Yesterday was the first weekend of Passport Washington where a lot of the Consulates open their doors and show you a little of their country. I was surprised at how different the standard of each Embassy was. There were some very uxurious with beautiful chandeliers etc and some that were very plain indeed. A few of them had conveniences available and others si py refused to make these available -the lady in the line behind me said this was ike inviting someone to your house for dinner and not letting them use the toilet all night -she was quite correct T he crowds were just unbelievable -some actually went for a couple of blocks - one man coming out of the Bahamas Embassy said he could have flown to the Bahamas quicker! The first one that I stood in line for was the Indonesian Embassy - well when I learnt this I just turned to leave and the lady behind me asked why I was not staying and when I told her it was my personal protezt against the execution of our two citizens she said she would have done the same. Most of the Embassies gave out food and drink and ittle pressies - I have no idea what I ate but it all tasted lovely however the first Embassy I went into - around 10.30 had a lovely drink - well after I had 3 drinks I commented how lovely and asked what was in it - and it was alcoholic! Next weekend the European Union Embassies open their doors which I was told is even busier!
Today was the Air and Space Museum and The Ford Theatre. The Museum is just extraordinary with the exhibits they have - I only had half a day there but could have spent the whole day easily. They had airoplanes of Amilia Airhart and the Lindbergs but the most impressive area to me was the Space section. I actually touched a iece of moon rock - which is quite dark in colour and very smooth. There a lot of original outfits of the astronauts and the utensils they used . It was just extraordinary.
I am clearly still suffering from jetlag - while I was waiting to go into the Museum there was an American guy wziting there as well - I have also been wondering what to tip the maidsmin the hotel - so I thought I would seek his advice - however my first comment to him was - 'I am staying in a hotel in Washington' - to which he got a quizzical look and raised his eyebrows and said he had never had a conversation opened with that line - then I realised what I had said and we both had a laugh about it.
It is amazing the coincidences in life - we got talking and he was from New York and said the plumbing in his building broke down the night before the 9/11 attacks and the guy who lives in his building worked in the Trade Centre above where the planes hit but did not go to work that day as he could not have a shower.
The Abraham Lincoln exhibition is just amazing and actually incudes the coat and top hat he was wearing the night he was assasinated and also the contents of his pocket - the latter seemed quite sad as I don't know that any of us would like our privacy exposed like this. There was also a blood stained flag and the gun used to shoot Lincoln.
There was also a huge walk and run here today for research into brain cancer.
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