for me, hot for him, about why I should move to DC, and how amazing it would be to live here, and why there's no good reason not to be out here. We talked a bit about his job, and also about new KU Law gossip, which was more fun than it should have been. He did a great job pitching the city to me, and made the thought of living here even more exciting than it had been for me previously.
After coffee, I went back to the Mall and sat in on some choral performances of Welsh ballads, and then had the chance to sit in on some story telling in the Giving Voice oratorium tent, where I heard two different styles of storytelling representing the African American culture. It was great, because I realized that these stories are really everyone's stories. We tell them differently, but the characters, the exxentric uncles, the overbearing mothers and grandmothers, they're all the same, across cultures, and when these stories are told, we can really see ourselves and our own lives in them. I loved that. The festival closed down at 5:30 pm, which was perfect timing for me to get over to Dupont Circle to meet up with Lizzy.
I hadn't seen Lizzy since we all met three years ago in Istanbul for the Summer '06 study abroad program, featuring guest lecturer Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Lizzy went to a different school, but she fit in with our KU brood just fine, and although it was only a month together, we've all managed to stay good friends since then, in some form or another. So it was great to see her, and see another neighborhood, which was a really nice one with a lot of historical significance.
We talked for over two hours, about school, life, working, travel, everything that we loved, dogs, boys, everything. We went to a nice little place called Bar Dupont, which was just the ticket. And while we were there, a massive but short-lived thunderstorm passed over the area, which led to a funny discussion about "weather" in different parts of the country. It was so good to just catch up after so long and realize how, although so many things have changed, some things, and some people, just don't. That's a wonderful thing to behold.
Lizzy also did a great job of convincing me to move to the city, so a double dose of awesomeness about DC had me floating on thoughts of being out here, all the way back to the metro. I made it back home in one piece, although it took longer than I thought it would to get home. A happy Friday for sure.
Thursday, June 25, 2009 - Tragedy in the Entertainment World
Thursday, I didn't do much, and that was just fine. I slept in and just generally chilled. The world went on, however, and two celebrity deaths marked Thursday, June 25, 2009 as a doubly sad day.
In the morning, news of Farrah Fawcett's death, as she lost her battle with cancer, took over the news media, twitter, and many other social media hubs. I was pretty sad about it, because I freaking hate cancer, and little did I know that cancer would rear its ugly head again later in the week, to a different family, with a different struggle (Pablog).
Later that day, I was just waking up from an afternoon nap, and I heard the shocking news that Micheal Jackson had died, after being rushed to the hospital in cardiac arrest (heart stopped, as opposed to a heart attack).
Now, I knew that he hadn't been healthy, and his eccentric lifestyle had taken over the last decades of his life, but he was also a magnificent superstar, the King of Pop, a legend for decades as well. And my personal opinion is that the charges that had been filed against him regarding molestation and other illegal and illicit activities were more than likely not true, or exaggerated. He didn't fit the profile of a pedophile, if you really look at it. It's just a hunch, but I think his odd lifestyle contributed to those allegations.
So Thursday was a sad day. And it's ok to feel sad, even if it's just due to a reminder of our own mortality. Whatever the reason, the world lost two pop culture icons that day, and it will always be remembered as a tragic day in American history.
In the morning, news of Farrah Fawcett's death, as she lost her battle with cancer, took over the news media, twitter, and many other social media hubs. I was pretty sad about it, because I freaking hate cancer, and little did I know that cancer would rear its ugly head again later in the week, to a different family, with a different struggle (Pablog).
Later that day, I was just waking up from an afternoon nap, and I heard the shocking news that Micheal Jackson had died, after being rushed to the hospital in cardiac arrest (heart stopped, as opposed to a heart attack).
Now, I knew that he hadn't been healthy, and his eccentric lifestyle had taken over the last decades of his life, but he was also a magnificent superstar, the King of Pop, a legend for decades as well. And my personal opinion is that the charges that had been filed against him regarding molestation and other illegal and illicit activities were more than likely not true, or exaggerated. He didn't fit the profile of a pedophile, if you really look at it. It's just a hunch, but I think his odd lifestyle contributed to those allegations.
So Thursday was a sad day. And it's ok to feel sad, even if it's just due to a reminder of our own mortality. Whatever the reason, the world lost two pop culture icons that day, and it will always be remembered as a tragic day in American history.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009 - Good Stuff and the Zoo!
Wednesday, I managed to drag myself out of bed and get ready to go see Carol at the Library of Congress, where she works for CRS. It was so great to catch up with her too, as I hadn't seen her since the Bar exam last July, and she moved out here to DC/VA shortly after that. She told me all about her job, the area, living options and expenses, and a lot of other things.
We went to a place called Good Stuff, which is owned and operated by Spike of Top Chef fame. I even saw him working, right there behind the counter. Good times. The food was great, and I had a "mini-moo" chocolate shake that was pretty divine. After lunch, I wandered around the Capitol South area for a bit, and then made my way to the metro to head over to the National Zoo. I wanted to see the Pandas!
And I did. Once I got to the National Zoo (I managed to pass right by it when I was walking there, still not sure how that happened), I saw the Pandas, otters, some wild cats, birds, reptiles, elephants, small mammals, cheetahs, primates, and prairie dogs. Awesome. I didn't get to see the lions and tigers because they are only out til 4 pm, and they're towards the end of the zoo, so I didn't get there in time, but ah well. Like all the national parks and museums, admission is free, so I can easily go back sometime, maybe when the weather is cooler and there's more open.
After the zoo, I went to go visit Tommy and grab some dinner. He only lives a couple of blocks from the back entrance/exit of the zoo, so it was easy to walk there and find where he lived. I actually got to see his apartment, which was pretty nice, and in a nice area of town. All that walking did show me some pretty nice neighborhoods, which was actually pretty exciting.
We grabbed dinner at a place called the Reef, which had a rooftop restaurant that was perfect. The weather was perfect and the area was awesome. Also, I had the profound opportunity to witness Paul Rudd in a doorway during filming of a movie yet-to-be-titled. I <3 Paul Rudd, a Kansas boy of my own heart. And he's adorably hilarious. Dinner (Paul didn't join us, I'm sorry to say) was great, and another chance to catch up with an old friend.
Tommy is one of the first people I ever met at KU during undergrad, and we've managed to stay friends through all the years, which is both impressive and awesome. We caught up on our lives, old friends, new friends, new cities, and new lives. It was a great way to spent the evening, and Tommy was nice enough to give me a ride all the way back to Vienna, which was a bit of a drive, but better than taking the metro at 9:30 pm without a car to get me the rest of the way home.
We went to a place called Good Stuff, which is owned and operated by Spike of Top Chef fame. I even saw him working, right there behind the counter. Good times. The food was great, and I had a "mini-moo" chocolate shake that was pretty divine. After lunch, I wandered around the Capitol South area for a bit, and then made my way to the metro to head over to the National Zoo. I wanted to see the Pandas!
And I did. Once I got to the National Zoo (I managed to pass right by it when I was walking there, still not sure how that happened), I saw the Pandas, otters, some wild cats, birds, reptiles, elephants, small mammals, cheetahs, primates, and prairie dogs. Awesome. I didn't get to see the lions and tigers because they are only out til 4 pm, and they're towards the end of the zoo, so I didn't get there in time, but ah well. Like all the national parks and museums, admission is free, so I can easily go back sometime, maybe when the weather is cooler and there's more open.
After the zoo, I went to go visit Tommy and grab some dinner. He only lives a couple of blocks from the back entrance/exit of the zoo, so it was easy to walk there and find where he lived. I actually got to see his apartment, which was pretty nice, and in a nice area of town. All that walking did show me some pretty nice neighborhoods, which was actually pretty exciting.
We grabbed dinner at a place called the Reef, which had a rooftop restaurant that was perfect. The weather was perfect and the area was awesome. Also, I had the profound opportunity to witness Paul Rudd in a doorway during filming of a movie yet-to-be-titled. I <3 Paul Rudd, a Kansas boy of my own heart. And he's adorably hilarious. Dinner (Paul didn't join us, I'm sorry to say) was great, and another chance to catch up with an old friend.
Tommy is one of the first people I ever met at KU during undergrad, and we've managed to stay friends through all the years, which is both impressive and awesome. We caught up on our lives, old friends, new friends, new cities, and new lives. It was a great way to spent the evening, and Tommy was nice enough to give me a ride all the way back to Vienna, which was a bit of a drive, but better than taking the metro at 9:30 pm without a car to get me the rest of the way home.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 - Food and Machines
My mom had called me early Tuesday morning to ask if everything was ok, because my parents had only heard about the accident late Monday night. I reassured her that I had been nowhere near the metro then, and that I wouldn't have been in that area anyways. It was nice that she called anyways.
Tuesday I had lunch with Kara at Lebanese Taverna (yum double yum). We just chatted generally about all sorts of things, including jobs and school, friends, family, etc. It was a good way to spend the afternoon, and I'm glad I had the chance to do that. I was also glad, unfounded though it may have been, that I didn't have to take the trains on Tuesday, just because I was a bit frazzled by the accident from the day before. Of course, the metro is far safer than driving, and possibly even flying (I don't know the statistics), but I still felt better holding off for a day.
I spent the rest of the day sort of relaxing, in anticipation of seeing Transformers 2 with my cousin Allie and some of her friends at midnight in Tyson's. The movie theater is pretty nice there, but still doesn't hold a candle to my hometown Warren Theaters! The place was packed, mostly with teenagers (I'm too old for this stuff).
The movie was ok, not as good as the first one, and way too long. Still a pretty fun experience, except that I didn't get home and to bed until almost 3:30 am, which was a bit icky. Especially considering I had another lunch that afternoon. ICK!
Tuesday I had lunch with Kara at Lebanese Taverna (yum double yum). We just chatted generally about all sorts of things, including jobs and school, friends, family, etc. It was a good way to spend the afternoon, and I'm glad I had the chance to do that. I was also glad, unfounded though it may have been, that I didn't have to take the trains on Tuesday, just because I was a bit frazzled by the accident from the day before. Of course, the metro is far safer than driving, and possibly even flying (I don't know the statistics), but I still felt better holding off for a day.
I spent the rest of the day sort of relaxing, in anticipation of seeing Transformers 2 with my cousin Allie and some of her friends at midnight in Tyson's. The movie theater is pretty nice there, but still doesn't hold a candle to my hometown Warren Theaters! The place was packed, mostly with teenagers (I'm too old for this stuff).
The movie was ok, not as good as the first one, and way too long. Still a pretty fun experience, except that I didn't get home and to bed until almost 3:30 am, which was a bit icky. Especially considering I had another lunch that afternoon. ICK!
Monday, June 22, 2009 - Tragedy
I spent Sunday and Monday in, working on a job application and getting things in order for the coming week. In a lot of ways, I'm glad that I did that, but also because of the tragic and devastating train collision on the metro red line Monday afternoon, just before 5 pm eastern.
That was a pretty difficult thing to know happened, but I am grateful that I wasn't traveling on the metro that day. I wouldn't have had any reason to be that far NE, but it was still very close to home. Only the third collision in the history of the metro, and the second with fatalities. This one was the worst.
And now they know that the sensors on the track weren't functioning properly, and the conductor of the oncoming train, who also died in the collision, did everything she could to stop it. She's being hailed as a heor now, and rightfully so, I think.
That was a pretty difficult thing to know happened, but I am grateful that I wasn't traveling on the metro that day. I wouldn't have had any reason to be that far NE, but it was still very close to home. Only the third collision in the history of the metro, and the second with fatalities. This one was the worst.
And now they know that the sensors on the track weren't functioning properly, and the conductor of the oncoming train, who also died in the collision, did everything she could to stop it. She's being hailed as a heor now, and rightfully so, I think.
Saturday, June 20, 2009 - Housewarming!
Saturday I went for Chinese with the family, a good restaurant in the area called Lo's, and then to Tyson's to walk around, do a bit of shopping (mostly the window variety, and pass the time).
I then came back "home" and got ready for my friend Kara's housewarming party in McLean, which was a long-awaited and most successful event.
The food was fabulous, the weather turned out great (it had been storming earlier), and I met a lot of good people, which always makes for a good time. And I was wearing one of my favorite dresses, so I had everything going on that night. Ha! I learned that a lot of people are in the same boar as I am, and although the economy is rumored to be taking an upturn soon, it's not soon enough for recent law and other grads. I also learned a lot about a film called The Room, which I'm not intrigued to see.
I had the chance to catch up with Kara's family on both sides, and realize the there are good people all over. Everything was going swimmingly, although when it came time to leave, I needed a ride home. I ended up having to call my cousin Allie for directions because I had no idea how to get back from where we were. All turned out ok though, and I was pleased with the way the evening turned out, even if I had been a bit nervous to walk into a house full of people I didn't know.
I then came back "home" and got ready for my friend Kara's housewarming party in McLean, which was a long-awaited and most successful event.
The food was fabulous, the weather turned out great (it had been storming earlier), and I met a lot of good people, which always makes for a good time. And I was wearing one of my favorite dresses, so I had everything going on that night. Ha! I learned that a lot of people are in the same boar as I am, and although the economy is rumored to be taking an upturn soon, it's not soon enough for recent law and other grads. I also learned a lot about a film called The Room, which I'm not intrigued to see.
I had the chance to catch up with Kara's family on both sides, and realize the there are good people all over. Everything was going swimmingly, although when it came time to leave, I needed a ride home. I ended up having to call my cousin Allie for directions because I had no idea how to get back from where we were. All turned out ok though, and I was pleased with the way the evening turned out, even if I had been a bit nervous to walk into a house full of people I didn't know.
Friday, June 19, 2009 - EEOC and White House
Last last Friday...it would have been June 19, I had my first lunch with someone whom I'd been emailing, and wanted to make that face-to-face contact. The EEOC is now located on the red line, the New York/Galludet stop, getting up into the NE side of town, which isn't the greatest area, but it's very close to the metro stop, which is nice, and a fairly straightforward walk.
Lunch was good, and I learned a lot about the application process, which was fantastic, because I had yet to submit my application there, so this was a good thing. I submitted the application on June 22, so we'll see what happens now. It's a bit of a maze, getting through the federal hiring process, but if I can just get my foot in the door, I'll be good.
After lunch, I ventured over to the White House area (McPherson Square on the Orange Line) to meet up with Grant, whom I hadn't seen since December. I got there a little early, and did my sight-seeing thing outside the White House, and too a few self-portraits (note: photos of me from my entire trip, aside from a few exceptions, were self-portraits, which sort of adds to the whole "I was by myself exploring" thing. I like it). Catching up with Grant was good, there's always so much to talk about, and we have so many mutual friends from law school, so it's always a fun time when some of us can get together. We had an epic time in Lawrence back in December, and I hope we get a chance to do that again before too long. We had coffee at a Juan Valdez. Well, he had coffee. I had a blue machine naked juice. YUM.
After coffee, I made a quick stop at the American History Museum on the Mall (lots of metro-riding that day), and caught one of my favorite, the "Thanks for the Memories" exhibit, which has items of different pop culture status, like Dorothy's ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, and Seinfeld's puffy shirt. I mean, really. The line for the First Ladies' exhibit was very long. I don't remember if it was this long the last time I was here (many moons ago), but I think the popularity of the exhibit had to do with Michelle Obama's recent contributions. Another time, I'll have to check that out, but I didn't want to wait so long that day.
I caught the train home that evening and spent the rest of the day in, relaxing and letting my feet and body recover from the punishment of walking everywhere like a madwoman the past couple of days. Nothing too exciting, and that was exactly what I needed.
Lunch was good, and I learned a lot about the application process, which was fantastic, because I had yet to submit my application there, so this was a good thing. I submitted the application on June 22, so we'll see what happens now. It's a bit of a maze, getting through the federal hiring process, but if I can just get my foot in the door, I'll be good.
After lunch, I ventured over to the White House area (McPherson Square on the Orange Line) to meet up with Grant, whom I hadn't seen since December. I got there a little early, and did my sight-seeing thing outside the White House, and too a few self-portraits (note: photos of me from my entire trip, aside from a few exceptions, were self-portraits, which sort of adds to the whole "I was by myself exploring" thing. I like it). Catching up with Grant was good, there's always so much to talk about, and we have so many mutual friends from law school, so it's always a fun time when some of us can get together. We had an epic time in Lawrence back in December, and I hope we get a chance to do that again before too long. We had coffee at a Juan Valdez. Well, he had coffee. I had a blue machine naked juice. YUM.
After coffee, I made a quick stop at the American History Museum on the Mall (lots of metro-riding that day), and caught one of my favorite, the "Thanks for the Memories" exhibit, which has items of different pop culture status, like Dorothy's ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, and Seinfeld's puffy shirt. I mean, really. The line for the First Ladies' exhibit was very long. I don't remember if it was this long the last time I was here (many moons ago), but I think the popularity of the exhibit had to do with Michelle Obama's recent contributions. Another time, I'll have to check that out, but I didn't want to wait so long that day.
I caught the train home that evening and spent the rest of the day in, relaxing and letting my feet and body recover from the punishment of walking everywhere like a madwoman the past couple of days. Nothing too exciting, and that was exactly what I needed.
Last Few Days
I'm not so good with the updating. It would have been nice if I had been a bit more current with my trip, but I'll have to do it from memory.
First, a rundown, and then some observations about this place, and misconceptions debunked.
Away we go!
First, a rundown, and then some observations about this place, and misconceptions debunked.
Away we go!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
First few days
I've been in DC/Vienna for four days now, and I finally have the aching muscles and blisters to prove that I'm really doing something with my time.
The first few days I was here were mostly spent settling in, getting re-acquainted with my aunt and uncle, meeting my cousin whom I haven't seen since she was about 3 weeks old, and getting a feel for the climate and this place.
Monday I slept a lot because I hadn't gotten much sleep at home the night before, and I was pretty tired from my flights. My aunt made dinner and we ate and then I went to bed fairly early. I also spent the evening getting used to the different cable channels, just for the essentials.
Tuesday I got internet access. I didn't get on the computer until later in the day though, because we spent the afternoon driving through the city, so that I could get a sense of where everything was for future reference. Having my new blackberry helps with not being able to be on the computer like I usually am, because I can keep up with emails and messages from just about anywhere. I'm glad I got this phone before I left for DC, because it makes things a bit easier.
Wednesday I got a chance to shop at Tyson's Corner 1, which is a great mall with two things we don't have in Wichita: Ann Taylor Loft and Sephora. And of course Nordstrom, Macy's, Lord and Taylor, and others. I walked around that mall for a few hours, got a bit of shopping done, and then we went to an Indian/Pakistani restaurant nearby, which was delicious! Shiney. It's not the fanciest place, but the people there were all friendly and helpful.
Speaking of friendly, I've mostly encountered friendly people in this townl, which is contrary to everything I've heard about east-coasters and their cold and withdrawn demeanor. I'm sure there are people like that here, but I've met people like that in Kansas too. Of course, I've mostly seen tourists (who can be pretty awful sometimes) and retail employees (who have to be friendly), so my perception may be a bit skewed, but for the most part, I've gotten a fairly good impression of people here.
Today (yesterday EST), I finally got out into the city and explored the Mall a bit. Or a lot. As soon as I got off the metro stop, it was raining. I tried to just push through it with my newly purchased umbrella (I really hope that money went to fund a homeless shelter, because that's why I bought it), but after a few minutes, the rain became unbearable, and I rushed up to the nearest museum, which happened to be the National Museum of Natural History.
Apparently, everyone else had the same idea though, and the stairs were packed. I got in pretty quickly in spite of that, and had the chance to dry out and wander the museum a bit. I know a lot about natural history for whatever reason, so the exhibits didn't quite grab me as much as they could have, but I did enjoy seeing the Hope Diamond again (sparkly!) and reading about trilobytes. I freaking love trilobytes, always have. They're just so interesting. You think I'm kidding, but I'm not. I wandered the museum for a while longer, took some pictures of kitties (big, wild, taxidermied kitties), and as soon as I saw that the rain was clearning up, I went back outside to try wandering again. Actually, I ate lunch first, then I wandered.
I stopped at the Smithsonian Castle for a map and guide, then set off to the Air and Space museum. As I tweeted then, "when I visit the Air and Space Museum, I go for the air, not the space." Basically, what I meant by that is that while I enjoy space stuff, I adore flight, especially early flight, and early planes. And of course, the Amelia Earhart-Kansas connection might fuel that. Haha, fuel. I also discovered an affinity for the old stewardess culture, and the PanAm girls, and how vintage it all is. Sexist? Yes. Objectifying women? Yes. In spite of all that however, I can't really help but enjoy the pop culture that developed around them, like the adorable stewardess bag sold in the gift shop. Yeah yeah, I know. In the space section, I did enjoy looking at the exhibit on the planets that recognized Pluto. BAM! PLUTO! Dwarf planet indeed.
I tried to go to the National Gallery after that, but it closed at 5 pm, so instead, I figured, what the heck, I'll just walk all the way over to the Washington Monument. It's SO far! I would have just gone back to Vienna, but I wanted to wait til after 7 so I wouldn't have to pay extra. And I figured that as long as I was over there, I should see what I could see. So I did. I only walked around the outside of the monument, but it was impressive enough. Then I had the bright idea to walk down to the WWII Memorial and beyond that, the Lincoln Memorial. That was REALLY far. But I went, and I'm glad I did. I ended up probably walking to a farther metro station to get back, but that was ok too.
I came back, ate dinner, and then retired to bed for the evening around 9 pm, although I have been up since then, reading blogs and now blogging. I had best get to sleep soon though, because I have another long day ahead of me tomorrow (today EST).
So with that, I'm out, but I'll try and update again soon! :-)
The first few days I was here were mostly spent settling in, getting re-acquainted with my aunt and uncle, meeting my cousin whom I haven't seen since she was about 3 weeks old, and getting a feel for the climate and this place.
Monday I slept a lot because I hadn't gotten much sleep at home the night before, and I was pretty tired from my flights. My aunt made dinner and we ate and then I went to bed fairly early. I also spent the evening getting used to the different cable channels, just for the essentials.
Tuesday I got internet access. I didn't get on the computer until later in the day though, because we spent the afternoon driving through the city, so that I could get a sense of where everything was for future reference. Having my new blackberry helps with not being able to be on the computer like I usually am, because I can keep up with emails and messages from just about anywhere. I'm glad I got this phone before I left for DC, because it makes things a bit easier.
Wednesday I got a chance to shop at Tyson's Corner 1, which is a great mall with two things we don't have in Wichita: Ann Taylor Loft and Sephora. And of course Nordstrom, Macy's, Lord and Taylor, and others. I walked around that mall for a few hours, got a bit of shopping done, and then we went to an Indian/Pakistani restaurant nearby, which was delicious! Shiney. It's not the fanciest place, but the people there were all friendly and helpful.
Speaking of friendly, I've mostly encountered friendly people in this townl, which is contrary to everything I've heard about east-coasters and their cold and withdrawn demeanor. I'm sure there are people like that here, but I've met people like that in Kansas too. Of course, I've mostly seen tourists (who can be pretty awful sometimes) and retail employees (who have to be friendly), so my perception may be a bit skewed, but for the most part, I've gotten a fairly good impression of people here.
Today (yesterday EST), I finally got out into the city and explored the Mall a bit. Or a lot. As soon as I got off the metro stop, it was raining. I tried to just push through it with my newly purchased umbrella (I really hope that money went to fund a homeless shelter, because that's why I bought it), but after a few minutes, the rain became unbearable, and I rushed up to the nearest museum, which happened to be the National Museum of Natural History.
Apparently, everyone else had the same idea though, and the stairs were packed. I got in pretty quickly in spite of that, and had the chance to dry out and wander the museum a bit. I know a lot about natural history for whatever reason, so the exhibits didn't quite grab me as much as they could have, but I did enjoy seeing the Hope Diamond again (sparkly!) and reading about trilobytes. I freaking love trilobytes, always have. They're just so interesting. You think I'm kidding, but I'm not. I wandered the museum for a while longer, took some pictures of kitties (big, wild, taxidermied kitties), and as soon as I saw that the rain was clearning up, I went back outside to try wandering again. Actually, I ate lunch first, then I wandered.
I stopped at the Smithsonian Castle for a map and guide, then set off to the Air and Space museum. As I tweeted then, "when I visit the Air and Space Museum, I go for the air, not the space." Basically, what I meant by that is that while I enjoy space stuff, I adore flight, especially early flight, and early planes. And of course, the Amelia Earhart-Kansas connection might fuel that. Haha, fuel. I also discovered an affinity for the old stewardess culture, and the PanAm girls, and how vintage it all is. Sexist? Yes. Objectifying women? Yes. In spite of all that however, I can't really help but enjoy the pop culture that developed around them, like the adorable stewardess bag sold in the gift shop. Yeah yeah, I know. In the space section, I did enjoy looking at the exhibit on the planets that recognized Pluto. BAM! PLUTO! Dwarf planet indeed.
I tried to go to the National Gallery after that, but it closed at 5 pm, so instead, I figured, what the heck, I'll just walk all the way over to the Washington Monument. It's SO far! I would have just gone back to Vienna, but I wanted to wait til after 7 so I wouldn't have to pay extra. And I figured that as long as I was over there, I should see what I could see. So I did. I only walked around the outside of the monument, but it was impressive enough. Then I had the bright idea to walk down to the WWII Memorial and beyond that, the Lincoln Memorial. That was REALLY far. But I went, and I'm glad I did. I ended up probably walking to a farther metro station to get back, but that was ok too.
I came back, ate dinner, and then retired to bed for the evening around 9 pm, although I have been up since then, reading blogs and now blogging. I had best get to sleep soon though, because I have another long day ahead of me tomorrow (today EST).
So with that, I'm out, but I'll try and update again soon! :-)
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