The Folklife Festival!!!

Graham and I had a VERY relaxing morning, with him going to the gym (he finds it relaxing, I don't!) and me going to read the paper and have a DECAF macchiato at the Illy bar at our new hotel (there's NO WAY that we could afford the W hotel on our own!).  I really enjoyed sitting out in the shade, having a drink and reading what was new and local.  We also wanted to see if we could find anything in the paper about 2 things that happened to us while we were here this week, both heartwrenching and sad.

On Wednesday night, a lady jumped off the 10th floor bar of our hotel at the W.  We were in bed by 10:30, so we had no idea that anything happened until we got up Thursday morning and there was security everywhere.  She died instantly, after hanging from the 9th floor before falling to her death.  They believe it was a suicide.  The paper featured a small article on this, reporting that this is the 3rd W hotel suicide in a few months.  Strange and awful.

Thursday, while we were getting the metro to the Gallery station, a young girl (maybe 20ish), laid in front of an oncoming train.  It was terrifying and everyone was yelling, "Don't do it!  It's not worth it!  What are you doing?"  Within 10 seconds, she jumped to the middle of the tracks, JUST missing being hit by the train.  We all had to wave the train coming the other way to stop, and it was something I never want to witness again.  They shut down the elevators (we couldn't get down there to help) and just stood there in horror, while we waited 15 minutes for a METRO staff to come and help her.  She was shaking and crying, and all we could do was get staff to call for their crisis team.  It was horrible.  She was moved to a room, while the police were called and they think it was a mental health issue.  It was sad to hear, while we all stodd helpless, that this is the 3rd attempt (2 others being successful) in 2 months.  Those poor drivers and passengers witnessing it...

We headed off to the Arlington Cemetary, as Graham hadn't been there yet, and I really loved touring it with Heidi earlier this week.  We then went off to the Folklife Festival, after having some Chipotle!  Man, do I miss Chipotle burrito bowls!!!!

The Folk life festival was GREAT!  It had tons of FREE music along the National Mall, foreign food and interesting stalls.  It was REALLY HOT again, so we decided to also take some time to cool off at the Sculpture Gardens fountain.

Shirley Jones and the Jones Girls.

There was an entire section on gardening, greens and organics.  Graham loved it, and couldn't stop wondering what the state of our garden was going to be when we get home!

This seems like a good idea and Graham's going to try it when we get home.

The gorgeous fountains at the Sculpture garden!

Relaxing and getting our feet wet to cool down!