A Blanket Usually is More Than a Blanket

Having recently traveled to Washinton DC for the first time, I was startled by the sheer number of homeless on the streets.  These were not the agressive panhandlers I was accustomed too, but people that had literaly resolved themselves to that life.  Or maybe not resolved, but that is most certainly where they were stuck.  The last thread of survival.  Every pile of blankets contained a person.  A person that conceivably carries emotion and desire like the rest of us.  It is strange that in the geographical represention of our nation's power, this was the dominant feature of the landscape.  Hundreds of amazing monuments that I'd seen all my life on television or in books, but it was the poverty and surrender that marked my memory the most.

Once that realization sunk in, it is clear that they do not do snow well there.  The city shut down for 2 days and government operations ground to a halt.  Good news, the Spy Museum was not deterred by the weather and I walked through the snow for a great adventure into history. 

The best moment in the adventure was my first solo cab ride.  I had previously vowed to never do that after seeing Bone Collector, but a -4 windchill will drive people to take actions they normally wouldn't consider....  Anyhow, we were driving back to the hotel and in the middle of a turn the driver completely lost the back end.  As we went sliding through the intersection and off the ice, he turned to me with a thick Middle Eastern accent and said, "Don't worry, it's my first time."

It was a decent trip and an easy job.  Here are my tourist photos....

Pentagon 9/11 Memorial

 
Cold (-4 Windchill) Walk...

 
Spy Museum Awesomeness

 
Umbrellas made for Murder....

 
The Russian Section...


 
Funny bonus moment:  Our driver almost crashed when I excitedly pointed and announced that we were passing the National Geographic Society!  How exciting!!!


 

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