The Riches Under Ground in DC

All over the city there are entrances to DC under ground where we can park our gleaming vehicles safe from the weather, fender benders, thieves, and parking ticket ladies. Down fluorescent-lit, hot and fumy, steeply curved ramps we hide away our cars while we go off and shop, or work, or whatever.  But you do have to calculate in the time it takes to park and retrieve the vehicle whenever you plan an activity, one of which is to be waiting for your car to be brought to you. In fact, I'm sorry to say that I have driven my car a couple of times downtown, parked it underground and gone home on the bus forgetting about my beloved car altogether!  I always feel a bit sheepish about picking it up the next day but I know it's been well taken care of and at least I knew where it was once I got home and hubster asked "honey, where's your car?" Another odd thing is that all these entrances and ramps downward look very similar and there's been a few times when I forgot which underground garage I parked in or how to get back into the garage to retrieve the vehicle. Sometimes the stairways and elevators open up into another building above ground or there's no apparent pedestrian way out of the depths.  Then, of course, there's the problem of remembering which floor level it was parked on if you are allowed to self-park.  There's something very odd about wandering about in an underground parking lot looking for your car even if you do have an electronic key that you can beep for the car. There's just been too many movies or urban legends where people get run over or robbed or shot in parking lots and something about the low ceilings and minimal lighting creates a scary atmosphere. These garages are deep, and if you've seen a building constructed you know how big the hole in the ground is when they plan for these. There's a whole world in DC that's underground, filled with shining metal objects worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in the aggregate, guarded by very few custodians, and that we just take for granted as part of our 21st century world. Just imagine, for instance, trying to explain an underground car parking lot to Leonardo Da Vinci, or Genghis Khan or someone even a hundred years ago. They'd probably say it wasn't possible, even if they understood its feasibility. Another amazing wonder of our city.

Buses Are Hidden Secret of Getting around DC

Even though I sometimes grump about the Metro bus system here in DC, I have to say overall I really enjoy going by bus because I can pretty much go anywhere I want and not have to wait too long. Also, I'm slightly claustrophobic in tunnels so the underground Metro isn't for me. And busses are cheaper by at least 75 cents per ride. Because I'm familiar with at least five or six bus routes I know which ones to hop on for short rides across town. Today, rather than take a cab, I left a meeting, crossed the street, a bus was waiting, I got on and it took me to within a block and half of where I wanted to go. That's fine by me. Door-to-door is luxury and doesn't help me get the daily walking exercise I need. Bus riding really isn't for when I'm in a big hurry as it requires a little planning and allowance for time. With the new "Next Bus" system, you can call and find out when the next bus is going to arrive at a particular stop, but you have to know the bus stop Code Number and if you are not standing at it you won't know it. I've got the Next Bus phone number programmed into my cell phone and use that to reassure myself I won't be waiting forever. Most of the buses on the routes I take have been upgraded or are the new models so the air-conditioning is spanking cold and the seats haven't been messed up by CARELESS INSENSITIVE people spilling their drinks so the condition of the bus is good. See blog on Thirsty Bus Passengers. The worst is to get onto a bus in the summer without air conditioning, with the windows jammed shut by CARELESS INSENSITIVE people sticking their chewed gum into the window ledge, and somehow the HEAT IS ON. That's murder! The buses are all accessible too so it's easy for wheelchair users to get on and off with the newer folding-out ramps. I also like the view from bus windows and see and learn more about the city that way. Thank God for buses that work and are cool in the summer!