Tales from Traveling Through the Skies

Today, I travelled to Washington D. C. for the Alliance for Retired Americans Legislative Conference/AFSCME Retiree Conference. My flight, on Southwest, was at 10:25 a.m. so I scheduled a taxi at 7:15 a.m., it usually takes at least 45 minutes to get to Midway from my house and, although I had done a lot of the legwork through the interwebs, I figured I would give myself extra time, if for no reason that it was a Monday and rush hour would be starting around that time.
The taxi shows up at 7 a.m.! I go out, he tells me don't worry, very friendly and personable; he's early(and he wants to have a cigarette anyway). I tell him not to worry about the dogs, they just sound like the hounds of hell and he laughs. So, I'm ready by 7:10 a.m. and we begin our journey.
We start talking about halfway through the trip and he tells me that he has a doberman that is his baby...and then he tells me about his time living in California and a cop killed his dog. He was stopped by a cop(his dog was in the car) who decided that he was speeding and drunk...oh, forgot to tell you that my cabbie was Arab? I think the cop just did a driving while brown....anyway he tells me that the cop tells him that he was speeding, he says, no I wasn't. Cop says, I think you've been drinking. He says, I don't drink(as Muslims do not drink). He tells cop to test him. He does the breathalyzer and passes and cop makes him go through the field sobriety tests anyway....cop then grabs him by the shirt collar...and his dog jumps out of car and starts barking...and cop shoots the dog!
When he goes to court, the ticket is dismissed, the cop is admonished by the judge, but my cabbie(and I) want the cop to pay, but there was nothing he could do to make that happen.
We also discuss how it took less than 30 minutes to get to Midway! Before I leave the cab "Moh"(I'm pretty sure it's short for Mohamed) gives me his info so that if I can't find a ride when I'm back, he'll come and pick me up. I'm here before 8 a.m.! OMG, I'm here before 8 a.m.! Two long hours before my flight....
I check my bag with the sky cabs before I go in to Midway(why would I want to haul it around?) and go into the airport.
Midway is a village of its own...food, shops, even alcohol, but I did feel like Edward Snowden...stuck here until someone allows me to move. But time moved quickly and I like to wander around and see what's available...and I have my tablet and phone so both games and reading kept me occupied.
Southwest does not have assigned seats, they have assigned categories. I bought the ticket under "business select" which are the first to board...I wanted a window seat just cuz I never get a window seat. It was fun, except for the baby a couple of seats behind me...luckily I sat ahead of the wing so I also had the hum of the engine to somewhat level out crying baby. Actually, it didn't bother me and if it did, I could put on my earplugs and nothing would bother me.
One of the reasons I wanted the window seat was to take photos of the clouds from above since I thought the Diva(my 5yo granddaughter) and the neighbor kids(who are 6 & 9) would enjoy it.

 I know the Diva and I have talked about clouds and what they're made of. It's also kinda cool to see the cloud from above and the shadows they cause on the ground.

A little bit of turbulence caused a bumpy ride for about 15 minutes, but we landed early. It's really kind of neat landing at Reagan National because the approach runs over the Potomac and right by the Pentagon.
The plane lands, I pick up my luggage and off to the hotel I go by way of shuttle.

The shuttle driver and I have a nice conversation, what are gas prices in my area(about the same), he points out some of the sights that we don't know and we(the other passengers and I although I got to sit in the front seat) point out the ones we do such as the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial(or back of the Memorial). When we get to the Hilton, the driver points out a plaque that's been placed on the hotel to show? honor? the spot that Reagan was shot...yes, I'm at THAT hotel. One thing that did surprise me was how lush the Capitol is, not only trees, but forests! I look out my window and I think I see more vegetation than buildings which is pretty f**kin awesome!

The garden and driveway below my window

I check in, I'm on the 8th floor, the view is towards the Potomac and DuPont Circle, not that I can see DuPont Circle, I just know its there. Pretty cool place, tho.

The view, looking towards the Potomac.