Stephen's view of the train trip |
I want to go in |
The front side |
They needed someone to talk about how schnauzers can help with world peace |
Then I signed a declaration today will be National Schnauzer Day |
The Willard Hotel, this is where in the 1860's President Grant would drink in the lobby and be approached by "special interests" -- the origin of the term lobbyist |
Bags are packed and
its time for my first taxi ride in New York. Some of the other tourists have
told me about their dare devil adventures in taxis however there is too much
traffic down 5th avenue for my driver to play Jack Brabam. We have a
great chat about how Rudy Giuilani cleaned up New York.
We arrive at Penn
train station and I hop out right where the Channel 9 TV guys are. They are
going to Washington to film Tony Abbott and will be on the same train as me. It
really is a small world.
Now on the train and
heading out of Manhattan, lets see if I can get the wifi working. Yes am online,
so skype with Stephen as he also watches the train move towards Washington on
an online train tracker. We are doing 105mph, it seems pretty amazing to be
having a skype video chat as well from different sides of the world. For the
rest of the trip I have a lovely chat with Lois who is just back from 70th
anniversary of D-Day in France and works for IBM on SAP implementations.
Arrive in Washington DC,
Union Station looks even more impressive than Grand Central station but will
check that out another day. Its time to hop in a taxi, check in and dump this
bag. Now the Washington fun can begin.
Out into the oppressive
heat I go its only 30C however with the humidity its pretty hard going. I like
Washington’s big wide open streets it feel quite different. What this a street
crossing without traffic lights, how do I get across? The cars are coming from
every which way. Eventually I make it across and I am on my way to the White
House.
Walking, walking,
finally I see some a glimpse of white through the trees, is this it? Yes, cross
a few more streets and I am here on the North side, with tourists, crazies and
police cars. It’s much closer than I thought. According to the presidents schedule he is not in at the moment but he will be later.
Its so hot but must
keep going, by The Treasury building and to the ‘front side’ of The White
House. Now they invite me in to help out, how could I say no?
Moving on now to the
Willard, time to sit on that nice chintz covered lounge chair in the corner and think about history and rest a while in the air conditioning. Slightly recovered now its time to go and
find a metro stop and go back to Dupont Circle. There is the station, machine
to buy ticket, red line is what I need, there it is and I am back. I declare
Washington’s trains the easiest I have ever used.
For dinner I try out
my first American pizza, the guy tells me this is Chicago Style, I am not sure
what that means but it is yummy. The best food I have had so far on the trip.
The thunderstorm that has been threatening all afternoon finally arrives with gusto, there is a tornado warning as well. Ok, scared now.
I agree with your comment about Washington trains - we found their system much easier to follow than NY.
ReplyDeleteInteresting myth busting post about the Willard Hotel and the term lobbyist. The comments at the end add to the story.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.welovedc.com/2009/06/09/dc-mythbusting-lobbyist-coined-at-willard-hotel/