Well this past Tuesday a couple of classmates and I decided to go to D.C. in hopes of getting some sunset photos and cherry blossom photos.  I guess I should start with my trip to DC over 2 years ago when I went for the first time.  It was the Black Friday and we only had the day to see what we could.  We actually did see quite a bit and was fortunate to park by the Capital.  We watched the sunset at the Lincoln Memorial and started to head back.  About half way back I needed to relieve myself.  It was about 7:30 lots of tourists around.  So finding a bathroom couldn’t be too hard right?  It was the longest mile I have ever walked and would have peed on a tree if I didn’t think I would be shot by a sniper.

Well it was my second trip to D.C. and I was a little nervous, which I think resulted in me needing to use every public restroom I could find.  Jefferson Memorial, Natural History Museum, Washington Memorial, and I think one more.  It was ok until we started the walk back and I went to bathroom that was locked, and I began to panic.  However I did find a bathroom which I’m pretty sure was built since my first visit.  Not so bad right?

I’ve been fortunate enough to live in Chicago and now New York which have great public transportation specifically the trains.  I bought a little card when went into the city.  I put my card in and when we got off the train I had to put my card in.  I thought it was dumb but didn’t think much of it.  It was when we leaving I realized I was charged by distance.  However I didn’t know that because I was trying to get more money on my card and didn’t know how much to get.  So at the “Smithsonian” stop, probably the busiest in D.C., I asked the woman in the little class booth.  I walked up and we made I contact.  I said, “How much?”  She kind of looked at me and I asked again.  She then got up and walked closeer to press a button.  I assumed she did not hear me the first two times and asked again.  I was interupted by a friend who thought they figured it out.  I then had to ask one more time, “How much?”  The she replied annoyed, “How much, how much how much… How much for what?”  I was astonished since tourists pass through by the millions.  “TO RIDE THE TRAIN!” I replied.  Did she think I was there to order something off of the dollar menu?  If you are a major city and have train pick a flat rate per ride and make it simple.  Only in the city where our politicians screw everything up by over complicated would produce such a train system.

p.s. HAPPY EASTER