Home!

DC Pics.

We were up very early on Saturday morning. I felt a little apprehensive about ground transportation to BWI, because we were an hour away from the airport in Baltimore.

I shouldn't have worried because I booked an Uber ride right away. Our driver Reginald picked us up within 7 minutes. He drove us through Georgetown toward Washington Harbor in the darkness, along the waterfront where boats floated peacefully in calm water.

With little traffic, we got to the airport early enough to have breakfast and relax before boarding our aircraft. We left promptly at 8:30, and were home shortly after 10:00 a.m.

We enjoyed our visit but were happy to be home.

Go Vikes!

DC Pics.

I wear my (free) Sports Illustrated Vikings windbreaker most of the year, mostly because it fits over many layers, if necessary, and it fits easily into my my every day SportSac bag. Another -- maybe the best -- benefit is that we meet people from all over the world because the jacket is a great conversation starter.

Sometimes people just want to talk football (Vikings today are 5-1; they play the Chicago Bears at Soldier tonight). Quite often they ask questions about Minnesota, and in Washington we had several opportunities to promote our great state.

I often feel a little insecure when I'm in Wisconsin and see a lot of Green Packers fans in full Pack dress, but they are Midwesterners, and we usually just joke about the rivalry between our teams. . In Washington, however, I did wonder if I should wear the windbreaker on the Metro. We had just changed trains at Metro Center, where a  few teenagers had exited the train. One of them came right up to the train window and pounded vigorously, gesturing in a threatening way.

Made me think more carefully about wearing the jacket.outside of our sheltered Macalester-Groveland  neighborhood, a  little corner of peace in beautiful Minnesota.

Go Vikings!

Two Dinners: Grillfish and Cafe Deluxe

DC Pics.

We had a big breakfast every morning, and that was a good thing, since we didn't usually have time for lunch.

We were quite tired at the end of the day and were happy to have snacks and drinks on the rooftop terrace overlooking M Street. We were the only occupants most evenings; the fire was warm and the scotch was good.

On Wednesday evening, my friend Charles Baker from the old Newman days at McGill joined us for dinner at Grillfish, next to our hotel. The restaurant was hot and packed a little tight for Minnesotans who prefer a little elbow room, but the food was excellent and the service attentive. Bob ordered grilled sea bass and Charles had clam chowder and a plate large scallops. I  enjoyed my ravioli with broccoli on the side. The bread and garlic butter were very, very good. It was an enjoyable reunion for Charles and me, as we haven't seen each other for nearly 40 years.

Friday was our last day in Washington. We took the metro home and by the time we got to M Street we were famished, as we hadn't had a bite to eat since breakfast. We stepped  into Cafe Deluxe and were pleased to see a simple menu with a selection of appetizers, sandwiches and dinners. The server brought me three beers to test and I settled on a bitter, somewhat dark "DC" draft, so good that I had two of them. We enjoyed the crab dip with tortilla strips as an appetizer, and split a chicken sandwich for dinner. The restaurant reminded me a little of our own Pier 500 in Hudson, Wisconsin: unassuming but tasty menu; good place to spend a couple of hours.

National Museum of the American Indian

DC Pics.

National Museum of the American Indian was one of my all-time favorite visits to any museum.

The space is large and full of calming artifacts. The flags of the the American Indian nations fly on all four floor s of the museum. Knowing that we had only a little time, we decided on the introductory film that reinforces the commitment of Indian peoples to respecting land and water, as well as their ability to move forward despite challenges and, often, a hostile environment. I loved the music in the film, especially the beat of the drum and the surprising burst of polyphonic harmony in one of the segments.

I loved the displays of art, toys and crafts, as well as impressive sculptures throughout the museum. This is a place I'd like to spend more time.

National Air and Space Museum

The museum is filled with light and the feeling of limitless space

DC Pics.

I wanted to go to this museum only because I thought Bob would enjoy it. I felt that I had been to one too many air and space venues, and would not have chosen this destination for myself. I was surprised to be very impressed with the museum and all the exhibits we visited.

The museum does a great job of integrating the chronological history of flight with themes like early exploration of flight, women pioneers, principles of flight, the evolution of engineering, the role of aircraft in America's wars, commercial aviation, and space exploration.

It is an exciting place for visitors of all ages. I was most impressed with the simple explanations of physics principles and the hopeful, uplifting message that no challenge is beyond the creative powers of the visionaries who continue to re-imagine the future of flight.

Election Countdown

I had expected more "immediacy" in DC, with an election a little more than a week away. I was wrong.

We were intrigued with the demonstrators outside Trump International on Tuesday and Wednesday, but the presence of Donald Trump and his family in DCdidn't seem to create any election distraction.

Staffers in the Capitol correctly steer away from any suggestion of partisan politics. The business of governing is separate from the messy nastiness leading up to a major election. Shops at the airport and in Georgetown all carried election memorabilia, but I couldn't detect a political preference from anyone I talked to.

The neutrality felt kind of good. In this bitter, politically charged year, Americans can still be civil to one another.

Union Station

Union Station

When we arrived at Union Station, Bob remembered Vice President Joe Biden's story about taking the train in from Delaware to Washington every day. The Capitol is several long blocks from Union Station, and that must be a cold walk on a blustery winter day. The building is beautiful both inside and out, and most definitely a working train station. Rush hour had already started, and people were arriving at the station or lined up for trains.

The shops and restaurants seemed full. We were hungry but unwilling to wait, so we went down a level to the food court and bought Subway sandwiches, a late lunch/early dinner. The light was poor so I didn't take many pictures. I was unwilling to spend an hour on the bus getting back to our hotel, so we took the orange line on the Metro, to Foggy Bottom near Washington Circle, a now familiar point of reference in our neighborhood.

An hour or so later, the rain had started again and we abandoned plans for a drink on our rooftop terrace.

Busing in the Rain

Big Bus routes Washington DC

The skies opened shortly after noon on Thursday, when we were waiting for the bus to Arlington National Cemetery. I had been there twice before, once in extreme heat and then again on a chilly February day in 2003, so I wasn't that keen on slogging through the pouring rain and neither was Bob. In the end, we stayed on the Arlington loop bus when it stopped at the cemetery. Bob regretted missing the ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and, of course, the Kennedy graves.

After missing a bus just leaving the curb not far from Washington Memorial, we waited for what seemed like an eternity for the "red" bus to Union Station. In retrospect -- and even at the time -- I know we should have either walked to a stop for the Circulator Bus or a regular city bus. We had a little shelter under the eaves of a news and snack kiosk, but not enough to keep us dry. My hair curled crazily but I guess it's better than droopy, sopping straight hair.

We made conversation with a young man in the U.S. on business. He was hoping to get to the Capitol for the last tour at 3:30 p.m., but the bus arrived so later hat he gave up on that plan and got off at Madam Tussaud's Wax Museum instead.

Fortunately, the rain stopped when we were on the bus and the late afternoon sky was clear by the time we finally arrived at Union Station.

World War II Memorial

DC Pics.

My siblings and I, children of a WWII veteran of the Royal Canadian Air Force, have always felt very close to that war because our parents freely shared stories and their personal correspondence when my dad was serving overseas. I've wanted see this memorial in DC for quite some time, so I felt privileged to have the opportunity to visit yesterday.

The WWII Memorial is on 17th Street between Independence and Constitution avenues, in the same general area as all the war memorials. I think intentionally, each one has to be approached from several hundred yards away, so that some mental preparation is required during the walk.

The WWII Memorial appears as a stone gate in the distance, and the details are revealed with proximity. We approached on the Atlantic side of the memorial and almost immediately my eye caught the names of Wisconsin and Minnesota on the columns surrounding the pool of water below.

The scope of the memorial -- vast expanse of land, two oceans on either side of the pool representing Atlantic and Pacific theatres, a wall of stars memorializing 400,000 war dead, engraved quotations and tributes to the countries of the world participating in the allied victory -- underscores the amazing coordination of efforts and its tragic cost of war.

I remembered our visit to the American cemetery in Normandy about a decade ago. The atmosphere there was more solemn and much quieter, perhaps because it is a cemetery but also because the French are sticklers for protocol, and the memory of war is still fresh in the hearts of people who have vowed never to forget.

It was a gray day, but the rain held off until early afternoon. We spent a long time walking around and stayed to see the beginning of an honor guard ceremony for veterans of WWII. They arrived in buses with a police escort. Many, now in their very late 80s and 90s, used wheelchairs and canes, but a number of veterans walked solemnly toward the memorial, looking amazingly spry. Visitors applauded as they passed. Tears were shed.

Most memorable and touching: the devotion of the red-shirted escorts to the veterans they accompanied. Several men in their late thirties or early forties were clearly in charge, characterized by their commitment to honor our veterans.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is to the left

DC Pics.

We visited the Lincoln Memorial on Wednesday. A large group gathered below the steps, with the Washington Memorial rising high in the distance beyond the reflecting pool. Men and women wearing red shirts imprinted with the words "It's never too late to say thank you" were escorting veterans to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and we walked toward the Wall, only a few hundred yards away.

We moved slowly, stopping frequently as people moved close to search for a name or touch the stone. The sun was shining brightly and our bodies were reflected in the shiny granite, all of us a living memorial to the 58,000 real people whose names are engraved on the wall. Veterans of that war used to seem young; now they are old, almost indistinguishable from the older Korean War vets. We saw a few very elderly veterans of WWII.

It is a solemn, awesome space. Simple, elegant and dignified. And so sad.

Getting Around

I was a little uneasy flying into Baltimore, knowing that it was about an hour away from DC -- and a $100 cab ride. We decided to go the Uber route and I made sure I had the app on my phone before we left home. Our driver, Robert, met us right outside the Arrivals door at BWI and we enjoyed our ride into the city with an excellent driver. Cost of the ride: $48.75; I know you don't have to tip the driver, but I did.

On Tuesday we bought SmarTrip (transit) cards and took the city bus on Pennsylvania Avenue to First Avenue, past the new Trump hotel where protesters were already outside protesting. The ride was OK, despite a lot of traffic everywhere. The hotel opened yesterday, with the entire Trump family in attendance, so I'm not sure the road would have been passable then.

Yesterday we decided on Big Bus Tours (hop on, hop off) to get around. I wanted to get the online discount but struggled with my VISA security password for online transactions from a non secure hotel connection Last winter in Florida I went through the steps to create security for a non-secure connection but had forgotten, so I tried to set it up again, and Affinity Plus correctly rejected my attempt -- so that was a good thing, but frustrating at the time.

In the end I gave up and we ended up paying $118 cash for the tickets ($10 more than the online price). I immediately regretted telling Bob we didn't need as much cash as he wanted to bring. Moreover, I couldn't find a Groupon for a 48-hour ticket, so should have become more familiar with Groupon deals before our trip.

I like the metro, but we haven't used it yet, since Bob prefers above ground travel where he can see where we're going.  We has thought about riding a bike, but the traffic is such that I am definitely not good enough to navigate in this city. We do walk a lot, and that's working out much better than it did in other cities we've visited, before Bob's knee replacements.

The best tool so far: my phone. I've used it for walking directions several times and the routes are spot on.

US Capitol

DC Pics.

I haven't been in DC since 2003 so I was looking forward to our visit to the Capitol.

We took the bus on Pennsylvania Avenue all the way to First Street, where we arrived in plenty of time for our scheduled 1 PM tour. We filled the time at the United States Botanic Garden, a welcome though somewhat steamy respite from the windy chill outside. We didn't have time to visit the grounds, but this is definitely a lovely stop for anyone who loves plants and beautiful spaces.

We were met at Congresswoman Betty McCollum's office by two young staffers, Maureen and Kim, our tour guide. We had a private tour, since no other constituents had scheduled for that day. Kim is new to Washington but she had done her homework and did an excellent job of showing us the highlights of the Capitol.


We took the little underground train between the buildings. It was a a sunny day and I was struck by the light that illuminates the Capitol, streaming through domed skylights, stained glass and strategically placed windows.

I especially appreciated the opportunity to sit in the House chamber. The only other occupants were in the balcony, so we sat alone in the front row, facing the Speaker's podium. I felt very emotional thinking of all the State of the Union addresses I've seen, broadcast from this very room. It is a privilege to be here.

Another highlight of the tour: a photo op on the balcony looking toward the Washington Monument. Workers below were building the stage for the Inauguration in January. I thought about the oath of office and transition of power in a few months. Despite presidential candidate Donald Trump's controversial statements about a "rigged" election and lingering doubts about accepting November's outcome, I felt proud of our democracy and confident that it will survive and flourish.

While we missed seeing our congresswoman, who is in Minnesota campaigning, as are most legislators during these last few weeks before the election, we were well served by her staff. It was a great day.

Walk in Georgetown

DC Pics.

We were feeling a little hungry by the time we got ourselves situated. I, of course, have to unpack everything and be "ready" -- for what, I don't know, since we had no plans for this first day.

The afternoon was beautiful so I soon stuffed my Vikings jacket into my purse as we headed west on M street, in search of lunch. I dismissed the first couple of close options and we ended up in a little neighborhood full of ethnic restaurants, one of which would have been a good choice for some lunch companions, but I couldn't see Bob in most of these places.

We settled on Le Pain Quotidien, where I could be sure of the menu -- and it was simple but good. Bob had a ham and gruyère cheese croissant with a leafy salad. I ordered a bowl of chicken soup with excellent bread. After our meal we were ready to continue with our afternoon.

On the way home, we stopped for liquor on P Street (me) and snacks (Bob). We had a drink in our room and another on the rooftop terrace, where Bob lighted the gas fire. The warmth was welcome on this chilly evening, as was the company of a woman from Vermont here for company meetings.

Welcome to DC

DC Pics.

We planned this Washington trip quite some time ago and suddenly here we are, two weeks before the November 8 election. Perfect trip to MSP, a quick walk to the gate with TSA pre-check: shoes on, laptop in its bag.

We flew into Baltimore (BWI), the airport farthest away from our Georgetown destination. I ordered an Uber ride after we got our bags and we were on our way within a few minutes. $48 for the 52-minute ride to the Hyatt at 2121 M St NW. Our driver was excellent. When I texted son Chris as we were driving, he suggested that we might try "black car" next time, if we want a limo ride.

We checked into our hotel shortly after 1:00 and I was  disappointed not to get a room with a view, unless you count a brick wall as a "view". I had read that one should ask for a view at this hotel, but I guess I should have asked when I made the reservation with booking.com several months ago. I was angry with myself, but it's too late now.

The hotel has a lovely 9th floor roof terrace where we could bring a meal or a drink. Maybe later ... or tomorrow.