We arrivd at Washington D.C. today, capital of United States. Long way from Santa Cruz to here, Wrong way many times in Washington D.C., Big city, complicates traffics. But I could visit some beautiful places in Washington D.C. particular I was happy to visit Washington Monument, reflecting pool, which I saw the movie of Forest Gump! I had not known about that monument was located in Washington D.C. Tonight we home-stayed at Mark Ferrara's home, Latin language teacher, he took me some memorial places, around in Washington D.C. and showed me, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial. Thank you so much, Mark!
Long day today, 10hours 30minutes.... Oops. I woke up 5:10a.m., started from Fredericksburg at 8:00a.m. and arrived at Washington D.C. at 6:30p.m. After breakfast, I took some photos of bamboo bike2 in the garden of Steve's home. There were some bamboo plants there, it was interesting to me. I heard that bamboo garden was popular around here. Bamboo bike2 also seemed happy to meet friends. It was chilly morning in Fredericksburg, grass was frost, and bamboo bike2 was frost. We said bye-bye to Steve, his dogs, cats and bamboo in his garden, thank you so much, Steve! I prayed our safety to God of Bamboo.
The road were not hilly today, we enjoyed biking, we passed Independent Hill, Dale City and Occoquan. In Occoquan, a city near Dale City we met Bobbie, a security patrol guy, when I had wrong way to went into the government area he stopped us. We talked for some time, he had been lived in Tokyo for 14years, we talked about Japaese foods, economics, and bamboo in Japanese. I felt nostalgia for Japan because we spoke Japanese and talked about Japan. We said bye-bye to Bobbie, "Mata Aimasho" (See you again!). The traffic was getting complcated, meant we were getting close the big city, Washington D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York. At Tulley Gate I was checked ID, passed Mt.Vernon, Alexandria, Arlington, cross Arlington Bridge, and arrived at Washington D.C. I saw beautiful sun floating above the Potomac River.
Though I lost way many times in Washington D.C. I could arrived at Mark's home at 6:30p.m. Mark hosted us tonight, cooked roast pork to us, delicious. After dinner Mark was so kind that took me around Washington D.C., Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, Washington Monument. I could see many cherry trees around Jefferson Memorial. As a Japanese I felt happy to hear the story that those cherry trees were given from Japan. I wonder if the people around here enjoy looking cherry blossom ("Ohanami" in Japanese). I sang a song "Sakura" with Mark. After coming back home, we talked about Japanese language and culture.
Do you know? I have not yet seen the flower, bamboo blooms flower once for a long long years. (50years or 100years) Bamboo grows very fast, grows straight, strong, supple, and blooms flower once for a long years. Mysterious plant. On the road today I saw small neglected bamboo forests, I took photos. Such neglected bamboo forests are scattered around Japan. Bamboo Samurai focus on this problem.
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