Sunday, October 19, 2008

Washington DC - We have arrived!

We made it!

I don't know why I'm always surprised when I get to where I'm going.  But I am. 

I handled the plane.  My sister, I think, was a little surprised to find out how much of a chicken her big sister is.  

We landed at Ronald Reagan National Airport and I was, um, surprised about how small it was and how, well, how unattractive that airport is.  It has some really funky white walls made out of rocks that slope down into the halls.  I thought maybe it was under renovation, but apparently no.  That's just the way it looks.

We took a taxi to our hotel and that was when the real fun began.  The taxi driver got a little lost and we drove around the block a few times looking for our hotel.  Hmmmm....

We finally found it and my sister gave him her visa card to pay.  After we got into the hotel she realized he never handed it back to her.  We were now in DC with no credit card!  We called the airport, the taxi service, and the credit card company to no avail.  She finally had to cancel her card.  We have other ways to pay - we are okay - but to say that she was a bit unnerved was an understatement.

We took the metro to Union Station for dinner.  What a beautiful old building that is.  It was amazing to walk through it.

Did you hear me say "we took the metro"?  For a rural girl who comes from a state with one interstate in it and where public transportation consists of a few commuter buses - well, I think I sound rather savvy!

Tomorrow I plan to find Arlington Cemetery.  By myself.  Using the metro.

Stay tuned.


3 comments:

M&M_Mama said...

How very cool to ate at Union Station. You are going to have the best time. I'm impressed you took the metro. Remember when we missed our plane to Argentina last January? The 9 of us took the metro subway and also the bus system. It was SOOO obvious we were not from around there. Comical really. The metro goes right to Arlington Cemetery. While you are there tomorrow, glance out on the National Mall from JFK's eternal flame. We walked from the CAPITOL BUILDING to ARLINGTON CEMETERY! That is a long ways! THEN we hopped on the metro and was back to where we started in a lot less time. Sorry to hear about the card. Matt lost his cell phone on the bus there--all that walking must have made him tired and forgetful--we prayed about it. We called the bus company again after two weeks of being in Argentina and they had found it. What a blessing--saved us from buying a new one. God is amazing! Hope the two of you have a great time in D.C.

gail@more than a song said...

It sounds like you're going to have a great trip! What a fun thing! Except for the credit card, but at least y'all will have good stories to tell.

Lisa B. said...

I hate to correct...but there are two interstates in it....one north and south and one east and west. :)We've come a long way baby. Have fun in DC!!!!! Let your hair down! Throw abandonment into the wind!