I love the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) area. There is an energy about DC that I love. I like the history there, the political significance, the tourists, the diversity, and of course the many memories that have been made there over the years.
This month I had the opportunity to spend a weekend in Washington, DC for meetings. Landing late at night was great to see the monuments. I even felt "at home" hearing the screeching of the metro car and smelling the familiar smells of the area.
After meetings during the day, I would go explore the city. I did not want to rent a car and have to pay for parking (parking prices in the city are INSANE!) But instead relied on public transportation and then found a new hobby--electric scooters!
I spent hours exploring the city on scooters. I went on night tours of the National Mall. It was beautiful. The only part I really did not like was passing the Reflecting Pool and having bugs pelt me in the eyes and face! Nothing like a bug in the eye for bloodshot eyes for meetings the next day!!
My scooter tours led me to find hidden gems--like this Trader Joes, that I did not know was just around the corner or embassies from other countries around the world!
I saw this old couple leaving a restaurant as I rode by. I stopped to take a photo and told Lady Hiva that I hope this is us when we are old an frail...still going out to dinner and holding hands.
My time there I set the goal to not eat anything that I could find in Utah. Yes, Lady Hiva has trained me well--I have become a food tourist. I would look for ethnic food around the area, jump on a scooter and ride to it.
I went all over the city! I ate at three different Turkish places--each offering a bit of joy and memories. I was so happy when the Turkish vocabulary still came as I spoke to the families that ran the restaurants. One woman asked if I was a Turk. Such an honor! I think she was being nice because my Turkish is rusty for sure. But it still made me happy.
I also ate at a dumpling place up by the National Cathedral. It was a beautiful Scooter ride up through Georgetown. I found a few parks and old plantation gardens that, after all these years, I never knew existed. I told Lady Hiva that we will have to go back and explore someday. The dumplings were AMAZING!! Even if the person at the counter was rude...SO worth it!
The Turkish Sujuklu Pide was perfection. I sat in a random park on my way back to my hotel and ate pide and dumplings for dinner!
I forgot cufflinks and did not realize it until too late to buy them anywhere. Which meant that I had to improvise and made cufflinks out of paperclips! HAHA it because quite the conversation starter with everyone I met.
I ended the trip at all the macaroon places in Georgetown. I put Lady Hiva and the kids on the phone to choose which flavors they wanted. We were so excited to see that DC has Lauduree! It looks so similar to the iconic bakery in Paris!
Olivia's was just around the corner and that was fun to see too.
I was now so used to the scooters I did not walk back to the metro to go to the airport, I just loaded all my suitcases on the scooter and off I went. I wish that I had someone to take a photo of me loaded up like the bag man jetting down the road!
It was a great trip. The only thing that would be better is if Lady Hiva and the kids would have come with me!
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