Fun in D.C.

I was in the nation's capital earlier this week for the annual National Alliance to End Homelessness conference. It was a good conference and being in D.C. was fun. Some highlights:

• Staying at the Hyatt Regency, right on Capitol Hill. It was pretty sweet - I cranked up the air conditioning, not only to beat the 100 degree weather outside, but also so I could fully enjoy the down comforter on the bed. I also reveled in the cable T.V. and the shower. Such simple pleasures!
• I had the opportunity to take a brief stroll in the area around the hotel and saw a monument to Robert Taft, the senator from Ohio. (I looked that up just now on Wikipedia. Seriously, who's ever heard of Robert Taft?)
• Dinner Monday night was at Jaleo, where I was able to enjoy for the first time authentic Spanish tapas and sangria. I even tried quail and real paella! Quail = good; paella = not so much (too much seafood in it); sangria = mucho good.
• Dinner Tuesday night was at a Mexican restaurant. Most of the food was your standard Mexican fare (very good, though). I did try one new thing though - ceviche -which is fish that is "cooked" in lime juice. By "cooked" I mean that the acid from the juice cooks the fish - it's not put in the oven or on the grill or anything. It was nasty, but at least I tried it! The tacos were much better.
• I thought I would be economical and take the Metro to the airport from my hotel, instead of a shuttle or a cab. Having ridden the Metro in D.C. a few times before, I was convinced I could do it no problem. Thing is, I had never had to transfer trains before, and I kept getting on the wrong train. I would realize it after just a stop or two, get off, go back the other way to the transfer station and try again. Twice I did this routine until I finally got on the right train to take me to the airport. Luckily, I had plenty of time so I wasn't worried about missing my flight.
• At lunch on Monday, the lady I was sitting next to (who I didn't know, but had been making small talk with) leaned over during a lull in our chatting, pointed out a man across the room and said, "He's probably a Native American" (or something to that affect). The man she was pointing to did have the features and skin tone that many Native Americans have...it was just strange for her to point it out. I can't imagine anyone pointing to someone with dark skin and saying, "He's probably African-American" or something similar. I didn't quite know how to respond, so I think I just nodded and agreed with her.

Next trip - Maine!