A burst of fall colors taking in their last breaths welcomed us in Washington DC. Fifteen minutes away, tucked in a beautiful lane of Arlington was our home for two days. It was a red-bricked home that was old and wise at ninety years. A shy dog named Roxy welcomed us with the owners. An artist’s home with bookshelves, potted plans, painted bowls of potpourri and musical instruments – we were overjoyed to be a part of it. The view from our window were trees blooming with reds and oranges as the sidewalks rustled with golden leaves.
The subway was a short walk lined with pretty homes and radiant colors. We went to Theodore Roosevelt Island and meandered down paths inviting us to get lost in their wilderness. There was not a soul in sight and only the whispering leaves and soft-footed deer. D literally had to tear me away to take a walk across the bridge into Georgetown. And wow! This place is as pretty as a postcard. The buildings are timeless, the streets look like an artist drew and brought them to life. Up and down we rambled, catching some melt-in-mouth cupcakes at Georgetown Cupcakes and some pizza. Something funny happened that evening – we had no clue where to add the tip! We made a frantic call to D’s cousin (My bro-in-law) and he explained the process to us as he caught his breath between laughs.
With sheepish smiles, we made our way back. It was barely 6:30 in the evening but we felt the jet lag catching up on us. We passed out in the middle of a mumbling conversation…
The next morning we were up early and energized. We visited the museums and monuments that cloudy windy day. Our first stop was the Holocaust Museum. I have read extensively on the same but nothing could have prepared me for the experience. Listening to the narrations of the survivors almost broke me and I wasn’t really strong enough to face such a tragedy. I couldn’t stay longer and had to leave – I just couldn’t.
We walked over to Natural History and of course I kept making connections with Night at the Museum Movies… The same thing happened at the Air and Space Museum. D went pretty mad – was wide-eyed and open-mouthed as we took in the fighter planes and air crafts. My favorite was our last stop at the Botanical Gardens which made an enchanting walk in the “woods”. The models of the monuments added a touch of gold to the otherwise green paradise.
It was early evening and we started on the four monuments – Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Monument and World War II Memorial with the Washington Monument in the background. The dusk made these monuments simply breathtaking! The clouds and skies were an imposing background and heightened their magnetism. I should mention – I fell in love with the Washington Monument. I was sitting and staring at it lost in my thoughts till D had to gently shake me out of my stupor.
Our legs were beginning to give out even though we were by no means tired. We grabbed dinner at the famous Ben’s Chilli Bowl and licked our bowls clean – not literally unfortunately. We made slow work of the walk back taking in the sights which we might never see again.
The next morning was bright and sunny unlike our previous two days. We took a walk in the neighborhood before catching our bus to New York City. The sunshine, the gilded tree tops and rolling leaves across lawns was a sight to catch. A happy start!
An Armchair Perfectionist 