Travel to the USA - Day 2

Jet lag still got the better of me last night. Although I labored hard not to fall asleep through all the activities of Day 1 including the fast track tour of Washington late at night...and the huge noodle dinner, I still had a hard time sleeping last night. I ended up sleeping at 3am.

I still managed to do an easy run and enjoyed a good heavy breakfast. The run was AMAZING. The residential areas in the outskirts of Washington (actually Virginia already), are typical American homes you'd see in the movies. The weather was perfect and I ran in temperatures of maybe a comfortable 17 degrees Celcius. Lot of greenery and very clean air.

This is the home of my friend and former track teammate, Cherryl Jimenez.

I won't give you the address lest my good friends gains more stalkers.

Most of the homes here kinda looked this way.

Day 2 is a little bit more relaxed. First of all, it's a Sunday!

We decided to just have a slow and easy day (how Sundays really should be except that we are Triathletes who love to torture ourselves in training in our free time).

We ended up driving to the Gaylord National Harbor, a very popular site in Maryland. It was absolutely beautiful. I am always drawn to the water and this was a very clean, cosmopolitan yet quaint harbor town with shops and dinning places that were classy yet affordable. The mix of a very faint smell of the sea marries with the sweet fragrances of the various theme restaurants and coffee shops that I am reminded of Christmas travels with my family. As I was walking along the well manicured streets and walkways, I begin to miss my kids terribly. Anu ba yan, isang araw pa lang, home sick na? It's just that we used to travel a lot together and the trips to the USA and Europe are the most memorable to me. Here are some of the pictures I took at the Harbor.



One of the unique theme shops in Gaylor National Harbor.
This store sell clothing that promotes "positivism".

One of the side roads at the Gaylord National Highway.

How much more American can you get?

There is also that huge glass structure that serves like an Atrium or a  "green house" of sorts as a frontage to a fancy hotel facing the harbor. This is truly an impressive piece of infrastructure.

Wow!

Windswept - a nice piece of sculpture along the harbor.

Inside the Atrium. It's full of shops and dining places.

Christmas Ornaments for Sale Inside the Atrium!
We used to buy at least one ornament a year.

Happily Ever After - Saw this cut elderly couple walking around the Atrium still holding hands.

Mosaic Art near a row of art shops.

Picture by the harbor. At least, it's one of those rare times I am at the sea
and I'm not wearing a tri suit.

The Awakening - an art piece on the sea shore. It's like Poseidon getting up in the morning.

A nice shop full of "pasalubong items".

 

After doing a little shopping, we then had lunch at Nando's Peri Peri. A Portugese Chicken house that served the tastiest, juiciest and most delicious Chicken I ever had.

If you see this sign, EAT HERE!

The Perfect Chicken!

My driver here in the Washington DC area.

Akala ko si Eddie Garcia - Manoy!

Artsy chair along the sidewalk.

Nice little art shop.

At the coffee shop after lunch.

 

The perfect Mocha Latte!

 

After lunch and coffee, we then headed back to grab my stuff and head to the airport to catch my flight to Savannah, Georgia. This is via a the Delta Hub in Atlanta.

Security at the Washinton DC - Ronald Reagan Airport was unsually tight. The long line in TSA led to some minor delays. It didn't help that rain was pretty hard in Atlanta. The plane I took landed around 20 minutes late which necessitated me to run from terminal T to Terminal A. I made it with bearly a few minutes to spare.

Upon landing at Savannah, I am impressed at the charm and welcoming attitude of everyone.

This looks like fun!

I rent a car from National Rent a Car (the only counter open at 11 pm, my arrival time at Savannah). I chose to rent a Yaris instead of an SUV or Minivan because I figured it was easier to drive the Yaris. That's the probinsyano in me.

After a 30 minute drive, I finally arrive at the hotel. No less than the Hyatt Regency Savannah! Nice!

Hyatt! Sweet! I wish the kids were here.

View of the Lobby from the 6th Floor Balcony

Running Path courtesy of the Hyatt. My marathon training won't get to messed up after all.

I brought my Armani Suit to this trip. Good decision. It doesn't get 
wrinkled even if I packed it in my suit case.

It's going to be an interesting day tomorrow.