A visit to DC

So the wife and I made a quick weekend trip to our nation's capital for several hours of walking and sight seeing. I had never been before and the wife (aka moosk or A) had not been in about 15 years. It also gave us a chance to see some good friends that we had not seen in quite some time. We took a bus down on Friday morning. The initial trip began on a few sour notes. The subway decided to have signal problems and was delayed at a stop that was a bit far from where we needed to be to pick up the bus. We jump in a cab and make it in time for the bus, but not before I have had a chance to freak out about missing it. That's me....I tend to stress (not a big surprise to those that know me). The bus ride is smooth for the first three hours of the trip and in fact we seemed to be making really good time. I mention this aloud and realize that I have just jinxed the ride. Shortly before entering the DC area we notice that the bus driver has slowed down and is attempting to cross three lanes of traffic. He stops in a white painted area that is in-between the road and an on-ramp. "This is a little strange," I said to myself as the other passengers started looking around probably thinking the same thing. The driver goes to the back of the bus and comes back on grabs a couple of tools and some gloves. "Oh crap." He lifts a grate at the back of the bus and a small plume of smoke comes wafting out of the back. The bus driver, aptly named "Famous Tony" (more on this later), makes an announcement that there is a problem, but he wants to push forward. The bus lurches forward at about 10 mph in a 40 mph zone and it is very clear we are not going to get very far. A 1/2 mile down the road we stop again at the corner of New York and Fairview. At this point a number of people get off the bus and start making phone calls. A couple of people manage to grab a cab that was filling up at the gas station where we have stopped. Mr. Tony makes an announcement that there appears to be a leak in a tube and he wants to wait 10-15 minutes to see if it will cool down enough for us to make it to our first stop. we are about mile from our stop and a woman decides that she is going to go ahead and walk. Some time passes and the driver decides to go for it. We start up again at our new 15 mph speed and the driver makes a turn from New York on to North Constitution stops immediately and says "we are done" gets everyone off the bus and the wife and I are going to walk. We can see the capitol building and head towards Union Station. Welcome to DC. We meet up with R at work after eating a less than spectacular lunch at Sbarros in Union Station. DC metro is really nice although their metrocard system is a bit confusing, alas we are tourists. We walk with R to their home and S arrives shortly thereafter. Really great to see them both again. Friday night we have a nice Thai dinner walk on the water and mosey past the white house shortly after the sun has gone down. Saturday we get an early start on our epic trek through the monuments. Washington, Lincoln, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Jefferson, J. Edgar Hoover Building, Lunch at the Native American Museum, and a stop at the air and space museum. At the WWII memorial, Bob Dole was there talking with folks and taking pictures. The air and space museum was very cool. The things that stick out in my head: Spirit of St. Louis, Friendship 7 (Glen's earth orbit craft), a part of the lunch counter from a drugstore in Greensboro, NC (google February 1st, 1960 for more information or consult Marable's "Race, Reform, and Rebellion") and Carl Yastrzemski's batting helmet (this actually lead to my saying out loud "Yaz's helmet, that is f**king cool!"...and yes I am a dork).

Saddest part of the weekend? Having to get back on a bus and face the traffic. We apparently missed seeing Al Gore in person who made an appearance at The Native American museum where they were broadcasting the Live Earth Concert. We figured that he must have shown up shortly after we had left the area....Dang. Oh well, we have had to settle with seeing Bob Dole. The evening was topped off with a great sushi dinner (thanks R and S) and dessert at Kramerbooks/Afterwards Cafe. Picked up a book on the history of the CIA.

Sunday the wife and I made an excursion to the capitol building and the botanical gardens in the hella hot sun and moved on to a quick lunch with S (R had to go to Boston, sorry man!) before boarding our bus. Side note: Famous Tony was back to drive us back to NYC. He ended up serenading two people that had apparently just met playing the match maker. As we entered into the city he made the announcement that in the event that these two people get married that he should be invited, he would definitely come if he was invited and that he would borrow a bus and drive all of their friends and family to the ceremony and the dinner. Ah Famous Tony...you are a character.

Thanks again to R and S for a great weekend and good luck with the hunt for shelter!