The White House

I've always imagined the White House.... well, not surrounded by buildings!

Let's back up here... I went to visit Erika in DC (Alexandria, VA). Across the street from her apartment is the Metro. So when I flew in, late Thursday night, I knew I'd be on my own for Friday. My plan was to take the Metro and check out the memorials. The next three days we'd spend venturing out together. I cross the street to the metro and realize it's completely different than the L in Chicago or Metro in Rome. I now need to figure out where I am exactly and where I am going. Finally, I'm on my way. {By the way... the DC Metro, the blue and yellow lines will run the same track and same with the green, red, and orange}. I arrive to my destination, to see the Vietnam Memorial Wall! I figure it cannot be too hard to find once I get off the metro but it seems the people I ask have no clue where the memorials are. HELLO DC... the memorials are kind of big! I find a security officer and she gives me directions and tells me it's going to be a long walk, a really long walk! I go straight to 21st St. Take a left to E St. Keep walking to 17th St. All of a sudden, sirens go off and a police car is stopping traffic to my right! Police officers are crossing into the street and to my right, traffic is being stopped by another police car. Police on motorcycles come from across the street! Two men behind me are telling the police officer their hands are out of their pockets!!! I look at the police officer and tell him I am new to let me know what to do. He says to just stay where I am. Behind me, the two men are talking and I begin to realize this I may actually live. I ask this nice police officer, who does not even smile the entire time, if it's a photo opportunity and he says "probably". So I take out my camera {yes, from my purse and I assure you that police office watched the entire time as I was reaching into my purse}. I quickly snap a photo of this....... I did not even realize the car had passed because once I put the camera down, I was too intrigued by all of the secret service vehicles, which were following this car....

The nice men behind me explain this is not the President, could be the Vice President or someone else. Meanwhile, I still have no idea where I am at and my only goal at this point is the Vietnam Wall! I have seen the top of the Washington Memorial so I know I am getting close but being my first time to DC, I do not have my bearings yet. Once I am able to keep walking, I turn to look back and there is the White House!