USA 1982 Washington

 It was all night peaceful drive, we arrived in Washington around 5 a.m.

After having some snack and drink we went to the luggage office, produced our tickets.
- Is it your luggage?

- Yes.
- It is impossible, the bus with your luggage will arrive in 2 hours. How come you are already here?
Suspicion sounded in the last question.
There was nothing to do but wait. We felt on us suspicious eyes from the luggage area all the time.

On the other hand we got our own suspicions.
It looked like many of people in the waiting room were homeless or misplaced.
Every few minutes a taxi arrived, quite smartly dressed gentleman got out. He cruised around the waiting room, sometimes sat down for a while and after few minutes was picked up by another taxi.
It was even worse in the male toilet.
From time to time a security man armed with something like a baseball bat entered the toilet with great noise. He ran around the cabins and if the door was not locked, he bang into it with the bat and only then looked carefully inside.

I was not feeling very comfortably. I got some doubts whether it will be safe to board taxi in such a place, but forgot my worries when a bus with our luggage arrived.

We got our luggage, but not without presenting our id documents first and  safely reached our hotel.

Next few days was a kaleidoscope of various exciting places and events.
We noticed a poster that El Greco paintings exhibition is held in the National Gallery of Art.
Too great to miss.
Luckily our children were also impressed.
And there was a reward. At lunchtime we visited the canteen and there some meat was served with rich servings of boiled potatoes and cabbage.
- Like in Poland - said Michael.
- More? - asked the attendant.
- More - confirmed Michael.
Few spoons more and the attendant hesitated...
- More - commanded Michael.
The attendant looked questioningly into our eyes.
- More - was the answer.

Exhibition of dinosaurs, another enjoyable experience...

Then we planned a visit to Smithsonian Institute, but Michael got more sublime preferences.
- What about going again to the El Greco exhibition?

We were surprised and impressed with artistic interest of our children so happily agreed.
Lunch was as satisfactory as the previous day.

Arlington Cemetery...

 Capitol Hill, finally the White House.
We were very touched when we found a statue of Polish national hero - T. Kosciuszko - there.
He was considered one of four most distingueshed generals of the American Independence War...

T. Kosciuszko at the end of his service was awarded massive rural properties. When he was leaving US  going back to Poland, he returned them back to the American government with one condition - free all the slaves employed there.

The irony of current, better informed times, is that during June 2020 riots this statue was vandalized.

Luckily in 1982 we did not look so far in the future, our next step was to travel North, hopefully to Niagara Falls.
I visited the Hertz office to hire a car. they took me to the airport, I found a suitable vehicle and proceeded to the office.
- You will pay by a credit card?

- No, I do not have one, I pay cash.
I noticed confusion on the faces of the clerks.
- But sir, we are not taking cash, it must be a credit card or bank transfer.
- What a joke, you drove me all the way to the airport to tell me this?

Some officials were called in, they took copies of my passport and plane tickets and eventually the transaction was finalised.
Strange,

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