As much as I hoped to reenact the famous opening scene of Hairspray on a beautiful Sunday morning, I ended up arriving at Dulles International Airport at 5:00PM in the evening.
Philippine Airlines decided to wait a tad bit longer before taking off, causing me to miss my 21:28 San Francisco flight to Baltimore. Immigration check took long, baggage claim took longer, and so my flight bid me goodbye before I could get to it.
I was frantic, scared, and alone. I didn’t know what to do, who to go to, or where to go to get off the airport. I probably spent P2,000+ worth of data just calling my sister and Jayson for help.
It was devastating for a first-time overseas flyer like me.
Though I did manage to get off the plane and be with my Aunt, it’s definitely a lesson learned for all of us. San Francisco International Airport has officially earned its place in my bank of memories.
I spent the majority of my layover time roaming the airport halls and gazing at the artwork. I’m glad they’ve used their spaces to give people something to appreciate while they’re waiting.
When I got off the plane at DC, my aunt finally picked me up and hoped to show me around the memorial sites before we headed back to see Uncle Michael at their historic home in Annapolis, Maryland.
Sadly, the weather decided to troll me further, so it poured while we were driving around the city taking bad photos of the sites.
Well, it’s better than nothing.
We visited:
- United States Institute of Peace
- Arlington Cemetery
- Lincoln Memorial
- Air Force Memorial
- Arlington Memorial Bridge
These are just scratches on the surface, but it’s the best we could do in such bad weather. Hopefully, Jayson and I will be able to visit and do some real sightseeing in the future.
Old Town Alexandria
My aunt, Ai Bea, took me to one of her favorite seafood restaurants called Chart House. It’s situated by the boardwalk where boats of all shapes and sizes dock. It overlooks the river, which we were able to see from a good viewpoint thanks to the kind staff who seated us by the window.
At Chart House, Alexandria
Meet Abby the Maine Coon ❤️
It’s good to see Ai Bea after more than 10 years since my last visit. I finally got to see her beautiful historical home, but couldn’t take photos because it was dark and late when we arrived.
Uncle Michael welcomed me with a warm smile and hug, and took us in after a long day out. I couldn’t stop staring at the wooden furniture dating hundreds of years ago. It gave the house a cozy ambience.
I’m glad I got here safely, and look forward to my stay for the next five days.
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