D.C.

Just kidding about the last post guys... sure, I'm not in Korea, but I did meet up with a VERY great friend in DC... that I just so happened to befriend in Korea. Plus, Nyeasha told me how much she enjoys looking at my posts. So, this is a tribute to her and the friendship we developed in Asia.

Also, I have a lot of time on my hands considering I had my bottom wisdom teeth removed yesterday and have an excuse to lay on the couch all day, while eating jello, watching TV, and blogging. 

Nyeasha's sister-in-law knew how much we would enjoy these ;)

Look how excited she is to see me! Haha... she wasn't prepared for my shenanigans. Nyeasha made Korean beef, rice, kimchi, and a vegetable salad for dinner. She nailed it. 

This would be my dad's favorite place... coffee and bikes. The latte I bought there was VERY delicious. 

Nyeasha had to work, so I went off exploring on my own. No maps or wifi, yet I still managed to see everything I planned. Too many sites in fact... I completely screwed up my feet for the rest of the trip. So much pain.

Hello White House!

I got Indian food from a food truck and sat in a park to eat it. I felt so independent! If you know me, you know that I never eat alone in public! :)

Food truck park. 

Some neat lights in the metro. 

I went to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum: Hubble Space Telescope. 

Exterior of the museum.  

Smithsonian Castle. 

Washington Monument.   

Jefferson Memorial. 

National World War II Memorial. 

Reflecting Pool. 

Lincoln Memorial. 

I walked across the Potomac River to the Arlington National Cemetery. The Kennedy's gravesite.  

Air Force Memorial. 

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  

Changing of the guards. 

Amphitheater. 

DC Metro Stations were so interesting! Definitely still a major fan of Seoul Metro... but using the trains here was excellent (although, rather pricey). 

Ny and I went to Chinatown that night to see the Avengers! We were so excited to see our second home in it, Seoul! 

Next morning's breakfast at Busboys and Poets. I had a spiced latte! Yummy!

Fantastic meal: toast, house potatoes, and an omelet with cheese, black beans, guacamole, and pico de gallo. 

I ventured by myself to the Washington National Cathedral. 

Every room was stunning. 

The little chapel where I attended a worship service. 

My favorite stained glass window... it has a moon rock in it! It was brought back by the Apollo 11 crew.  

Woodrow Wilson.

I meandered up to the observatory... and was the only one up there the entire time. 

Definitely one of my favorite things to have seen the whole trip. 

Portabella mushroom bowl and flatbread for lunch from Cosi. 

Fun metro graffiti.

After an almost cancelled baseball game and hours of waiting (mostly napping), Ny and I were hungry! Ny insisted that I try a chili cheese hot dog from Ben's Chili Bowl. It definitely hit the spot. 

I'm not going to lie... cheering for the Nats made me feel like I was cheering for America's team! It was so fun!

They even had a "president's race" between innings... and it was hilarious. 

Thanks for the tickets! Ny's the best. 

We dared to sit in the rainy section, so it looks like no one wanted to sit by us :)

I felt so lucky there was a Korean fried chicken place next to the ballpark. Fabulous food and OB! My favorite Korean beer!

We also had a salmon, crab, and avocado ball. Delicious as well!

The restaurant was called Bonchon... which is actually what Korean side dishes are called. 

The next day, I went to the Smithsonian Museum of American History. There was this five-story tall doll house. 

Dorothy's slippers!

Count Von Count.

Apollo's skate and Ali's gloves. I have always been madly in love with Apolo Anton Ohno!

Microphone used by FDR.

Camera used during 9/11.

A rather scandalous statue of George Washington. American's were slightly offended by it in public, so it was relocated to the museum. 

Korean novelties in the Food exhibit. Korea is represented by a kimchi jar and children's Pororo chopsticks! 

America on the Move Exhibition. 

  

Nyeasha met me for lunch at Union Station, where we had Shake Shack! Probably my favorite burger joint ever! Too bad there is just ONE in Texas (in Austin). I had a Shake Shack burger, fries, and a Washington MonuMint concrete.

Supreme Court Building. 

U.S. Capitol under construction. 

Library of Congress.

Another favorite of my trip. This building was stunning! 

Self explanatory...

... and mind blowing. 

The ceiling. 

Eliot Indian Bible: first complete bible printed in the Western hemisphere. 

First Bible printed in the New Nation, since it was forbidden to print bibles under British colonial control. 

There it is! Marvelous! 

A wall hanging made of cotton and macaw feathers. 

Waldseemuller World Map, 1507. 

The first map of the U.S. to be published after the Treaty of Paris formally ended the American Revolution. 

I couldn't believe they had the Gutenberg Bible!

It was National Doughnut Day, so Ny and I went to a place called Golden Brown & Delicious. 

I got a hot chocolate donut and the "5 Spices of Death" cocktail. 

Fried chicken and biscuits! Yum!

Fried brie. 

The next morning, I took the Amtrak to NYC.

I was already missing Nyeasha. I can't express how grateful I am to have met her. It was all by chance (and a little help from God)... and now we've been able to make even more memories together. I have missed her and will continue to miss her! However, I know I will see her again soon and it will be like time never passed. I love you girl and appreciate everything you did to make my trip amazing! You are such a blessing.