Garrett had downloaded an application our iPhones that accessed maps for the Metro. It was great. We rode the Metro to Union Station. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, my first subway ride was in D.C. and the worker was so nice. I think it's cool that Max's first ride was in D.C. as well. Also, just as they'd been on my first visit (20 years ago) all of the workers were extremely nice, friendly, and helpful. The Metro is really clean, too. I didn't see any debris or rats on the tracks. Plus, it didn't have the same smell as NJ Transit.
Once we reached Union Station, Garrett walked over to a line and stood in it. Unfortunately, it was not the proper tour. The line we needed to stand in was long. We waited at least half an hour. While Max and I hung out, Garrett went to Starbucks and returned. I downed a chai frappucino before we reached the front of the line. The tickets were $35 a piece. They assured us that taking a stroller on board wouldn't be a problem.
Yeah, right.
We went outside and stood in yet another line. We missed the first trolley because it was rather crowded, and we didn't think we could break down the stroller in time. Soon, Max let me know he was hungry. I'd already changed him in the Union Station bathroom, and there was no place to nurse him. Garrett urged me to go to the large statue in front of the station--where people were snapping pictures--to nurse. Unfortunately, it appeared to be the best option. Part of it was a bench of some sort, and I had purchased a nursing cape recently, so I ventured forth, praying a bum wasn't hanging out in the partially hidden corner of the statue. Max wasn't even halfway finished when Garrett called to tell me the next trolley was on its way. Max and I scrambled across the street. Garrett and I almost had the stroller ready to go and people kept pushing past us to get on the trolley. We weren't fast enough. The trolley was full and we were left standing on the sidewalk with our useless tickets and time wasted.
Garrett said, "I knew this wasn't going to work."
That did it.
"You did, huh?" I snapped, "Well, you should have said something earlier."
Garrett isn't one to complain much, so I should have just ignored it. I'm sure he'd already ignored several of my snide remarks by that point. But the stress of having people wait in line behind me as I changed my son on a filthy changing table that I wiped down before placing our changing pad on top of it and then nursing in public while tourists clicked their cameras was more than I could handle. After all, we were supposed to be having a fun family vacation.
I took off with Max and the stroller, and Garrett must have thought I was crazy. I marched us right up to the line we'd stood in for so long and started selling our tickets. Guess what? No one carries cash these days. I'd reached the front of the line and a mother and daughter visiting from Italy before I was able to sell the tickets. I'm sure everyone thought I was some sort of lunatic ticket scalper using my baby as an angle.
Still, the morning wasn't a complete waste. Check out who we met in Union Station:
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