Last day in D.C. for fam vacation. The kids are tucked in asleep their hotel beds, I have finished with all preliminary re-packing for our early flight back to RAINY MCRAINVILLEBURGTON tomorrow morning, and I am so tired that tonight I would rather post a of picture of me passed out drooling than write much. However, that will have to wait until I am substantially more senile. Tonight's POS blog post will be a few photos snapped around town today.
Started out taking the spawn to the tiny hotel pool. Parents, if you didn't already know this, please note: there is nothing that kids enjoy more on a vacation than a hotel pool. Nothing. So save your money and your sanity and just go visit a pool. I'm not kidding, either. The Poolcation should be marketed, and I am not talking about those OUTRAGEOUSLY expensive Great Wolf places. Hotel + pool + the delicious novelty of ROOM SERVICE, where someone in a uniform brings food to you that is not on a paper plate and not served by a mother who says, "GOD! QUIT BICKERING AND JUST EAT!"
I cannot for the life of me figure out why this pool, about as big as my bedroom and at its deepest only 4', needs a full-time lifeguard. The tiny Asian girl with braces and a big smile sat there and watched us, sometimes rolling and stacking fluffy white towels. We were always the only people there. This must be the world's most boring job. Perhaps she studies or something.
How many times did I say, "Stop splashing each other in the face," hmm? NO ONE CAN COUNT THAT HIGH.
After the glory of the pool, we decided to head over to Georgetown. I had never been there before, but it sounded right up my alley: great historical architecture, cool shops, by the river, and even more cool shops. Georgetown is not easy to get to, oddly enough. There isn't a really convenient Metro stop nearby, unlike most of the D.C. area. And trust me, you DO NOT WANT TO DRIVE THERE. Oh, hell no, unless you like jammed tiny old streets, no parking, and aggressive drivers in expensive cars. No, walk in or do what we did which was take the Metro Blue Line to the Rosslyn station, walk a 1/2 block to a nice blue Georgetown shuttle and for a buck it saves you a mile of walking with your whiny pool-soaked children. You're welcome.
First up on busybusybusy M Street was some lunch. We went to Clyde's of Georgetown, which despite being busybusybusy as well had a very friendly waitstaff and a local cheese plate that was MMM MMM MMM MMM. MissSeven and I then went into Anthropologie, and we oohed and ahhed at the loveliness of the clothes and home stuff and the big bed with the tropical palms used as a canopy. She asked if we could buy it and take it home. HA! I told her, but then allowed her to buy a pretty dish that reminded her of the ocean. The next stuff was the delicious-smelling LUSH, with its custom soaps that look like blocks of insanely-colored cheese. We splurged and bought one called Ice Blue and another called Sultan of Something, or something. Again, really friendly staff, which is something I never expect in touristy/rich/college areas.
All these days of walking around town in crowds and heat and whipping winds was kind of catching up with us all, so we decided to chill out with a short boat tour down a section of the Potomac, leaving from Washington Harbor. It was warm and people were displaying their feet.
Sadly, when we got on the boat, we realized that it reeked of stale urine. Too tired to leave the Pee Boat, I opened up one of my LUSH soaps and actually rubbed some under my nose. When we got going the breeze helped to ameliorate the stench, and I tried to think that the liquid at my feet was simply river water. Of course.
Everyone along the river was cheering the scull racers. It seemed very preppy and such.
Why, hellloooooo.
The infamous Watergate complex, The Kennedy Center, and a passel of monumentals.
Reagan National airport and the bridges that remind one of the Air Florida disaster. YAY.
Off the boat, walking back towards M Street. Here is something that used to have water, and now doesn't have water, and a Georgetown color pop moment.
Quickie food stops at FIVE GUYS Burgers and Ben & Jerry's, and a little walk through the quiet streets to marvel at the rowhouses. Just a few blocks from the craziness of M Street and it is so peaceful, other than a few desperate people searching for a parking spot to open up. We stopped outside a church for a moment of irreverence.
Back on the shuttle, back on the Metro, back to the room, back we go, another trip done. And I never even got in the pool!
All in all, D.C. served us very well, and you really should come here sometime. It leaves you with a lot to think about, and thinking is good.
© Copyright 2008- Marianne Spellman