Tuesday 28th
Stephen dropped us off at Detroit airport as we said our fond farewells - thank you for being such amazing hosts, Stephen, Galina and Isobella, what an amazing week of firsts and other wonderful authentic american experiences, courtesy of our fantastic american cousins!
Joe was so looking forward to the return flight in what he called the baked beans tin with wings. It was a small plane, and we bumped around it for about the full hour, which seemed like much longer than the 8 hour transatlantic flight. We took the shuttle bus and train from Baltimore to DC and rocked up at our rather lovely Georgetown Inn hotel by about 3pm. I was excited about expanding further on the glimpses I had had of this part of the city when I first arrived here last week. And I was not disappointed. I think this was my favourite area on my trip. Beautiful post-revolution townhouses, from the end of 1700s and beyond. I took lots of photos so you can see for yourself (soon).
After dozing in our lovely room, each with an enveloping king size bed to slumber on, we wandered around the Georgetown area, stopping at The Tombs for a wonderful burger, onion rings and ginger ale. Joe found their homebrew the most palatable of the trip. The interior of the Tombs was very familiar and it turned out to be where they filmed St Elmo’s Fire! So, having spent the previous two weeks continually thinking I was on the set of a John Hughes film, I actually found myself there! It was bedecked with rowing paraphanailia including drawings of the Cambridge and Oxford boat races and crews of bygone years.
So we felt strangely at home here. After dinner, we went for a dusk-time stroll, down the hill to the Potomac River and to amazing views from the Key Bridge towards the Mall and then out towards Arlington and across Georgetown. Brilliant. We both got a bit of vertigo from the height and length of the bridge and wondered at the millions of joggers running around. On our way back to the hotel we purchased beautiful postcards of Laura and George W Bush and a commemorative shopping back of Barack Obama and his splendid family. Classy.
Oh yeah, and we had amazing ice-cream at a cute parlour across the road from the hotel.
Wednesday 29th
After our first and only disappointing meal/breakfast, we explored Georgetown further, discovering the oldest remaining house in America and a system of canals in the back streets. We took a guided barge tour of the canals. The boat was pulled by mules and the guide and boat people were dressed up in traditional 1700s clothing. It was brill! It was soon time to head back to the hotel, where we checked out then made our way to the airport for the flight home. At the airport there was time to reflect on a few things....
Sociology Corner (can’t help it)
I’ve noticed more middle class professional black people than in England.
I’ve also noticed that apart from the waiting staff, almost all of the people working in the services (retail, car hire, hotels, airports, drivers, cleaners) are not white.
I’ve seen quite a few adverts on TV, on the street and metro for charities. I guess because there’s no welfare.
People are incredibly polite and considerate, not only in transactions but just when your going about your daily business.
Reasons why I have to go home:
My hair straighteners and epilator don’t work on the reduced electrical voltage supply
I'd miss dairy milk
I’d miss my family and friends
It’s quite hard to get hold of fresh fruit and vegetables when on the move
It’s hard to walk anywhere
The lack of “town centre” plays existential havoc with me
There are too many divides
Too many big cars
Reasons why I’d like to stay
People are fab and positive
I have family here
Public transport is good and cheap (where it exists)
There’s loads of space
The scenery is impressive
Housing is cheap
It’s clean
Service is good
It feels like anything is possible
How lucky I am...
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