The actual district of Columbia isn't a very big city, so I couldn't have gotten completely lost, or ended up walking to another state - Virginia or Maryland perhaps. For the first few blocks I was just following some crowds in the same direction, but then realised that perhaps they were just looking for a good Chinese restaurant for lunch. I kept walking, and happened upon a Thrifty rental car store, and asked for a map. The map I recieved had complicated green, pink and yellow highway lines, Washington DC in relation to other major cities in the area, how to get from DC to Baltimore, and a TINY map of the actual street of DC. So here goes the adventure...
Somehow, I managed to wander myself past the National Archives, the Smithsonian museums, and found myself in the heart of the National Mall. This was my view from where I was...
It was a relatively nice day for winter (not cold enough for my scarf, thermals and gloves - all of which I wearing anyway) so I decided to take a walk. And what a long walk it was. The stroll from the ChinaTown Bus to the National Mall took forty five minutes, so who knew what was up next? Well, not much before my tummy started rumbling. I was in a maginificent rush to make the bus on time (what's new.) so I forgot to eat breakfast... and it was now lunch time. What to eat? Well, when we were in DC six years ago, my family and I went (twice!) to this absolutely delicious pan-asian restaurant called TenPenh. We still talk about the food to this day. (Does this mean it really is as good as we remember it to be? Or are we just obsessed with food... well, i know i am, but that's me for you *wink) So I treated myself to one of the best meal I've had since I've started college....Ahhhhh.... 
The restaurant was packed. I told them I was here six years ago and I just had to come back. They didn't care. I was told that there was room for one at the bar, so I plonked myself down, and my thick jacket, scarf, backpack and purse were bundled beneath the stool, and took a deep breath. How did I find this place? I had no map, no internet directions, and I was thinking about asking a hotel concierge. But alas, there aren't any hotels on the National Mall.
Well kids, I suppose my food obsession has some advantages. Meals compose some of my most vivid memories. I know this sounds really sad. But it's true. So I remembered the street the restaurant was on, as when we visited DC it was just before Bush's first inaugeration, and there were bleachers set up on Pennsylvania Avenue. And TenPenh is on that street.
So, sans map, I sniffed my way to the restaurant and indulged myself to a most delicious meal. Ice tea (my favourite drink right now), a Spicy Tuna tempura roll (raw tuna with a scrumptious spicy tomato-based relish in the form of a tempura-d handroll) and grilled salmon on a bed of wasabi mash and beans with hoisin butter. To. Die. For.
The meal made me very satisfied. And very happy. As I said, it was one of the best meals I have eaten since starting at Penn. I've noticed I really don't like eating ot anymore. The food is all the same. And it tastes like crap. I've reached the point where I'm going to start cooking. And this time I'm for real. I promise. Wish me luck. Now, if anyone has any easy recipes they'd like to share? I know, I'm not my mother's daughter. But right now I wish I had her flare and passion in the kitchen. Today I look at the oven and weep.
So I think that's enough about food. I don't want to bore you all to death - well, at least those that aren't so interested in the gastronomic adventures of Sarah. Hum.
After lunch I wandered past the FBI building and back onto the Mall. Here are some splendid photos of my walking tour.
So this is me in front of the White House. I was standing pretty far away from Bush's ranch because there were police all over the place. As I was walking, there were flashing firetrucks blocking the traffic and police and security on every corner. I knew this couldn't be the norm, but I still didn't understand why the fortification - we're not allowed inside anymore for a tour. We get it.
But, as I was walking around the World War memorial (which I'll describe later) a deafening noise of helicopters drowned out the music of my ipod. I looked up and saw.....
Swarms of helicopters circling the white house preparing to land. I overheard a couple in front of me saying that when the President flies there are always two army helicopters flying together, to confuse the enemy. I just managed to catch one on my camera. This will have to do.
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