back from DC....

Monday morning---how shall I describe the last two days. Like an incredible carnival of noise, feeling, observation and much else. The two city trips that I have taken this summer---to Baltimore five weeks ago and now the DC trip have stimulated my imagination immeasurably. The trips have taken me out of my "doldrums" and made me feel the excitement of discovering and considering a new place.
 Saturday---arrived at my hotel---checked in (fairly easily) had some lunch, then, in the blazing heat of the afternoon, took off from the hotel, on G and 7th to Dupont Circle. Why? Felt that that place would bring me some meaning of DC that I had not had before. As hot as it was, I was determined to walk from the hotel to the circle. On my way, so many luxury buildings and many hotels---not much else. So I walked, observing the older buildings on the way, asking myself what this neighborhood had been like before the advent of so many luxury apartments. Then I arrived at the Circle.
  Not much going on there, I really only had one destination---the book store that hovers on the edge of the circle. Wandered around in it, checked the different sections, but did not feel any kind of excitement from the place. So perhaps I had overestimated the "coolness" of the circle, or perhaps I should have come at a later time. At any rate, I could not walk back (exhaustion?) and took the Metro back to the hotel.
 My room had a large television, and I watched a number of baseball games while resting on Saturday. The trip to Dupont Circle had left me very tired (plus I had gotten up early to meet the train that took me to DC) so I spent much of the evening in the room, just recuperating and reminding myself that tomorrow was going to be a busy day. Only voyage was to the downstairs bar at the hotel, where I simply had a beer and sat quietly---then before going upstairs walked around a few blocks--nothing really-streets pretty lively---some homeless--many people out on dates---the usual--then retired to my room for the rest of the evening. The hotel also had a rooftop bar which would have been interesting to journey up to, but I just was not up for it. So that was Saturday
  Sunday, up early, checked out after some coffee, took my belongings to the train station and headed for the ball park to meet my friend Bob, and see the game. I arrived about an hour earlier, and so wandered around the streets---a colony of luxury apartment houses and a few hotels---what seems to be a totally "young upper class" society. What to make of all of this? So like NYC in downtown Brooklyn which is creating its own "closed" environment. A conversation with a fellow coffee drinker told me that rents are about the same but apartments to buy are a little lower. Upscale coffee place at the bottom of one of the buildings had a mixed clientele, both black and white. Appealing to me? Would I like to live in a world like that? Don't I already. Interesting questions--we will see.
  My friend Bob met me soon after, we walked around for a bit then entered the ball park. He had obtained great seats, with an almost perfect view of the field. Also, this was a very important game for both clubs--they are fighting for a playoff spot, so the energy an tension was high. The night before  the teams had battled past midnight with the Brewers winning, how would this effect today's game? The energy in the stadium was mellow, warm, almost like a county fair---it lacked any of the hardness that New York ball parks would seem to have. Bob and I got along very well---I really enjoyed his company, then the game began. I have watched so many baseball games on tv this year, I don't think I realized how different it is to watch a game in person. My eyes see so many different things. Washington took an early lead and kept it---they demolished the two Milwaukee pitchers---probably only two because the bull pen had been over used in the game the night before. By 4:30 I had had enough, and was worried about getting back to the station on time so I left. But I had an amazing time there, moving through the aisles and back part of the stands. Should do it again this year somewhere, but I wonder...so much is going on here. We will see.
   The trip back to NYC on Amtrak was on time, but I was totally exhausted. Of course the 2, 3, or 1 train that I could directly take back from Penn Station was not running, but cityboy refused, even in his exhausted state to take a cab. Instead, took the C to 81st, then luckily, without much time lost, got a 79th street cross town back to Broadway. Just made it home--asleep soon afterwards.
  So there you have it. I return to the city overwhelmed by how much I can get out of traveling. What next?  Will report soon.