DC Downpour

I recently went to a meeting in DC. I really love that city at night. The monuments all lit up are so beautiful. Combine that with my love of photography and I decided to take a walking tour with my own personal tour guide...my lovely niece. It was a whirlwind trip so I had 1 night available to go see the pretty sights and she was very accommodating considering she is working full time and going to graduate school (have I mentioned lately I'm very proud of her for taking on the world this way?). So, off we go on our journey....me in my capris, light weight shirt & my new canvas shoes. We hadn't gone more than a few blocks and were hit with a light shower....well not exactly light but light compared to what we would find later that night.

I enjoyed seeing all the sights, the view of Kennedy center from her apartment, the Washington Monument in the distance, etc. You know that saying on your mirror....objects are closer than they appear....yeah well apparently that is what you get when you look at things in DC except in the opposite. You look at them and they appear to be so damn close but then you go walking and realize just how damn far away they really are. Off we went on our journey....our 6 hour walk. We started off at the Lincoln Memorial and I love that place at night btw. It is absolutely gorgeous. A little light rain started to fall but it was hot so not much of an issue just made walking comfortable. We strolled on over to the Vietnam Wall - a very awesome and humbling sight. The Korean War Memorial (the picture above) really gets your attention. It is almost like the faces there are coming right toward you. Both very sentimental memorials for me as my Dad was involved in both of those conflicts. The rain is starting to pick up now but I really don't want to miss the sights so we keep walking. Off to the FDR memorial & Jefferson Memorial....what she failed to mention was that it was a nice little trek....along the Potomac, around the tidal basin, you know just 45 minutes and did I mention the light rain is now a sunami?!? We make it to FDR and I'm thinking WTF did I get myself in to but do you think the mature adult in me kicks in and says I've had my fill....nope not me. I'm just stubborn that way. Pictures are a distant fantasy at this point since it is hard to take them in the pouring rain and I won't ruin my camera.

By the time we get to the Jefferson Memorial, the rain is coming down in sheets....the good news is it isn't crowded since we are some of the only fools out in this weather. Ah yes, what a great view looking out across DC at night.....sheets of rain coming down sideways so hard that the Treasury Department just across the basin is a distant memory. Off we go again....I'm so wet at this point that my shoes are squishing with step and I'm having trouble keeping my pants on since they weigh so much from all the water in them. Are you getting a visual here yet? So off we go toward the Washington Monument.....still no let up in the downpour and all these taxi cabs passing us shaking their heads. Ahh the sound of silence since no one else is stupid enough to be walking the streets in this lovely weather. A choice needs to be made....standing there by the monument about 5 hours in to our hike....1 direction takes us to the Mall and the other takes us to the White House....and a little closer to my hotel. Off we go to the White House...did I mention at this point my joints are starting to scream at me?? But, I will not whine and won't complain because after all I did tell her I wanted to see all of DC. We get to the White House some 10-15 blocks later and the rain lets up just enough I can take a hazy wet picture of the place....and again...another choice....8 blocks uphill to my hotel or 5 blocks on flat ground to the metro to ride 1 stop to get to my hotel lobby.....I opt for the metro. Ahhh, the nice sweet smell of an underground train . As we are parting ways at the station - since her train is going the other way, I get approached by a nice thirty something man who strikes up a conversation. Something about me getting caught in the rain...and I'm nice and don't say something like "What the hell gave it away - the fact I'm leaving a puddle on the ground or that I look like a drowned rat?" We got on the same train with all the other passengers (all dry I might add) giggling and snickering at just how wet I was. He was concerned about me getting confused at the metro station and going up the wrong escalator (apparently there's a good exit and a not so good exit) at that time of night so he walks me to my hotel lobby. See...chivalry isn't dead. He was even a native to DC....so see there are still nice people in our nations capitol.

Two days later...the clothes I was wearing were still dripping wet when I put them in my suitcase to travel home. I could hardly walk for about a week later. I don't think my lupus agrees with me taking these unplanned excursions. But, it was all well worth it. I laughed so hard that night I almost cried at times....or maybe the tears were the pain....nah....it was an adventure I will never forget. Thanks Miss M!!

xoxo
Pandora