Vacation notes

Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk some more. ... If I had to sum up why it's taken me this long to post after returning home on Thursday, I'd have to blame it on all the walking we did in D.C. It was so much fun, but I was absolutely worn out!!

So, here's a few notes from my D.C. trip:

1. There's an entire memorial dedicated to Franklin Delano Roosevelt — and it's definitely one I wish I'd known about on my previous visits to the city. It covers the era in which he served as president, including the Great Depression, with a depiction of a breadline and an elderly couple with furrowed brows standing outside their front door. With FDR's quotes carved into the stone in each "room" of the memorial, his words still have a very profound message ... "The structure of world peace cannot be the work of one man, or one party, or one nation. It must be a peace which rests on the cooperative effort of the whole world." There was also a portion dedicated to Elanor, who I've always admired. Go see this memorial the next time you're there; it's definitely worth it.

2. Two Diet Cokes at the Natural Histrory Museum cost more than 5 Diet Cokes at any fast food restaurant in Chattanooga. The profits go to a great cause, but I was shocked to shell out more than $6 for two (flat) soft drinks.

3. 50 cents is a hot commodity in Chinatown. Everyone seems to urgently need 50 cents there — and they're not afraid to ask multiple times for the money. I guess we truly looked like tourists, but when someone says "I'm sorry" once, you'd think they'd move on to the next potential 50-cent holder.

4. If you want a really amazing burger, head over to Matchbox on H Street in Chinatown. Seriously ... it was the best burger I've ever had. They're known for their pizzas baked in a wood-fired oven, and they looked absolutely delish, too! The restaurant, itself, was very cool. The very narrow 3-story building didn't feel cramped at all and was warm and inviting, yet hip and fun.

5. The one-day Metro pass is the way to go. For only $6.50, you can ride which ever line to where ever you choose from 9:30 a.m. until closing all day long. That's a steal — especially when your hotel is in Fairfax.

6. Speaking of hotels, the Holiday Inn Express in Fairfax was pretty impressive. It had recently been completely renovated and had a flat-screen TV, marble counter tops and very nice bedding. It was much less than staying inside the city, obviously, and only two miles from the Metro station.

I'm sure I've got more things stored in my brain, but I've got to get ready for a St. Patty's Day wedding!! Gotta run!