The District Sleeps Accompanied Tonight: Part I of our trip to the east coast

June 10 - Got to the airport 2 hours before scheduled take-off time. The airport was so busy that we didn't get to our gate until they were in the middle of boarding. Sea-Tac Airport needs to quit being stupid. I hate Northwest Airlines. They're expensive, their planes are old, and the customer service is weak. Julie did really good on the flight from Seattle to Minneapolis. Bethany and I were quite surprised and a little proud. Minneapolis-St. Paul airport is big and has lots of stores. Had lunch at some crappy wannabe Sbarro place. Sat on the tarmac for 20 minutes in Minneapolis on the way to Baltimore due to thunderstorms over our destination. Jelly didn't do as well on this flight, but was still pretty good. Flew in a flight pattern for 30 minutes in the air over Virginia still waiting on the storm to pass. If we had to circle in the air for 5 minutes longer, we would have had to land somewhere else to refuel. 30 minutes late as we step off the plane at BWI and you can already feel the humidity. Pass by security and there's Steve and Sara waiting for us. Pick up bags, get a bite to eat at IHOP, and an hour drive to Sara's parents' house in D.C. Sleep.

June 11 - We go to lunch at Potbelly where Sara works in Dupont Circle which is apparently D.C.'s gay district. On the way to the Metrorail, we find signs for condos priced at over $2 million.

The food is pretty good, but what makes the place unique for me was the atmosphere. A man who looks like he should be begging on the sidewalk is strumming the guitar above some tables. The decor is as old as... well, whenever potbelly ovens were frequently used. I eat some of my favorite potato chips.

Steve takes us to the National Mall to see a few sites. We see Lincoln.

We see the Reflecting Pool and the Washington Monument.

We see the National World War II Memorial. I've never seen it since it was opened in 2004, well after my parents and I moved away from Baltimore. Each state has its own pillar. We were able to find Washington's, but for some reason it was on the Atlantic side of the memorial. Bethany, Juliana, Steve, and I soak our feet in the fountain. It is hot as heck. 90 degrees, but it feels like 100. Or maybe we're just used to the cooler weather of the Pacific Northwest. Nevertheless, Bethany and I suffer some dehydration headaches.

We see the Korean War Veterans Memorial.

We head back to the house where we take a nap. I go with Steve and Sara to the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City in Arlington, Virginia. On the way there, I see the United States Air Force Memorial.

Steve wants to buy me a really nice white dress shirt to wear for the wedding, but the store doesn't have my size for the style we need. He calls two other stores and the second one has it. I take the Metro back by myself to get back to Bethany, while Steve and Sara go to the other store to pick up my shirt. The Metro is pretty easy to figure out, but I still like London's Tube better. When I get back to the house, Sara's father, Dario offers us a home cooked dinner of roast beef, mashed potatoes, asparagus, and Italian bread. It's very good. He's a super nice guy who makes us feel at home. Sara's mom is apparently already in Delaware setting up for the wedding events. Steve and Sara get back and have their late dinner. Sleep.

June 12 - Juliana slept fine in her playard on the first night, but now she will only sleep with us in bed. We decide to try and hit the museums today, so Steve, Bethany, baby, and I hop on the Metro to the Smithsonian stop. They were setting up for the Smithsonian Folklife Festival which takes place June 25-29 and July 2-6.

We see the Smithsonian Institution Building, the Sculpture Garden in front of the Archives, the National Gallery of Art, and the United States Capitol Building. Juliana falls asleep in her umbrella stroller. That thing was a good idea Bethany.

We go in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and the National Museum of Natural History. We see the Wright brothers' plane, laugh at how Pluto has been erased from existence, and saw what the inside of a Mushu looks like.

Family Guy reference: "Almost... there..."

You may not understand what is so funny about this picture if, 1) You are a poor speller, or 2) You were never in the Air Force.

Two monkeys.

More pictures of our D.C. trip can be found here.

That was it for Washington, D.C. The rest of the trip to the east coast is to be continued in Part II. Look forward to seeing pictures of Lewes and Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and of course Steve and Sara's wedding.