Hello,
One of the things I specifically wanted to do while I was in DC was attend a church service at the National Cathedral. We take students there every year, but we never get to actually see a service. I even mentioned this in my grant proposal so today was the day! Getting there isn't the easiest thing in the world, though. I managed to get to the right Metro stop, but once again the bus system was my downfall. When I had to transfer to the bus I was at the wrong stop, and by the time I got to the right one the bus was gone and the next one wouldn't come until after the service started at 10:00. I thought I gave myself plenty of time to get there, but no luck. By the time I got to The Cathedral it was 10:15. There was another service starting at 11:15 so I figured I would kill some time (I've gotten good at that) until then. The usher, however, told me to go right in. The service was being held in one of the smaller chapels near the gift shop in the basement. The Episcopal service is very similar to the Catholic mass so I felt very comfortable. I got there just as they finished reading the Gospel so I was prepared for the Reverend's homily, but this was the Contemporary Folk Service so the homily was actually a discussion. The Reverend engaged the congregation and asked them questions and for their thoughts. It was a very small chapel so it was very intimate and interesting. After that, I also attended the more traditional service in the main church. Wow! If I can figure out the bus system I would love to go to another service.
After church I could catch a bus that would take me down Wisconsin Avenue and into Georgetown so I decided to give it a try. This trip went much better...thank goodness! When I was researching my trip I looked at a lot of guidebooks and one had a 90 minute/3 mile walking tour of Georgetown that I made a copy of, and I had it with me so I decided to follow it. It is beyond me how they thought this tour would only take 90 minutes, and I think it was closer to 30 miles--not 3. Did I mention it was also about 95 degrees? I decided to do it as a scavenger hunt and take a picture of each location as I found it. The directions were good, and I am proud to say I found everything. Here is the list of what I saw and I have the photos to prove it! :)
Dumbarton Oaks (the gardens are amazing), Tudor House (take the tour--it is great), Montrose Park that connects to Rock Creek Park of NCIS fame, Oak Hill Cemetery, Evermay Manor (not open to the public), Dumbarton House (worth seeing and different from Dumbarton Oaks), Mt Zion Church (first African American Church in DC) and Cemetery, Jackie Kennedy's house after leaving the White house, Martin's Tavern (there is a toy store across the street that I ducked into for about 10 minutes while it rained. Then it quit and I was on my way), old street car tracks that haven't been torn up, St. John's Episcopal Church (first picture at top--this is where Thomas Jefferson worshipped when he was in DC), the Kennedy's house that they were living in when he was elected president, a couple of nice kids with a lemonade stand (not in the guidebook but definitely worth the stop and $.50), Georgetown University, the steps from the movie The Exorcist (picture 2), Francis Scott Key bridge and park, Dean and Deluca fine deli and store, Georgetown Park shopping complex that used to be a tobacco barn, the towpath for the C&O Canal, Thomas Jefferson Street which isn't all that impressive, Washington Harbor, and the Old Stone House (picture 3). Whew! Could all of that have been in just one 3 mile area including walking from one to the other? I didn't stop at many of these places for any longer than it took to take a picture, and it took me about 4 hours. Did I mention it was about 95 degrees?
After all of that I caught a bus that took me to the Metro without any problems and the Metro brought me home. A very good, but tiring day. :) Time to relax!
Tami
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