Weather With You . . .

Popping in to meet my mate Obama!

Hello one and all.

I love Washington D.C.! But first let me explain with I have been up to these past few days. So I packed up and headed away from the bright lights of NYC. Was a shame to say bye to a awesome hostel and some awesome friends but I would be a really rubbish traveller if I didn't 'travel'. I was so nervous about getting on the Greyhound as all I have heard about them is bad things. This was not the case thou. The coach was comfy, only about half full - very much like the National Express back in the UK. Thou greyhound are better as my coach even had WiFi on it. So nothing to worry about at all. I saw 2 American Football stadiums on the way out of NYC, (Giants & Ravens).

So I arrived in Washington to be met with drizzle (the kind that soaks you all the way through!). I jumped on the D.C. subway system, which is by far better than New York's (this one has carpet in the trains) and made my way to my hostel. Now I was warned on the website that the hostel has no signs on the outside, but REALLY! It just looks like a normal house. Anyway, it is pleasant enough, it is reasonably clean, free WiFi, pretty tidy bathroom and free breakfast, so cant complain.

Arty photo for you Dad of the
 Washington monument

I decided that I would head out and explore last night after I had dropped my stuff off. D.C. rocks. There is a really good vibe about the place. The streets are wider than NYC and a lot cleaner. It reminds me a little of comparing London to Bristol, a little. Washington is definatly smaller, but just as much to do. So anyway, I found this bar called the Turtle Bar right next to where the National's Basketball team play, and even thou there was a game on last night this place was really quiet. I got a seat and there was a T.V. at my table - only in America! It did allow me to watch various baseball and hockey game whilst I had my meal (which was good as I was on my own!) And what a bloody good meal I had. I decided to push the boat out and have a 'Philly cheese steak burger. It was a burger (proper burger made in the restrunt) with sliced steak and cheese on the top. It was AMAZING, best, Burger, EVER! My waiter was really cool and they served 'proper' pint sizes as well, overall a really good night.

'FORREST! FORREST!'

So today I woke and decided to walk the city, I headed out to Capitol hill, saw that then walked along the mall towards the Washington memorial (really tall pointy thing) then carried along walking towards the Lincon memorial. I saw the Korea monument (really good actually), then I saw a house that was White. My conclusion about the Americans is they do managed to produce a bloody good monument/memorial. Unfortunally the pool of reflection (stretch of water in front of the Washington memorial) was under re-construction, and so I couldn't recreate the scene in Forrest Gump where Jenny runs into the water shouting his name - another dream shattered! The mall was under reconstruction as well, so a few diggers dotted around but even so, was really good day! I then decided to hit up one of the many museams in the city, opted for the museum of Space and Flight. UK take note from the Yanks. This museum was awesome, it was free, had so much stuff in it (highlights being Chinese Nuclear Missile, the jacket worn but the flight director on Apollo 13 and the capsule for the round the world balloon world record flight - Geeky I know but I was in my element!) I could had spent a whole day in there, I didn't read half of the stuff in it to be honest.

Note: Many lunar modules and a MASSIVE chinese
Nuke!

So, that is my time in Washington so far. In case you hadn't realised, I love this city. And the title of this blog comes from the fact that even thou it was raining yesterday, it was beautiful sunshine today. Tomorrow I will be going to more museums. I am of out to china town for food in a bit, the hostel is located 2 blocks from the center of Chinatown - really good location!

When we meet again I will probably be on a bus outta here, and I probably would have wished I had planned more time here.


Adiós Amigos,

Tom