It’s a Labor Day weekend! Time to pack those hiking boots that has been gathering dust in your closet and book tickets to celebrate the your day as a hard working employee!
I celebrated mine at the Capital of the United States, Washington DC. Lucky me, I have a friend who live there so board and lodging is out of my budget list.
I arrived at Union Station just on time.
Union Station Facade
(Union Station Facade)
The weather was hot (New York was a bit cold!) so I look a little out of place with my skinny jeans, ankle high rubber shoes (not to mention the thick socks), long sleeves and a thick sweater. Nonetheless, I don’t care.
My friend’s work finishes at 2pm (it’s just 12:00 when I arrived) so I have two long hours to wander around the places I didn’t get a chance to visit before. I chose to stay close Union Station and just wandered around the Union Station Plaza towards the US Capitol building.
It was a long walk and I’m pulling my stroller luggage! Which I have to hand carry whenever I came to a stair and need to go up (For the love of travel!). All those “How to pack light” articles didn’t really help at all.
US Capitol Building
The US capitol building was a huge building or should I say basilica. It looked more than a church than a place where dirty political debates happen. Great architecture even I bet my MacBook laptop modern day architects cannot build a structure like that anymore. A giant lawn stretched out in front of it and you can hear the sound of water splashing from the Capitol Reflecting Pool.
The Lawn and the Capitol Reflecting Pool far beyond.
By 1:30 pm I head back to Union Station to take the Metro to Gallery Place and ride a free, yes free, shuttle to Hilton Hotel where my friend works. I sat at the brown overlarge sofa at the lobby of the hotel. And there’s also a grand piano too. She immediately saw me and together we walked to her apartment, which she shares with her dad and two other roommates, they’re often not at home, so most of the time we have the house all to ourselves.
We drop my things in her room and had a little chat with her dad. I took advantage of the situation to rest. We fixed ourselves in the mirror tweaked some eyelashes here and there and applied some powder to our oily faces (we never know if we’ll encounter some hot guy along the way!). The three of us (yes, her dad included) walked to Starbucks and ordered our favorite frappe. I’m sorry diet but its vacation time might as well enjoy some day-offs too.
I ordered my guilty pleasure, Caramel Frappuccino with whipped cream. As soon as I said my order the barista said “No!” “Why?” I asked, “It’s full of sugar!” Yeah I know that’s one of the reasons of vacation – get fat. He gave me what I want anyway.
We stayed in Starbucks shortly after we ordered then the two of us (her dad chose to stay) went to Noodles where we had barbecue sandwich that was big enough for both of us. We sat outside and immediately the conversation started flowing. I didn’t just pack my clothes I packed a number of gossips too, and yes, people, to talk about.
Have you ever experienced those times where you jaw feels tired of talking? We surely did. Fewer and fewer cars pass by the road and its just 9:30 in the evening.
Our Starbucks drinks at Noodles plus a view of Seminary Road
And it looks like Noodles is going to close in a couple of minutes so we decided to head back and call it a night. We are both tired anyway and agreed to save our itinerary for the next two days.
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I woke up 7 in the morning and I’m all alone. I checked my phone and there’s a message there from my friend telling me the directions to the place where I can go hiking (Thanks Jamie!) I have the morning all by myself and hiking is just the perfect way to spend it.
But first, I ate the still warm oatmeal that she cooked for me in the table together with a slice of cake for dessert. Hmmm. I didn’t take a shower coz I’ll just dirty myself instead I wore the rubber shoes I was wearing when I arrived and followed the directions she gave me.
I turned right in Sanger Avenue and walked straight ahead until I saw the playground that she described in the text message and walked past it until I came to the dead end and there on the left is a sign that says “entrance” and also a cemented trail.
All the adventurous genes that I have took over the cerebral part of my brain. I went further and further. I walked slow and just appreciate the beauty of nature before me. It’s very quiet I can hear the soft “croo” sounds of birds. There were fallen tree trunks and huge branches of trees around. And by the look of it it’s been there for only god knows how long. It felt like I’m in a real jungle, those kinds of jungle you see in the Once Upon A Time series and Hunger Games Trilogy. I stepped out of the cemented trail and started exploring the real trail (that is not cemented.)
The uncemented trail
It’s more challenging (I like it!) it goes up and up the hill. And up there I stumbled upon some used firewood and huge stones circling it, which indicates that, somebody or a group have been here before. It makes me feel like a historian exploring ancient Egypt and trying to discover some facts from hundreds of years ago.
The trail started going down and ended at the other end of the cemented trail. I rested in a big lump of wood for a while to regain my breathing. Then two joggers were approaching me from another cemented trail that I didn’t notice before. There were two cemented trails that join each other only at the end. The end of two cemented trails opens to a circled mini park with only one bench. And not too far from the mini park is a small bridge and a lake beneath it.
The lake was shallow and has a lot of stones, in different sizes, in it and surrounding it. Together with the sunlight peeping through the overcast clouds it was such a lovely sight.
I stayed in there for a while and jumped on the huge stones on the water crossed it stone by stone until I reached the other end. The water was very clean you can see the stones on the bottom.
I decided to explore deeper. It was my desire to know what’s beyond so I continued to walk and saw another playground for kids and built-in barbecue grills for family bonding and recreational purposes. There’s also a huge lawn on the other side perfect for sunbathing and activities that involves running. There’s also a caged public swimming pool, to my surprise there’s water in it, that you can reserve or use in your chosen time.
The deeper part of the lake is in this part. And at one point I saw a tree trunk that connects to the other side.
It looks shallower than it is but I bet you this part was deep!
Would you dare to cross?
I have a long way back and decided to follow the other cemented trail and there I discovered another lake (I dunno if it was connected to the first lake that I saw) regardless I sat at the bank for rest and play with the water. It was too early for fall but some leaves are already falling into the water creating a rippling effect.
This cemented trail reveals more paths at the other end. It was connected to two bike lanes, well, you can also walk it was too wide for a bike.
The bike trail
I head back at the apartment and took a shower. When you get all sweaty and dirty you appreciate warm bath more than normal and of course a mouthwatering lunch after. My friend already cooked a Salmon stew with tomatoes and spinach for me and her dad before she left for work earlier (isn’t she the best?) I grabbed a plate, scooped a large chunk of brown rice and a piece of everything. I even enjoyed a second helping (oops! I’m really sorry diet).
I killed time in the Balcony. I sat in the foldable lazy chair and let my hair fall down as it dries. I love chill/adventurous days like this I hope labor days happen five times a year.
An hour later, I walk to Hilton hotel to fetch my friend and grab some beer for tonight. I arrived early and I did that on purpose so I have time to explore the hotel.
I went to the garden and the first thing that I noticed was the gazebo surrounded with colorful little flowers.
It’s a perfect setting for a romantic time if you have someone and it’s also perfect spot if you want some “me time” and read your paperback while sipping your favorite coffee or just talk to a friend. It immediately became my favorite part of the hotel.
There were also a couple of adjustable beach benches under the trees right by the fountain and a swimming pool for kids. I sat on the bench and had my fare share of relaxation under the peeping sun (if only there’s a person sitting on the bench right beside me it would be better!).
relaxation time
I met my friend at the lobby of the hotel. Before going home, we dropped by Global Supermarket and bought a couple of beers (it’s gonna be a long night!) and raw baby back ribs for dinner.
She marinated and baked the baby back ribs. It’s going to be a long wait before it’s ready so we downloaded some movies on the Internet (but didn’t get the chance to watch them. Ha!). It cooked just in time. It was dusk outside and the sky was shades of blue, violet, and pink perfectly woven together in a blanket covering the Earth.
Drinking beer and getting a little tipsy, once in a while, is a healthy thing. We drank in the terrace and as the alcohol flow down our system the conversation also keeps going. Don’t you just love days where, in a company of a beer, you and your friend talk about the things that happened to you since you were a fetus in your mother’s tummy? I sure did. We talked a lot. I mean a lot and it was a good talk not those meaningless conversations (until your drunk anyway).
We Skyped with our friends in the other States too and impulsively planned our next adventures. I’m waiting which of those plans will come to reality (I hope all of them!). I drank three bottles already and I’m beginning to feel a little tipsy. I know my alcohol tolerance is not that high compared to my friend who still appears “normal” and not affected by the beer at all.
It’s not when it started to drizzle that we decided to go in and sleep through our alcohol infected minds. Before we sleep we agreed to wake up 7am start the next day so we can complete our itinerary (good luck with that!)
—
As expected, we didn’t wake up as planned because of our hangovers. We started the day a little bit late and took a cab to the Toki Underground Japanese Ramen restaurant. It was the best ramen in all of DC (according to Google). My friend have already tried it I trust her judgment. We ordered a serving of steamed dumplings for both of us and I ordered a Chicken Karaage ramen, cookies for dessert. And man! The serving was huge and the taste was sumptuous.
The dumplings
the HUGE ramen bowl
The cookies
You can feel every single spice melting in your tongue. And the cookies are the best I’ve ever tasted. It was hot and fresh from the oven without the taste of preservatives. Dunk it in the glass of milk and it’ll make the taste even more perfect. And affordable price too! I’m sure I’ll want to visit again.
We can barely walk with our oh so full tummies so we take the Uber DC cab to our first stop, Washington Memorial.
Upon seeing the…ehem…erected obelisk I was filled with excitement.
We walked closer to the circles surrounding the obelisk. It was taller than what I had in mind and wider too. I also didn’t know then that you could enter the inside of the obelisk. Hmm? I wonder what’s inside there. We didn’t bought tickets though.
We crossed the huge lawn surrounding the Washington Memorial towards the Word War II monument. It was a monument dedicated to Americans who participated in the World War II. Fifty-six pillars surrounded it, each bearing a name of the country on the top most part and on the center was a fountain. A lot of people were sitting on the banks of the fountain dipping only their legs in the warm water.
After that we walked towards the reflecting pool to the Lincoln Memorial. Unlike the previous attractions not a lot of people were walking in the reflecting pool. A flock of ducks claimed the pool as their headquarters and their shit was all over the place thank god it doesn’t smell.
We came to the stairs of the Lincoln memorial and went up of course and up there we enjoyed a full view of the reflecting pool, WWII memorial and Washington monument only then did I know why it’s called reflecting pool. It’s because you can see the full reflection of the Washington memorial on the water of the pool. It was, yet indeed, another lovely sight.
The reflecting pool
The Lincoln Memorial
My time was almost up. And I have to catch my bus, which will leave for New York at 6:00pm. We wandered around the National Mall a little bit and we’re goddamn tired so we took a cab to Union Station.
We quenched our thirst in Jamba Juice inside Union before I went up the parking lot to the bus station. I made it just in time. I fell asleep and I woke up seeing the Manhattan Skyline from the window.
wanderlass 