We spent a long two days on the road driving north on I-95 to Rockville, MD. The heat was oppressive, sometimes reaching 100 degrees, until we hit Virginia. Then it dropped at least ten degrees into the pleasant eighties. We overnighted in Lumberton, NC at exit 20, eating dinner in the Village Station restaurant. Prices were reasonable and the food was good. Traffic increased the next day as we neared the D.C. area. We skirted the city on 495, veered onto 270, then exited in Rockville. We spent Father’s Day with my husband’s family. It was great to see everyone again.

Monday began our sightseeing. We took the Metro from Shady Grove in Maryland to Metro Central in downtown D.C. Strolling toward the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum, we saw many famous monuments, museums, and buildings, including the massive structure that houses the IRS. The Washington Monument stands tall at one end of the Mall; the Capitol building gleams white at the other end. A slew of white tents are set up on the grass in preparation for an international folklife festival scheduled to start on Wednesday.

We spent hours in the Air & Space Museum looking at exhibitions of flight from the Wright Brothers days on through jet propulsion, and of the space era with moon flight capsules, a history of exploration and study of the solar system, etc. A Planetarium show soothed us with images of the stars and a commentary on Black Holes.

After a sojourn into H&M for our daughter to shop for clothes, we headed back on the Metro. An announcement stated that there were delays due to trains sharing a track. Trains were already full by the time they arrived at Metro Central, but we squeezed onto one. The train didn’t move. We waited about ten minutes, then an announcement ordered everyone to vacate the train. The mob surged onto the platform. In a crush of people, we waited. It took three trains before we found space enough to cram on the four of us. More announcements about delays due to an emergency situation. The train jerked to a start, sped down a tunnel, halted. This went on for nearly two hours before we reached our destination. I’m thinking that I could never live here and do this commute every day. Nor would I like to live in a concrete jungle. I prefer the greenery of the suburbs. Give me the trees and the flowers. Cities are exciting, but I’d rather visit them than live in them, even if you can walk to your neighborhood grocery and favorite deli.

My daughter called her cousin and learned about the accident wherein two trains had collided further down the line. At least six people were killed, maybe more. It dominated the news last night, but we made it safely back to our car. We feel bad for the folks who never made it home. What a terrible tragedy.

Dinner with the relatives, then to bed. Gotta rest up for the busy schedule ahead.