‘Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer’
If yesterday was all about monuments, then today was much more about people.
It didn’t start that way, I headed for the White House visitor centre only to find that they were also taking advantage of Covid to skive off half the week too. As it’s rather unlikely Biden is going to invite me in for a personal tour, I decided to head for the Wharf. An area that has been regenerated over recent years and boasts numerous eateries and bars as well as several piers and an old well established fish market, which was really interesting.
I watched one guy sorting the crabs, not only by size, but by gender too. Each crab took him a second at most. There were piles of prawns of all sizes and various other shellfish. It seemed a good time for a snack, so I bought a pot of Maryland Crab soup from one of the market stalls, steaming hot and freshly made that morning and sat on a stone overlooking the Potomac river in the morning sunshine.
The piers aren’t really open in the winter and there is nothing to do on them anyway, apart from the odd silly photo opportunity, like the Jack Daniels ‘Christmas tree’ 
The water taxies are moored up as well, so I headed back towards town. I stopped for a haircut, which was a bit surreal, the lady cutting my hair didn’t give me a robe to wear, but kept vacuuming me at regular intervals. 
I’m not sure what I though of the actual cut in the end and I had to check if she’d left me any sideburns, in the street afterwards. Then I passed by the International Spy museum, full of interesting and nefarious articles including a certain Aston Martin DB5. Then onwards to the National Mall with the intent of visiting the Capitol building. I passed beautiful building after beautiful building before finally stopping at the museum of the American Indian. 
A particularly unusual building in two ways. Firstly, architecturally and secondly it was actually open. 
It is set on several floors and includes the whole history from their culture, how they were mistreated to how they integrated and were used in all sorts of marketing. For example the Indian, a famous motorcycle.
I spent an interesting hour looking around before being yet again disappointed to find that the Capitol Hill visitor centre was also shut. Plenty of congressmen and women going in and out, but poor old tourists – Non merci!
Feeling hard done by I took a walk into the Capitol Hill neighbourhood and happened upon the Hawk ‘n Dove, another haunt of the politico’s from Capitol Hill.
I sat down to a beer and ended up chatting to Brandon, an interesting and genuine nice guy. We were soon joined by a friend of his, Alyssa, a serving police officer. 
We all chatted about life and travelling over a few beers and possibly some Bourbon, when Alyssa took a coin out of her purse and said she wanted me to have it, to travel with it and pass on it’s history.
The coin in question is called a Challenge coin often given to Military or Police personnel and signifies membership of an organisation or acts of special merit and valour.
Alyssa was given the coin by her superior, a man called Ben, who trained her in the Nevada Police force. It has a particularly special meaning, because Ben was killed in the line of duty, while helping a stranded man, who then turned on him.
So I am carrying the coin with me on my travels and will pass on the story as I go.
Finally, I have to say another word here about the old Ebbitt grill and it’s meatloaf. Generally regarded as one of the best in the US, I can only say that is was superb. The mash was silky smooth, the chard had a crunch with a beautiful dressing and the meatloaf itself was full of interesting spices bursting on the tongue. Oh and the mushrooms were fabulous with a few ceps or porcini as they are better known here chucked into the mix.
On my way home I passed The Washington Post building, all lit up.
I forgot to upload the New York Time building, but I did get a snap of the Chicago Tribune building standing on the riverside in Chicago, but that’s for another day.
Only 24,865 steps today, slacking a bit !