DC!
2004-11-28, 2:45 p.m.

So here it is, the �I�m Home� update with a daily triptych and pictures.
Sunday, November 21st
I woke up last Sunday morning just giddy. I couldn�t believe it was really here, that I was really going on vacation. As we were waiting at the airport, it hit me how long I�ve been wanting to do this trip. I had been to DC in 1989 and ever since I�ve been wanting to go back. Like everytime I�m anywhere west of the Mississippi, I�m mentally plotting how I can get to DC. And I�m constantly mentally planning a trip. So the fact that I actually made it there was a pretty big deal. Me. Janet. Actually made one of her dreams come true. Go figure.
The flight over was without incident. We got screwed by a cabbie going to our hotel (now how is it that the cabbie can POINT OUT the hotel to you and then drive by it PRETENDING HE DOESN�T SEE IT so he can rack up a higher tab?) but that was over soon enough. We ate that night at an italian restaurant right next to our hotel. The food there was amazing. I can�t figure out why the place was empty.
Monday, November 22nd
We decided for our first day to just wake up when we woke up and let the day begin gently. I woke up about 7ish and we were out of the hotel by 10. Monday, we took a trolley tour (where you can get off and on and see all the sights of the city). We got off and enjoyed the following places: Library of Congress, White House, Renwick Gallery, National Cathedral, National Mall. At the National Mall, we viewed the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, the Vietnam Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, and the WWII Memorial by moonlight. We then took a cab to Dupont Circle where we found another good restaurant for dinner. We called it a day after that.
Tuesday, November 23rd
We woke up early to catch the 8 AM shuttle to downtown DC. We went to the National Holocaust Memorial, went to the WWII Memorial to see it in the daytime, the FDR Memorial, and the Jefferson Memorial. After that, we went to dinner in Foggy Bottom. It was really strange because almost every restaurant we went to was empty. I�m not sure if it was just because we were eating so early or if it was the holiday weekend, but they were all good restaurants.
Wednesday, November 24th
We again got up early to catch the 8 AM shuttle. We went to the National Archives to see the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Then we went to the National Gallery of Art, the Natural History Museum to see the Hope Diamond, and the American History Museum. After that, we had dinner downtown. By this point, after walking around the city (and taking the metro, but a lot of walking) for 3 days, I seriously thought I was going to collapse. I wasn�t even sure I was going to make it to the restaurant, I was in so much pain. But after sitting in the restaurant for a while (the first one that actually had other people in it) I felt much better.
Thursday, Thanksgiving, November 25th
For Thanksgiving, we woke up a little later and caught the 10 AM shuttle instead. Our Thanksgiving gift to ourselves was the ability to sleep in a little bit. We went to the National Air and Space Museum, the American Indian Museum and Arlington Cemetary. After that we went to a restaurant in Dupont Circle where they were having a Thanksgiving buffet.
Friday, November 26th
We caught the 10 AM shuttle and went to Georgetown to walk around and have lunch. Then we sat in Starbucks for a gazillion years (by Friday, we were both just wiped!) and the went to Ford�s Theater and then The International Spy Museum.
Saturday, November 27th
Packed, checked out, spent an eternity in airports (story to follow) and returned home.
A couple of things I really enjoyed that were not �on the menu�: feeding the squirrels, the weather (cold!), the fall colors.
A few issues that arised: problems with the hotel shuttle that left us stranded for 1.5 hours our first night, a toilet that would rebel and decide not to flush on multiple occasions, a 2nd mishap with the hotel shuttle that had Janet venting to the hotel manager (the venting was about the shuttle and the toilet), the sudden bruising of one of my toes for unknown reasons, the trip home.
A few comments on the above:
The day of my venting, we returned to our hotel room to find a fruit basket in our room. Score!
On Wednesday, about halfway through the day, my �index� toe started hurting. We had spent a lot of time walking and on our feet, both Tuesday and Wednesday, so I wasn�t sure what was up exactly. When we returned to the hotel room, I went to inspect my toe, the entire toe under the nail was black and blue. It looked like someone hit it with a hammer. I am certain there was no specific toe injury so I have only a few ideas about it� I think the toenail had gotten too long and had been pressing on the shoe and with all the walking and standing caused injury to my toe. Very strange.
I loved the squirrels! They would come and eat right out of our hands. After the first day, I began carrying some nuts with us so we could feed them (illegally, but hey, a girl�s got to live)
The fall colors were so beautiful. We just don�t get this kind of color in California. I am jealous of those that do (though not enough to endure snow). I took a gazillion pictures of trees in all their splendor.
Okay, now for the story of our trip home. We were supposed to depart Dulles at 4:40 PM and arrive in Phoenix at 7:50, catch a flight from Phoenix to LA at 8:35. Our flight out of Dulles left 2 hours late. We did not arrive in Phoenix until 9:20. Our flight was long gone. The airline assured us that they knew that we had missed our connections and they were already working on it. Apparently 75% of the plane had connections in Phoenix. Supposedly, there were people waiting to help us, blah blah blah. So we get off the plane and the lady in the red jacket who is supposed to help us tells us to go to the line at passenger services. Since 75% of the plane had connections (to a million different places), you can only imagine how long the line was, and with only 2 people working it, to say it wasn�t moving would be an understatement. After standing in line for about 5 minutes, I finally decided to call the airline directly. I reached a woman and she said, oh yes, we have rebooked you already for a flight to LA. On Monday. At 10:41 PM. UM, WHAT?!? That�s 2 days in Phoenix. 2 days with no clothes, no toothbrush. Nothing. I freaked out and said, No, that�s just unacceptable. She said, well all the flights are booked. A lot of flights have been cancelled. I said, I don�t care what you do, I don�t care what airline you put me on, but you are getting me home tonight and you are paying for it. She said, um, hang on and let me see what I can do. So she finally found a flight to Las Vegas with a connection to LA. We barely made it to the flight. If I had waited in line and hadn�t called, we wouldn�t have made the flight. We got the last two seats on the Vegas to LA leg. Unbelievable. MONDAY!!! WTF?!? Of course, the connecting flight in Vegas left late so we finally landed about 2 AM. And of course, what did we discover? Our luggage was still in Phoenix. I am still waiting for it, though it has made it to LA now. They are supposed to deliver it tonight between 7 and 9.
It was amazing to be in a city so filled with history, to set eyes on the hat that Lincoln wore when he was assassinated. To stand in these historical places, to see the documents that shaped our nation. I was particularly moved by the Holocaust memorial. After seeing that, every time my feet started hurting or I felt cold or tired or like I couldn�t move anymore, I imagined what it must have been like to feel that way and yet have no options, to have to endure. The courage of the people, the way they survived and triumphed despite all that they went through, it was amazing. I was also moved by the WWII memorial. Probably more so than any other memorial. There were several exhibits in the museums on war and I know that not everyone supports every war, but they have happened, and people have died and fought bravely and they deserve to be honored.
I also found that as the time to return home got closer, the insanity returned. I experienced a few days of semi-clear headedness but by Thursday, it was beginning to vaporize. The vacation did me a world of good and my mood is much better than when I left, but it didn�t cure it. I barely slept the whole time we were gone. No matter how tired I was, I just couldn�t settle my brain down enough to all asleep. And then I would wake up early and lie restlessly as well. Even last night, I got home at 3 AM, went to bed about 4ish, and I was awake at 7:30 AM and unable to go back to sleep. I hate this part, I just want to turn my brain off. But I do think that the drugs are helping a little bit. I feel a little more stable, not so chaotic inside.
And now for the pictures (random and in no particular order):
Arlington National Cemetery:

Danny with the slippers from the Wizard of Oz:

Danny and Van Gogh�s self-portrait:

Danny at the FDR memorial:

Danny at the American Indian Museum:

Me and Kermit the Frog:

Me feeding a squirrel:

The Jefferson Memorial:

Arlington National Cemetery:

Danny and I in front of the Washington Monument:

The Capitol Building:

Danny feeding a squirrel:

The Washington Monument and some fall color:

A pretty walkway at the Smithsonian:

Me at the Library of Congress:

Me and a fall tree:

Me all bundled up in the cold:

Me on Thanksgiving at Arlington:

And finally, the Washington Monument with a sneak preview of the National Christmas Tree all lit up:

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