Segways in the City

Life is definitely about perspective. Yesterday I reflected on how different Washington, DC seemed based on my own life perspective- as a teen, as a young adult and as a 30ish career girl. So to continue with this basic theme, I decided to take a look at the city from yet another perspective…from the wheels of a segway!

After several days of conference seminars, it was time to hit the city. I found a willing partner in crime and we headed out for a tour of the city. We had a great instructor who showed us the basics. Pink helmet on my head…looking very sporty, I must admit I felt a little intimidated by the two wheels vehicle. I heard all of the bad stuff that could happen if we leaned the wrong way or went too fast…Yikes. But I reminded that I had seen many many old folks touring around cities on these vehicles.

Do you remember when segways were unveiled? I remember the announcement being made on the today’s show (2001). Matt Lauer announcing to the world that these new vehicles would revolutionize the way we Americans and the world traverse to and from work, around cities, etc.  Guess that prediction was wrong. You may see a few tourists and a policeman or two cruising around on these things, but that’s about as far as this revolutionizing phenomenon goes.

Back to my adventure…I hopped on the segway and began circling our little area. Not bad. Not too hard. Actually the hardest part was getting on and off. My new friend, a Scottish gent, and I scooted all over the city, visiting all of the major monuments.  We had a BLAST. The segway tour is a MUST for any big city.

We visited the WW II memorial and the Roosevelt memorial- a first for me. When I lived in DC, the WW II memorial was quite a controversy. Many were vehmently opposed to the location, fearing it would interfere with the view from the Lincoln Memorial to the Washington Monument. I have to admit, it does interrupt the veranda…but in a fabulous way. I think the memorial is a beautiful tribute to those who served our country.

A fun adventure with a new friend. I highly recommend the segway tour!

BIG CITY…smalltown girl

My first visit to Washington DC was in 1989. We took the train from North Carolina to DC for my class trip. It was the first time I had ever visited a big city and I fell in love with our nation’s capitol. I think we were here for about 5 days and we visited every monument and most of the appropriate museums. I fell in love with the busy streets, the metro, the bustle of people, the monuments, the beautiful architecture, the restaurants (though I am sure we ate at really crappy ones- they seemed to this small town girl to be so sophisticated.), the smells of a city, the street vendors…everything. I knew that DC would be my home one day. I remember telling mom and dad that I was going to live in DC one day. So when I graduated from college, we loaded up the U-Haul and I moved to DC.

The DC of my early 20’s was quite different. I never really felt like I lived in a big city. I hated the metro and chose to drive or take cabs everywhere and I most certainly never went down to the mall unless someone was visiting and wanted to see the sites. But for sure I knew trendiest bars and hot spots…YOU BET. It’s so weird, I never really felt like I lived in a big city. I didn’t notice the hustle and I guess I became accustomed to the smell. It felt so small. I honestly can’t believe that I roamed all over this city like it was Mayberry!

Fastforward…I am a tourist again. And DC through my 30ish eyes seems scary and big and crowded and not friendly. The architecture and lure of history is still here, but I can’t believe that I lived in this BIG bustling city…and I liked it. I just can’t get over the fact that I jetted around this city. It doesn’t seem real.

I am staying near the convention center in an area of town that really was sketchy and scary when I lived here. I am not really all that familiar with this part of town, so exploring this afternoon brought me down streets that I have never explored. When I lived here, this part of town did have some high rises with businesses but there wasn’t much residential and certainly not any shopping. Today, there is all kinds of shopping and restaurants. The city may seem so different because I am in a different part of town, but even Georgetown, my beloved favorite spot, seemed dirtier and busier!

So today, I explored DC with a new grown-up set of eyes. Visiting some of my favorite spots and some new ones. In my three years here I never just took a stroll on the mall. This afternoon was the perfect time for a stroll. After being cooped inside meeting rooms all day, I desperately needed to stretch my legs. It has been extremely hot here, record highs, and let me just say…Americans are not pretty on a good day….so on record high days…wow….Note to all Americans…just because you are vaca doesn’t mean you should dress as though you are doing yard work! Anyway- I strolled the mall, enjoyed the fresh air and said a little thank you that I now call Gville home!