We found a really nice Sheraton in Ruston, Virginia for next to nothing that was very near a Metro station. In hindsight, it was probably "next to nothing" because the Metro stations closest to it had been shut down for renovations.
Then we had a terrible time finding the Metro. Once there is when we discovered that it was shut down, but, not to worry, they had set up free shuttle bus rides to the nearest open station. Now we have to remember that we left the car at West Falls Church, got bussed to Ballston, caught the Orange line into D.C. and got off at Federal Triangle. (Whew! For a couple of kids from East Texas that never take mass transit, that's a lot to remember! Think of that the next time you lose your car at the local mall.)
We check the fares at Ballston and purchase tickets from the machine for Federal Triangle. The platform isn't too crowded, the ceilings are super high (I guess to keep claustrophobics from panicking), and the train is on time.
Too funny! There's a guy on the train asking us directions! We happened to have printed out a map of the Metro lines and were able to help him understand the system. Too funny!
We hop off at Federal and ... the exit booth won't let us out. Everyone clears the area pretty quickly, and there's no one to ask for help! It's just us in this whole enormous echoing place. Bummer. We go over to the fare machines and try to figure things out. Ah, seems they tack on an extra dollar on the weekends. (Take THAT Mr. and Mrs. Tourist!)
A station master appears. (Maybe they have security cameras stashed somewhere and they were watching us?) We explain our problem and get all straightened out. (He must get really tired of country bumpkin tourists like us, but then again, if it weren't for us dummies he wouldn't have a job maybe.)
Up the escalators and out into the sunshine! Wow, what a beautiful, beautiful day!
And so we begin our day in D.C.
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