19 hours in Kansas City, MO

I woke up at 4am.  Showered and headed to the airport at 430am.

5am. Arrived at the Charlottesville Airport.

Checked in without any problem.

6am. I was supposed to be up in the air already.

Everyone was agitated. My companions were worried. They needed to leave right away, or else they would miss their connecting flight to Japan, and hence, Manila.

7am. Still no word from the ground crew of NWA.

There was a line forming. People were on the phone. I got out hoping to get answers from the check-in people. The line was long there too. I got back inside. Went back to our line. I asked the lady in front of us for the number of NWA.

8am. Still on the phone. Still no feedback from NWA ground crew.

The reservation agent on the phone could not get me an earlier flight. I asked if I could have it cancelled instead. She said I would have to ask my travel agent about that. I borrowed my companions laptop to get the number of CheapTickets. Good thing there was free wifi in the airport.  CheapTickets said that a cancellation was not possible, because there were 2 different segments in my flight. I asked if a rebooking was possible. They said it was for NWA to decide. My turn with the NWA ground crew finally came. I was talking on the phone and talking to the crew at the same time.

I let them talk it through. They said: I can have my flight rebooked, but since the flight was not officially cancelled, I will need to pay a rebooking fee. No way! I decided to go ahead with the travel.

I was rerouted to Washington D.C. and put on a 1pm flight.

9am. I waited in line for the taxi to take us to Washington D.C. The taxi finally arrived. But it could not accomodate me anymore. I waited.

930am. I was headed to Reagan International Airport in Washington D.C. I had the taxi all to myself.

Two hours later, I arrived at Reagan International Airport.

1pm. I boarded the plane. It was delayed. Naturally, I arrived late in Minneapolis-St. Paul and missed my connecting flight to Kansas City.

I was put on the next flight, which does not leave till after 2 hours.

730pm. I finally arrived in Kansas City, Missouri. Whew!

1pm the next day. I was headed to the airport to catch my 2pm flight back to Charlottesville, VA. I stayed in the city, for barely 19 hours. Played a little bit in the casino. Ate at a buffet. Slept. Had brunch. Did a little shopping. Shops do not open till 12noon during sundays. What bad luck.

It was my worst travel experience yet. Once is enough. I hope it does not make a repeat ever.

A D.C. Affair

 

• 
  
  First encounter

My flight to Kansas City, Missouri via Detroit, Michigan was indefinitely delayed. I was rerouted to Washington D.C. with a stop-over in Minneapolis-St. Paul. During the taxi ride from Charlottesville, Virginia to Reagan International Airport, I was able to get a glimpse of the city's landmark. Sightings: the tip of Washington Memorial, Arlington Cemetery, and the Pentagon.

• Second encounter

Being the headquarters of one of the worlds most powerful country, Washington D.C. has a lot of touristy landmarks. Being just a bus ride from Charlottesville, Virginia, my roommates and I did not want to go home to Manila and miss going to this great city. We decided to go at the last minute - around 2am. We did not have bus tickets nor itineraries. So at 3am, we took a taxi for the Greyhound bus terminal. What is normally a two hour drive, turned into a 5-hour bus ride. Since we sort of like hitched a ride, the three of us were seated separately. Places visited: National Capitol, American-Indian Museum, National Museum of Natural History, Washington Memorial, White House. Sightings: Lincoln Memorial.

• Third Encounter

All my bags were packed, I was ready to go, or so I thought. I got extended for another one and a half month. My new roommate and I headed to Washington D.C. for my third visit and her first time. Places visited: Holocaust Museum, National Mall, Washington Memorial, World War II Memorial, Vietnam War Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, White House, Old Post Office, Library of Congress, and National Capitol.

For some reason, I kept on coming back to this city. On those occasions, these are the touristy spots that I think make The District grand:

   

Holocaust Museum

With a limited time, you would not be able to cover the whole museum. Nevertheless, a visit to at least one museum would be an interesting start of your tour. By the way, all national museums have no entrance fees.

   

Washington Memorial

Built to commemorate the first US President, it is the tallest structure in Washington D.C. The reason being: the building code restricted  new building heights to no more than 20 feet (6.1 m) greater than the width of the adjacent street.

               

World War II Memorial

One of the inscription in the eastern corner: 

 

 

 

 

Vietnam War Memorial

 Also known as "The Wall," it was built as a memorial to those who served in the war, both living and dead. It was built entirely with private funds contributed by corporation, unions, veterans, civic organizations, and individual Americans. There are now 58,261 names listed on the Memorial. The names are arranged in chronological order, according to the date of casualty within each day, with the names alphabetized.

 

 

Lincoln Memorial

Dedicated to Abraham Lincoln, the memorial was designed based on a greek temple with each column representing one state of the Union at the time of Lincoln's death. This was the venue of US President Barack Obama's inaugural speech. A great view of the Washington Memorial may be seen from the top of the stairs in front of the memorial.

 

     

 

White House

The official residence of the President of the United States of America. A glimpse of the white-painted Georgian-style home along Pennsylvania Avenue NW should not be missed.

 

 

Old Post Office Pavilion

Washington's first skyscraper. Due to its great setting, the old post office is now a venue for special events. On ordinary days, it is crowded with tourists as well as Congresspersons who enjoy international cuisine.  There are even several filipino shops to satisfy your craving for some filipino adobo. 

 

 

Library of Congress

Book lovers and readers alike would truly be amazed with the largest library in the world. To be able to enter the Reading Room, though, you should possess a Reader Identification Card and to be able to borrow items, you should be a member of Congress, Supreme Court Justice, a staff, a Library of Congress staff or a government official. Good Luck!

 

United States Capitol

Officially, each side is the "front." Historically, however, the east front was the side used to welcome visitors and dignitaries. This is the meeting place of the United States Congress.

 

 

When there is an opportunity to drop by The District, grab it. Every corner is candy to the eyes. Your cameras will be very happy.

 

for more photos

second encounter

third encounter