Thursday, 24 April
After surrounding Washington for most of the last week, we actually go into it. A much easier day driving with only an hour or so needed. We start at a coffee shop which has wireless, which we need. Coffee and some food are good. We then drive into DC. We need to return the car, to National Airport, so we have asked our host if we can put our things into the apartment before we check-in later in the day. This causes some consternation but eventually everything is smoothed out.
We drop off the car and take the Metro into the City Center. We walk around for a while and go to a Tourist Bureau which turns out to be the Washington Chamber of Commerce. The new CEO introduces himself to us. He is very outgoing and friendly. We continue to walk around the City.
We decide we will have a lunch as the morning fare was not that sumptuous. We select one place but cannot get the table we want. We wander around and select another place called Legal Seafood – it had been on Julie-anne’s (who?, see below) recommendation list although I did not remember it. We did rather well there. Firstly, I had a New England Clam Chowder which was easily the best chowder I had on the whole trip.
We then decide to walk around town. We go on the long mall for a while, just for a change there is a major protest on. We go near the White House, but not too near due to the increased security.
GB takes the train down to Arlington Cemtary while we go check into the apartment.
We are to meet Julie-anne for Dinner. Who is Julie-anne I hear you all say?
Julie-anne is the daughter of Annette Smith who was the Secretary for (my subsequent business partner) Dr. Cliff Bellamy when I arrived in Australia all those years ago. JA moved to the USA with her parents roughly 29 years ago, I think, and has stayed since. She is also the Mother of my God-child, Chelsi. We meet her at an old established inn.
It was a great night, I had not seen JA for over 8 years after having spent a lot of time with her and the family when I lived in Las Vegas and did a lot of work in Washington. JA took some pictures of the White House when she walked back to her Car. I have selected one.
This ended up to be a rather full day and a very good one. Crash to sleep in our apartment.
