First off I had an epiphany for easy packing ~ Pack With A Theme! For Washington DC I decided on Sun Dresses!
(for Paris the theme will be PINK!)
The first day was spent visiting the White House (which I learned has no official front door or back door, so that there can never be any sort of shady talk of someone coming in "through the back door"!). Then it was off for a very long day of walking to see all of the memorials and monuments. The Vietnam Memorial (the third panel in was when it hit me as to how many lives where indeed lost. I also didn't realize it went from 1959-1973),
The Korean Memorial (which my Uncle is one of the 8,177 still missing and I like to think that it's him in the etching above my image),
The World War II Memorial where I found the KILROY WAS HERE,
along with the Lincoln Memorial,
and The Washington Monument.
My eyes then landed on the "Hot Guy" I wanted my picture taken with. Every trip I go on, I always try to find one hot guy who is from that city or area to meet and get my picture taken with (remember Giorgos from last year?!). While I was at the Lincoln Memorial, I meet "Richard from Washington DC" ~ he quickly became this trips' Hot Guy!!
Day 2 was a sharing day. I had originally wanted to go to Washington DC for the sights but mostly to see the Woolworth's Lunch Counter sit-in during 1960 and Judy Garland's Red Slippers, while Stan was going to see what the Restoring Honor Rally was about (and I also wanted to see what the march Al Sharpton was leading was all about). We decided to each bend and share to see what each event was about.
We first made it to the rally and then it was off to find Al's march.
and then off to the Smithsonian to see the infamous lunch counter (I look at the photo of the four men and I wonder what ever became of the 5th man behind the counter)
and of course, those ruby red slippers!
I also learned that the original Kermit the Frog had Ping-Pong balls for eyes!
The last days were spent at Arlington Cemetery and seeing the Changing of the Guard (even though you could take pictures, for some reason I just didn't think it was right), The Capitol (and an individual tour from Rep. Wu's office), Holocaust Museum, Ford's Theatre, National Cathedral and the Bureau of Engraving & Printing.
I had desperately wanted to put my toe into the Reflection Pool (Oh Forrest!), but with the daily barricades due to activities, the closest I got was sitting down under the barricade and getting my toes as close as I could get!
My trip ended with a boat ride up and down the Potomac River seeing the city from a different view point (which made me reflect upon the days just spent, with a multitude of different views and beliefs, but all having a welcoming smile back to mine!)
I leave the boat and catch the bus back to Central Station. On the bus ride back I meet a young girl from....Greece! I tell her about my trip there and my love of Kardamyli. I know I say it wrong and ask her what the correct pronunciation is; both Karda with a rolled tongue and Myli which is Meeeli. I give her my tiny silver angel that I always carry with me that was given to me by Becky (my best 6th grade girlfriend). I tell her the story behind our angels (we both always carry one) and how I left one in Greece last year. She tears up and gives me the best hug (Yes Becky, I'll be needing yet another, since I always seem to be finding a worthy recipient to give mine to).
A stop over flight in San Francisco and who is there "waiting for me" to ask for their autograph and picture? Yep, Oregon's Senator Ron Wyden!!...(and the Athletic Director for Oregon State University very own Bob DeCarolis!!
I loved my trip to Washington DC! It reaffirmed my love of traveling to new places and meeting new people....and leaving my angel with a new found smile.
