Today was off to an interesting start. To start things off, I had a 8:30 Breakfast meeting and a 12:00 noon lunch meeting - So I was wondering how best to plan my eating schedule today - as it turned out it worked out fine and moderation is key.
On the way to the lobby this morning the elevator stopped at the 9th floor – a 40-50 year old woman pulling a wheely bag got on. I smiled and wished her a good morning. This is a fairly uncommon practice as it seems that most people in DC do not talk to the other people on the elevator – I am continuing to attempt to break this trend, after all these people are my ‘neighbors’.
When I got to the lobby I took my laundry to the front desk for the laundry service to pick up - our laundry comes on Tuesdays and Thursdays - or so I thought. When I attempted to give my laundry to the front desk they looked at me like I was crazy - and promptly said that laundry is on Monday and Thursday. Since when I asked - oh since last Thursday - July 3rd. Oh my well how was I to know?! Apparently they switched laundry providers this week but didn't bother to notify anyone. Odd. There was additional confusion because I had taken a few wire shirt hangers and hung up my dirty clothes on them – in an attempt to ‘be green’ and recycle the old wire hangers instead of just throwing them away. The lady at the front desk was somehow convinced that I was giving her clean laundry. I finally asked her –lady why would I give you CLEAN laundry – that doesn’t make any sense… Oh well..
Anyways I make my way to the Metro and miss the first train by mere seconds – thanks to a woman who was in front of me with a HUGE bag. As I am standing waiting for the next train the lady from the elevator (with the wheely bag) walks by and next thing I know I hear a large thud – a very large thud considering I heard it over my iPod. The poor lady had slipped and fallen on the Metro platform and her bag went spewing away from her - luckily she was okay and the bag didn’t fall off the platform. I raced over to help her and see if she was okay. She was – and we jumped on the train and went on our merry way.
When I reached Dupont Circle – I was rocking to my iPod – as I was going up the escalator I heard this terrible noise – I turned off the iPod and realized it was people playing Cannon by Pachelbel - oh my only in DC – see video below.
After our first meeting, we Metro’d back to Union Station. During this process we began to ponder what the Capital of Pennsylvania was – Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Hershey, Erie etc… Hmm I wished my little sister was there because I knew that she would have known immediately. So we finally get on the Metro and all of a sudden this announcer comes on – and he sounds British. (See video Below) I was wondering – what is going on here, is this some type of job-swap with the folks from the Underground or what… I was honestly waiting for him to call out Piccadilly Circus as the next stop. I have often pondered what it would be like to be a Metro driver – I think I would make up different voices just to goof around – one day I am British, the next day I am Eric Cartman. Oh my… Quite a Day
Well that is all for now – and just in case you are wondering – the Capital of Pennsylvania is Harrisburg.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
An Interesting Day
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Polish in Baltimore
Baltimore used to have a thriving Polish population. However, as the prices started to climb the Poles slowly moved out. I did not find any Polish beer while visiting - however there is a Katyn Massacre Memorial in Baltimore - information about the Massacre is below.
The Katyń Massacre
In 1918, Poland regained her independence after enduring three partitions and domination for 123 years by Russia, Prussia, and Austria. Barely 21 years later, on September 1, 1939 Nazi Germany invaded Poland from the west, triggering the Second World War. On September 17, the Soviet Union, in cooperation with the Nazis and without a declaration of war, invaded and occupied eastern Poland. Thus, Poland was partitioned a fourth time. In spite of having been only partially mobilized because of strong pressure from its Allies, England and France, Polish forces valiantly fought both invaders for weeks before being overwhelmed and forced to lay down their arms.
Both occupiers ruled by terror against the Polish people. The Soviets deported some 1.5 million Polish citizens to Siberia. They seized some 250,000 Polish military personnel and sent over 20,000 army, navy, air force and frontier-guard officers to three prison camps in the Soviet Union: Kozielsk, Starobielsk, and Ostashkov. Most of these officers were reservists: doctors, professors, school teachers, lawyers, judges, civil servants, priests, ministers, and rabbis. They were Poland's leaders and thinkers, the flower of Polish intelligentsia. They were men of all faiths; but to hardened Communists they were class enemies and, therefore, enemies of the Soviet Union.
Through the severe winter of 1939-40, the prisoners defied political indoctrination and endured interrogations by the Soviet secret police (NKVD) about their backgrounds and their political views. In March they were ordered to gather their belongings and were told they were being returned to Poland. For the next few weeks, day after day, 200-300 of them were taken away by train. They were then transferred to special prison buses, locked singly into cramped cubicles and taken deep into the Russian forests. There, each victim's hands were tied behind his back and, if he struggled, he was bayoneted and sawdust was thrust into his mouth to subdue him. His greatcoat was pulled over his head and a second cord was tied around his neck. The cord was passed down the back, looped around the bound hands, and tied again at the neck so that every move of resistance only tightened the noose. Then, one-by-one, each prisoner was murdered with a pistol shot to the back of the head.
It was not until the collapse of the Soviet Union that the truth was acknowledged. In 1989, the head of the Communist Party broadly admitted Soviet guilt. In 1991, other mass graves were uncovered near Kharkov and in Mednoye. These graves contained the bodies of the murdered officers from the Starobielsk and Ostashkov camps. In 1992, the Russian President released to Poland secret documents, including the death sentences signed by Stalin and by the head of the NKVD at the time of the atrocities. The world finally knew the truth after 50 years of lies and deception.
For More information CLICK HERE
Wiki-Article
Baltimore, Maryland
Enjoyed the day in Baltimore - and then headed off to Little Italy for a fantastic dinner. For more information on Baltimore CLICK HERE
Friday, July 4, 2008
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Hello from Alexandria, Virginia
Headed down to Alexandria, Virginia for an afternoon of fun. Wonderful history - Robert E. Lee's Childhood home, a bar that was frequented by George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, and a beautiful view of the river. For more information check out the links below:
Wikipedia Link
City of Alexandria Virginia Website
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
So Long New Mexico!
Had a great time here in New Mexico - heading back to DC now for the 4th of July