Yesterday, the Master and Mistress of Argghhh!!! avoided trouble with the TSA despite having posted negatively about them (we'll see if we make it back...) and winged our way to the Capital of All That Is Evil In The World (unless a Democrat is President, in which case it is Paradise). At least that's what I learn from the NYT.
Getting Here was pretty much painless. Then we got to Washington, and tried to park. Snerk. We finally found a place in a parking garage in L'Enfant Plaza, after having driven all 'round from Union Station on the northwest corner of the Mall to L'Enfant, in the southwest. I blew an obligatory raspberry at the Hoffman building as we passed it. Those who know, know.
SWWBO has never been here before, and there was much dithering about where to go. We solved that by going to a chinese place for lunch, and considered the question with alcohol laden beverages. Under the influence of the alcohol, the Decidedly Unathletic Duo (including the poorly-shod SWWBO) chose to walk. Reaching the Smithsonian Castle with it's nice Haupt Garden, SWWBO decided she wanted to see ART (The Armorer, having been here several times, is deferring to SWWBO, who has never been here before). So, we're standing next to the Hirshorn... and the asian and african art museums are to the left... so of course, she chooses the Renwick. Which is on the other side of everything.
Espying the Metro, we figure out how to get fare passes (yeah, I know, it's not hard, but there was this nice Metro Guy there who was very helpful and sped the process up considerably) and down we go into the bowels of the city, to emerge a while later at Farragut West, and head for the Renwick. Where we happen upon these guys.
The Falun Gong supporters, showing their displeasure with the visit of Hu-Jintao. They weren't subtle, either. Called the PRC everything but father-raping-baby-eaters.
We wisely missed all the earlier stuff when the High-Muckety-Mucks were doing their thing.
The Renwick is a nice, small, accessible gallery. They are having a Grant Woods exhibit (sorry no pics allowed)- and it was very cool to see American Gothic in the flesh, so to speak. Upstairs, the exhibit of Caitlin's Native American paintings was fascinating - not the least for his whimsy.
SWWBO was taken with this clever swordfish, and really liked this (yes, Werekitten, it really *is* a wearable, though impractical, bracelet) Feast Bracelet.
Leaving the gallery, we went down and saw the Executive Office Building (no Stingers visible) where this veteran of the 1st Infantry Division was pleased to see the Monument still stands - with it's Big Red One. Remember, if you're going to be one, be a Big Red One! No Mission Too Difficult, No Sacrifice Too Great, Duty First! Unless you're tired and crabby and pissed at the leadership, in which case the sotto voce response is... No mission, too difficult. No sacrifice, too great. Duty? First I'll have a beer... it's all the in punctuation.
We wandered over the Ellipse, where we saw the Zero Milestone (geography geeks wiggle in delight) the White House (see above). Then headed up by the Washington Monument, back up the Mall to the Smithsonian Castle, and headed back for the car. *Someone* had blisters. I won't name names, but her initials are SWWBO.
Off then in late rush hour traffic to get on 395, head south past the Pentagon, and into Alexandria and our hotel. We're cashing in SWWBO's points, and she's a high level member, so we got a Top Of The Hotel room with a jacuzzi bath, private rooftop patio, and we ain't spending a dime. Hilton is spending the dime. No, even though we're going to Fran O'Brien's tonight because of the Capital Hilton's behavior - we don't think it's inapt for us to let Hilton foot the bill for our stay here....
As is obvious from the picture - SWWBO has more.
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