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December 20, 2004
Chinatown, White House, Arlington, Pentagon & Dinner with Ika
We were a little bit relax today, because we went to most of the places yesterday. We left our hotel around 12 noon, we had lunch @ Chinese Rest. in Chinatown which only 2 blocks from our hotel. Even though it was only 2 blocks, it was very tough though. Today the whole East Coast got a very very cold weather, the weather drop to around 18-20 F ( - 6 or 7 C). As far as I can remember I think this was the coldest I’ve ever experienced.
Therefore, we decided to take Metro to go around. We went to the White House again, because the 1st night we went to WH was during the night. Actually you can go inside the WH, but you have to write/email your request a few weeks in advance and they’ll send you the application, and I’m sure they’ll check your background and things like that. Maybe next time if I’ll go again, I’ll make sure to prepare this in advance.
From White House we went to Arlington Cemetery in Virginia. Well basically is just cemetery, and President J.F.Kennedy graveside is in here too. Unfortunately, due to the cold whether the graveside was closed. We were allowed only at the monument below the graveside.
Done with Arlington cemetery, we continued took the Metro to Pentagon. Didi was curious about this place. But again we pretty much couldn’t do anything over there. There was no tour and you can’t take pictures. As a proof we were there I took pictures of Didi when we were at the Pentagon Metro Station.
It was around 4.30 after we visited Pentagon, and we decided to go back to the hotel. Tonight we would have dinner with my Trisakty University friend, Ika. We hadn’t seen each other for almost 9 years. And thanks to Friendster, we started to keep in touch again just a few months before this trip.
Ika picked us up from our hotel around 7 pm, and we had dinner at Indian Rest. Uuuh yummy, made me miss Shalimar in SF. We talked and caught up a lot of things. Ika is working at the World Bank, and you know what, she doesn’t have to pay TAX…..grrrhhhh…. what a lucky girl!!
After dinner Ika took us around, we passed by Georgetown (a very lovely European-like neighborhood), we went to Virginia and stopped by at her house for a while. I love the way she decorates her house, very Indonesian, loots of arts and crafts from Java or Bali.
Great job Ka!
Overall we had a wonderful day. However we haven’t decided how we are going to go to NY tomorrow. Rent a car, take a bus or ride Amtrak. Hmmm…it all depends on our mood tomorrow.
Posted by hamdani family at December 20, 2004 06:03 PM