Holei Sea Arch on the Big Island.

We drove the road to Hana and it was harrowing. I do not know why that trip is a recommended trip. After being terrified of one lane bridges on hair-pin turns and assholes not paying a lick of attention, you end up here which is pretty but not worth it.

Also, Lahaina is heart-breaking.

Kauai is magnificently beautiful. I recommend. This is Spouting Horn.

So we didn’t die, obviously, and then hit some smoother air. Everyone on the plane decided they had to pee and I am somehow gifted with sitting practically in the toilet since I’m always at the rear of the plane for work trips. I saw nearly everyone on that flight get up and use the bathroom. After the 5th or 6th hour on the plane, I actually went too. Let me tell you as soon as the seatbelt light went off I was like an Olympic runner because at some point the girl sitting right next to the toilet should get to use it and screw everyone who had been every time the seatbelt light went off.

Did you notice the 5th or 6th hour part above? Did you say to yourself, you live in Richmond and were flying to Denver?? Yeah, the math doesn’t work on a normal day. This wasn’t a normal day. After nearly dying, we learned heavy snow hit the Denver airport and so we flew in circles and had to land in Grand Junction, CO to refuel. There were several big-ass planes on the tarmac at basically an airstrip. I’m sure all those big-ass planes used all the fuel and sorry, not sorry Grand Junction planes. Suck it.

We landed in Denver and then had to wait for a gate. Then had to wait for someone to push the freaking jetway to the plane. At some point we were told sit down, buckle up and hold it because the lavatory was full and no more snacks or water because we ain’t got none or you people can’t pee so we aren’t going to hydrate you–whatever. I was happy not to have someone’s nervous crotch or ass in my face. The back of the plane stank. After 10 hours on the plane, we disembarked. The pilots and flight attendants did well. Most of the passengers did well. At one point a flight attendant ran down the aisle. No one fell into the aisle so I really don’t know what that was about, but it is not a good day when a flight attendant acts like they are worried.

We were delayed in Denver because, of course, we were. We thought we were being smart by choosing a flight that was a bit earlier than the one we were re-booked on, but that other plane, the one we chose not to take to Vegas, left before the earlier one. I’m thinking the only reason that happened was because 4 of us were trying to get to Vegas for work. Our bags were on that earlier plane. So I guess it all worked out because we finally all got to our hotel at the same time. We missed our walk through meeting with the hotel because it took us eleventy-billion hours to get to Vegas. We ate dinner, went to bed and woke up at o’dark thirty to prep the conference room for our meeting. Meeting was successful.

Other things:

• Finally played slots and didn’t win. I thought I did but then I played the second night and finally called it quits after the machines basically said thanks for the cash, idiot. My friend and I did each score one watered down free drink so that achievement was unlocked.
• Saw one very bedraggled Elvis.
• The Bellagio fountain never disappoints.
• The people watching was fantastic.

We ducked into Reading Terminal Market thinking we could get some lunch and OH MY GOOD LORD. Nope. We found our way back out and then made our way to the hotel. We checked in and then found the Sassafras Bar. Saints preserve us, Danny took great care of us. We had a soft pretzel, fries with garlic aioli and marinated olives. Lunch of such health. The drinks were kicking too. Then we napped. It was rainy and gross so spending time in a bar and then an hour nap totally felt justified.

Dinner was at Karma and it’s been too long since we ate Indian that we decided we need to go more often. The neighborhood where we stayed was pretty happening. Lots of bars, restaurants, museums, things to do. Although, at some point we were clearly the oldest people at Karma, but that was OK.

Saturday we packed all of our sightseeing into a few hours and walked nearly 10 miles. By the time we called it a night, I was struggling to walk up a flight of stairs. Quick list:
Liberty Bell

Schuylkill River walked along it to the Philadelphia Museum of Art and watched the end of a Rocky Run–we did not run up the steps, but we did walk up them and also did not make the gesture of the double fist pump.
Mutter Museum which was fascinating and wigged me out.
Lunch from Campo’s–pretty good cheese steak and a classic Italian hoagie which we split in half and then ate the remainder on the train home today.
Walk along Penn’s Landing

Cocktails and excellent popcorn at Royal Boucherie
Dinner at Spasso Italian Grill. The veal porcini was delicious. The better-half enjoyed his chicken parm.

Easy peasy trip home on the train and a happy cat at the door.

What an amazing place. It was packed with visitors but we enjoyed the exhibits. Enjoyed is a weird word because that museum presents how awful the experience has been. So in this sense enjoyed means it’s good to be uncomfortable sometimes especially when seeing the world from a different perspective.

Afterwards we went for a drink or two at Allegory.

We had dinner at Corduroy and it was fantastic.

We laid around in bed reading on Saturday morning because we never get to do that and it was raining pretty hard. We went to Unconventional Diner for brunch and then we scoped out the Wharf area. In spite of the rain we were able to see some of the cherry blossoms across the water.

Then it was off to the Rubbel museum. As soon as we walked in, one of my favorites:

We took the metro out to Arlington and visited the the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington. It is a small venue but powerful art. We were feeling peaked and since it was a Saturday we took the train to Foggy Bottom, and sat at the bar at Circa. We watched people, the TVs, drank a couple beers and split a mushroom flatbread.

Dinner was at Tortino’s and they surprised us with a happy anniversary dessert. I had forgotten I put that information into my Open Table account. I guess the reservation got flagged. It was surprising and the gelato was delicious.

Breakfast on Sunday was at Baker’s Daughter which was pretty good. Then we got to Union Station via the metro and caught our train home.

The food got high marks this weekend. The low spot was a restaurant in Chinatown that was pretty mediocre. Good hot and sour, but otherwise meh.

We took the train and then rode the Charm City Circulator to get to the hotel and most of the rest of our transportation was by foot or ride share.

For the most part the food was fine and honestly the taco joint on plastic plates was my favorite. That and the Cafe Poupon’s coffee was stellar.

Let it be said how much I love riding the train. The better-half and I have loose plans to take another trip north and plan on the train.

Restaurant list:
Tir Ana Nog
Cafe Gia
Cafe Poupon
Taco Fiesta
Rusty Scupper