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Entry Three: Saturday, June 12, 2004

We are twenty minutes out from landing at the Baltimore Airfield. Upon arrival, our entourage will take over a bus and head to the car rental for the three vans that will transport us around the D.C. area. Clouds are forming. My ears hurt. It is about 1000, and the ground temperature is a humid 68 degrees Fahrenheit! Perhaps I will get a tan. Signing out—Agent 520

Entry Four: Saturday, June 12, 2004

Everything has gone as planned. The large group is now en route to the downtown area to see the capital building. I am presently enjoying the coolness of the Dodge Caravan's air conditioning, as I am not yet accustomed to the heat. We left the luggage at the Howard-Johnson Express Inn (we laughingly call it a half-star) after stopping at a Denny's for lunch. I found the time is three hours faster than at home in Seattle, Washington. At least the Inn has a decent pool.

Outside my window, the University of Maryland's campus seems to be pleasant enough and the old houses in the D.C.-proper area are simply gorgeous. They are all different, unique in color and design from one another. Signing out—Agent 520

Entry Five: Sunday, June 13, 2004

Continuing from yesterday, the group and I went through town to the capital building; I had no idea that there would be guards literally everywhere. Stopping at the reflection pool in front of the capital building, one could look up to see the monument of Grant staring boldly down from his horse. On either side of this great president's statue, other Civil War veterans, carved in bronze, surge against each other in a last, forever battle.

While the sun set over the western horizon, I journeyed with the rest of the group to the Jefferson Memorial, climbing the stairs to see the large statue and to read his famous speeches, then descending below to visit the gift shop. The sunset over the reflection pool was absolutely magnificent. In the distance, I could see the towering, impressive Washington Monument, an object of great interest, as it is very large and rarely missed. When dusk fell, two airplane lights blinked unnervingly from the tip of the monument, creating an illusion of a pair of red, beady eyes.

Before venturing back to the hotel, our caravan of Dodges tried to stop at the Lincoln Memorial, but was unsuccessful in reaching the goal, as every other tourist had the same idea. Soon after exiting the area, the Dodge I was in somehow got separated from the rest of the group. In the D.C.-proper area, streets are not cut into perfect city blocks as they should be, but instead are spread out from the capital building in diagonals, like a pizza. This confusion led to a twenty-minute car-chasing panic through the city. Scary. Then we ate at Applebee's.

Today was our trip to Gettysburg—after a coffee. Signing out—Agent 520

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