planes, trains, and automobiles (Part 2)

East Coast Trip (Part 2) - Georgetown (Washington, D.C.)

We slept well after our full day of leaf searching, wine drinking and tapas eating. The following day we got up early and hurried to the metro, stopping for coffee at a fantastic east coast establishment called Cosi. While sipping our coffee, we walked over and met our guide, dressed complete in top hat. He gave an introduction to what lie ahead, then we started the walk from the metro stop over to Georgetown, first crossing over Rock Creek, where we heard tales of boats and summer day boat rentals. Once we reached Georgetown, our guide pointed out buildings and architectural decorations of note. We heard about the history behind them. The history was interesting, although we noted a few discrepancies between what our top hat wearing guide was spinning and things we had read elsewhere. But the storytelling was entertaining, if not completely accurate. Seeing the history, is what I loved. Walking the streets, admiring the architecture, drinking in the bits of history lingering for us to see. I could imagine the horses and buggies, the trolley cars, people walking the uneven sidewalks, their extravagant parties. We walked past houses where famous people lived and live, past houses that servants would have called home, past the houses of the rich they served who lived up the hill. Tales of current and former inhabitants were told, ranging from the slaves that first came to the area because it was part of the Underground Railroad to John F Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe to John Kerry. T walked slowly with me and my cane. She pointed out various interesting things; I took (perhaps too many) pictures. We didn’t listen as well as we should have to the walking tour guide. I felt a bit like I was on a field trip in college. Only with a camera in tow. After the tour we wandered into the main business area in search of lunch. Past cute boutiques, past quaint restaurants. We settled on an Italian place that was also serving Sunday brunch. The food was delicious, some of the other patrons along with the service were atrocious. After lunch we continued our wanderings, heading toward the mall. ****** You can see larger versions of the images by clicking on them.