Spent a little over a month in DC. I absolutely love this city. Free museums, great skate scene, Jazz scene, walkable with public transport, friendly people and diverse + has black folks(SF lacks that last one. Neither place is affordable though). Below is my experience
Upon Leaving Houston I decided to test out getting a sleeper on the train. This turned out to be the best decision. Basic sleepers are usually just small private rooms with a curtain and 2 seats, but since mine wasn’t ready they upgraded me to the deluxe sleeper in the back of the car. Had 2 beds! The clip of my drawing from 2 journals ago came from this sleeper. The meals were incredibly good too. White table cloth with a rose. Salmon with greens followed by one of the best pieces of cheesecake I’ve ever had. Lawd.
This decadence only lasted 11 hours though…Then the 12 hour layover in NOLA. Previously, this would have meant I turn up for 12 hours straight and get on the train again the next morning. Now I was just happy to get a good nights rest a friend’s place.
Discovery: Its an interesting experience for me depending on others for shelter occasionally during this trip. It’s something I’ve never done before. Especially having lived alone for so long. Its a real shift accepting help from others in such a big way. Very much appreciated though.
The train to DC itself was much less luxurious. I found that the trains from the west coast Are spacious and charming with large viewing lounge areas. the east coast train felt more like a common commuter situation; strict and packed. This time I had incredibly long convos former meth addict who was on her way to a new life and an old well traveled conservative musician/painter. Something about train travel makes people open up more than they otherwise might. Have a few theories why.
Housing myself in DC was a challenging due to price. Unlike SF or NYC, DC doesn’t seem to have many raggedy options. First did a long stay in one of the remaining traditionally black neighborhoods Kingsman, Then did a couple awkward days at fancy hostel called the Generator. Then had a real score. Tired of spending, decided to leave the city and book 2 weeks in Alexandria. My host cancelled on me so Airbnb was like…we got you bruh and gave me a huge credit. Which allowed me to stay in this posh 2br Arlington high rise with a gym/pool on the roof for 2 weeks!
Pentagon city was a strange place in a way though. Its one of those modern developments that has a malls, shopping centers, a park, restaurants, groceries, public areas all connected to high-rises. Its like a fake little city you’d never need to leave. Yet its full of yuppies thus devoid of history, culture or a sense of community.
Lastly stayed near Silver Spring in a charming retro basement with a great host. While it was far away from everything had some serious gains that week on long walks to the train. Also SS has a solid downtown with a strong East African Community.
Its a bit hard to wrap my full experiences of a month up into a short journal entry. Ever since a February 10 day visit I’ve had a pull to return. So much happened. Here is a list of notable highlights:
Goat Yoga at Arlington state fair, spending $800 on African travel vaccines, random Monday Nouvelle Vague concert, Foot racing strangers, Self care Sundays: wine/anime/bubble baths, The west coast villain, The secret lookout, A black excellence birthday party. Several reckless hangs with a college homie, Long hike and Super Smash bros with another, The Ohio Debacle, rooftop français lessons, coincidentally meeting people traveling to my future destinations at the same time I am, occasional crushing loneliness/homesickness, Museum of African Art, National Museum of Art, Glenstone Museum, The Torpedo Factory Art Center, The Phillips Collection, Museum of African American History and Culture, Several incredible group skates, surviving a club shooting.
I’m gonna elaborate on those last 2 only. DC is probably my favorite skate scene of the places I’ve travelled. I’m happy I got to meet so many more skaters this time and deepen my connection to the ones I’d previously met. Weekly I joined in the Friday night(8 miles) and Sunday morning(13 miles) ones. The former with the same National Mall route and the later with varying routes through different parts of the city. Nature trails, to city streets, parks, plazas, skate rinks and river walks. One of the best ones was across the city, down to the Anacostia rink for some dance skating then back up to a female owned Ice cream shop for a finish.
To wrap this up, on one of the Fridays after a skate I meet up with a friend to bar hop. I’m sweaty and carrying my skate bag thus look like a scrub. We go north to a place called Zeba Bar. Get intro’d to several solid humans then go upstairs for dancing. Leave my buddy upstairs to explore downstairs some. Theres a commotion on the patio. I move closer to see a giant man in a clean white tee…covered in blood. A group of people get kicked out. “That’s wild.” I say to a stranger then go back upstairs. Then I come back down to get a drink and hear “Pop!…Pop! Pop! Pop!Pop!Pop!Pop!Pop!Pop!” And see a crow of people running towards me in the back. “They shooting!” Someone yells. As people run into the bathroom I try to follow, but the doors are locked. So I gingerly jog back upstairs where I stay until the place closes. My friend seems 100% unphased by this. The cops come, everyone leaves, I went to IHOP for french toast. Good night overall.
