Welcome back blogosphere! Its been more than a week since the last posting, and there is much to report. Once again, you will be treated to a double dose from the road! I can't wait to catch you up, so sit down, relax, and let's talk East Coast.
Last you heard from me, I was spending the night in Roanoke. Roanoke is a quaint little town with lots to offer. After a restful night of sleep (on the most comfortable mattress thus far) I woke with a renewed energy, and headed out for the day. My first stop was St. Andrews Church, a huge, immaculate example of early 1800's architecture. With jutting spires, ornate stained glass, and antique columns, it was truly awe inspiring and unexpected. After a quick visit at the church, I headed downtown to grab a bite from the local farmers market for lunch.
The market, although smaller than most, was packed with enthusiastic vendors. I engaged a vegetable vendor in conversation and found out that today was especially slow because there was another market going on across town. Despite the lack of vendors, I was able to procure some good lookin' veggies for the road. I also happened onto a local organic restaurant, that was serving a lunch special that included a turkey sandwich w/ pesto, mozzarella, heirloom tomatoes, and spicy arugula: How could I resist? The sandwich was delish, and after a late lunch, I was on the road to Richmond.
I arrived late in the day, and was greeted by some cousins that I hadn't seen in about 10 years! Needless to say, there was some serious catching up to do. We gathered over dinner at a yummy Mexican restaurant, and got up to speed. Best of all, we were able to relate on food (of all things)! After dinner, we headed back and I retired for the night. I woke late, gathered my things, and headed downtown to the capitol building.
The Richmond capitol area was stunning, and historic. There is just something about the capitols on the East coast that the West simply cannot contend with: There is a real sense of history in these places - knowing that our forefathers walked these grounds years ago is a tremendous feeling. Beautiful, historic statues abound the area, and many a photo op can be had. The grounds (which contain several other gov't buildings) are immaculately maintained, and humming with activity. Men in suits we abundant, walking this way and that, going about their daily business.
After a nice tour of Richmond, I headed North to our nation's capitol, Washington D.C. I timed my tour of Richmond perfectly as to miss the horrendous D.C. traffic which tends to be a rolling parking lot from 3:30 to 7:00 or so. I arrived at my Aunt's house just after 3:30, relieved to have missed the traffic. She arrived shortly past 4:00, and after a bit of catching up we headed to grab a bite to eat. After dinner we headed back for a quick game of scrabble, and then to bed, for a big day was in store tomorrow.
I woke at a reasonable hour, gathered my things for the day and headed to the metro station for a quick ride downtown. I arrived to the all the splendor that Washington D.C. has to offer. What can one say about our nations capitol? It is truly stunning, with most of the historic buildings and sites clustered into roughly a 2-3 mile strip. One could easily spend days here and not see all that there is to be seen: From the capitol, to the national gallery, to the Smithsonian, all the way down to the White House - D.C. is rich in history and culture. I spent the better part of the day cruising the mall, before meeting up with my Aunt Arlene for a real treat.
After a long day in the hot sun, I was in dire need of some entertainment, preferably located somewhere air conditioned. Aunt Arlene came through with dinner at an Indian restaurant, followed by a show at the Ronald Regan center. The performance came from The Capitol Steps, a group of political satirists who put on a show about current events. They dance, sing, and perform some hilarious comedy bits that had me in stitches! If you haven't heard of them, head over to their
site and check them out - some seriously funny stuff.
After a long day in the city, I came home and fell asleep, exhausted from the day's activities. The next day, I relaxed, played some scrabble, and walked along the canals with my Aunt. It was a fun day, but all the while I knew I would have to depart on Monday morning. The next stop on the journey: Philly.
A.S. Bloom
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I woke at a reasonable hour, gathered my things for the day and headed to the metro station for a quick ride downtown. I arrived to the all the splendor that Washington D.C. has to offer. What can one say about our nations capitol? It is truly stunning, with most of the historic buildings and sites clustered into roughly a 2-3 mile strip. One could easily spend days here and not see all that there is to be seen: From the capitol, to the national gallery, to the Smithsonian, all the way down to the White House - D.C. is rich in history and culture. I spent the better part of the day cruising the mall, before meeting up with my Aunt Arlene for a real treat. 
After a long day in the hot sun, I was in dire need of some entertainment, preferably located somewhere air conditioned. Aunt Arlene came through with dinner at an Indian restaurant, followed by a show at the Ronald Regan center. The performance came from The Capitol Steps, a group of political satirists who put on a show about current events. They dance, sing, and perform some hilarious comedy bits that had me in stitches! If you haven't heard of them, head over to their site and check them out - some seriously funny stuff.
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