Another work day for me.  Another sightseeing day for Helen and co.  My day started at 7am with breakfast with the Brits.  First time I have ever seen anyone from the UK up at 7am. Fortunately I was hungry at 7am because I had woken up at 5:30am.  At least it is getting slightly later each day. After breakfast I had a task force meeting on Ethics (for 2 hours), then another 1 hour 30 minute telecon with the UK office (#bigphonebill) followed by lunch and more networking.

H, M & C though went off sightseeing again. They covered off the American History Museum (which includes Abe’s hat though Helen said she didn’t see it … #missedthebigattraction), Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument (which is closed still from the 2011 Earthquake damage) and the Vietnam Memorial.  As you can see it was another clear day though still quite cold. Nothing in Washington is close by and so it involves a lot of walking between sights.  For instance, it is 1.1 miles from the Washington to Lincoln Memorials. When they got back after lunch (which they had at the all American must-have-at-least-once-while-in-America MacDonalds), they were all tired and ready for an afternoon nap. I was ready to get out of the hotel given that I had spent the whole day inside.

I eventually gave up and woke Helen up at 4:15pm and we headed out to Georgetown which is a short taxi trip away from the hotel. Chloe wanted to go to Georgetown Cupcakes (https://www.georgetowncupcake.com).  It has apparently famous because it has it’s own TV show. There is a perpetual queue (or as American’s say – line) outside the store. Michael and Chloe lined up to get the famous cupcakes while Helen and I went to Dean & Deluca (a food and home store).

Georgetown is very quaint.  Most of the buildings are brown brick. It is definitely an upmarket area. There are also very few overweight people. Usually I wouldn’t remark on that sort of thing but when I come to America I expect to see many obese people and so when you don’t, it is noticeable. We did some more shopping at the other-must-go-to-store – Apple. Helen bought herself a new phone because her current iPhone is pretty battered and abused and it was 30% cheaper buying an iPhone in the US than at home. They even setup the phone for her (including transferring her contacts and other info) in about 10 minutes. Hopefully she won’t lose the Yellow Submarine iPhone she now owns.

We headed for dinner and ended up at Clyde’s – same place we ate in Georgetown when we were here last as a family (with my parents – @Mom&Dad – do you remember the restaurant?). Big portions as usual, free refills of softdrinks, beer in the bottle – no glass offered. Good service, nice atmosphere, good food and excellent beer (Samuel Adams Lager – another one of my must-dos when in the US).

After dinner some more shopping. I bought a pair of jeans from Urban Outfitters. Helen was impressed because she said it is a very hip store. Not sure why she was impressed because clearly I am hip. She’s been married to me for over 20 years now and she is surprised I am hip – seriously I don’t understand women!

Cab back to the hotel so that they could enjoy their cupcakes for desert. Apparently they were amazing (I don’t eat cupcakes because I am a healthy eater) but then at R175 ($16) for 6 cupcakes they had better be the best cupcakes they have ever eaten.

Now Helen is channel flipping on the TV. Helen should not be allowed access to the remote when we travel in the US.  Her first choice is to watch the Weather channel. Failing that it is the food channel (which she is on now). If I am lucky we get CNN for a short time. American TV is worth a whole blog in itself. Actually American TV adverts are worth a blog by themselves. But I will keep that for another day. I’m just glad that the Protea’s didn’t lose to Netherlands today in their World T20 Cricket match. We have breakfast with the Dutch tomorrow and that would have been embarrassing.