TOTALLY COOL

IN WASHINGTON D.C.

It took about four hours to get from New York to Washington D.C. We were broke of the the night before and bouncing around between the American trees on the sixteen-lane highway certainly didn't help. But: we made it. Checked in and settled in our hotel with a rooftop terrace. So to catch our breath, we went straight up with a Mimosa and a beer in mind. Off to the bar! And there. That's where it went a bit wrong. The bartender apparently wasn't having a good day. The passports were still downstairs and our internationally recognized but Dutch driver's licenses were not – for this dragon of a woman – sufficient. Okay. So we could forget about that drink. A bit annoyed, we started a discussion. Very polite, yet justified. But Madam Ghetto couldn't handle this and dragged us over the bar by our ears after some arguments from our side. Final score: manager involved, lady off the roof, and we still got a free cheese platter with Mimosa and beer. Nice one! Justice prevails in Washington! Olé!

Alright. The beginning was a bit shaky, but up on that roof with Barack Obama in the White House as a neighbor made everything right. So I'm totally a fan of this man and we looked out from this rooftop and from our room at his mansion. Quite cool. And the rest of the days were also pretty cool. I say: this city is a must-visit. Just be prepared for hordes of tourists armed with 85 cameras all marching behind an umbrella, but other than that, it's a really fun city. And actually one that you have to see. So, here is my report on what to see and do in the city of the most powerful man in the world.

SLEEP HERE

We slept in the W Hotel. Always a good choice this chain, I think. And especially in Washington. The rooftop is, as I already typed above, super cool because of the view of the White House. Furthermore, everything is perfectly arranged, this hotel has good beds, an impressively decorated lobby, restaurants to indulge in, and all that for a great price. If you want something a bit more luxurious, go to Capella Washington. By the way, that's also the perfect place for a brunch outside in an idyllic spot in Georgetown. It's really lovely to hang out there by the water with the best club sandwich ever-and-ever-and-ever.

This is a bit of the student area. But don't expect any drunken students. No, here it's all about mega beautiful mansions with very fancy cars in front. Oh, and the main street is perfect for an afternoon of shopping. Everything is here; from Zara to Marc Jacobs. I really enjoyed wandering through some streets left and right. Just nice walking and looking around. The houses are too cute and too beautiful, they have a bit of that Great Gatsby vibe you might know. So think: pastel colors, high-gloss double doors, and torches at the top of the stair facades.

On the Zagat rating of Washington, this restaurant is in first place. And that's completely justified. Everything here is pure enjoyment and totally Italian. We ordered the Wagyu and a divine truffle pasta. A bit extravagant of course, but we had something to celebrate. And for that, this is the best place. Nothing to celebrate? Just go here to enrich yourself with a high-quality culinary experience. What a food palace it is here!

RENT A BIKE

Of course, you can hop on one of those tour buses or go out with a way too fast-talking tour guide. Yes, you can. But it's better not to do that. I say: rent a bike. There are plenty of city bikes that you can rent for 17 dollars for three days. Ideal for a city like Washington. You can easily bike from attraction to attraction. And almost everywhere there is a dock to park your bike when you want to go inside somewhere or take a closer look at something. Plus, avoiding tourists on a bike is a breeze. There's a super fun bike ride from Washington to Arlington Cemetery via the two bridges. This military cemetery is very impressive and from there you can continue to the war memorial and hop-hop back to the center of D.C. Super fun round (about 18 kilometers) and this way you also see the city from the other side of the water.

AS THE SUN SETS

The most impressive thing about Washington are the buildings like the White House and memorial spots like the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Martin Luther King Memorial, the Washington Monument, and of course the mega wow-wow-wow Lincoln statue. By the way, all the other government buildings on ‘The Mall’ are also beautiful. So it doesn't really matter when you go to see these. But as the sun is slowly setting, I would go check out the memorials. In the summer, the sky turns light pink and that makes the statues even more impressive. Really. At sunset, Washington is at its most beautiful.

MUSEUMS

There are tons of museums in Washington. And almost all of them are free. But please don't skip the National Air and Space Museum. Here hang the suits of the first man on the moon and the entire flying history from the Wright brothers to the current space missions can be found here. Very fun. Especially for the guys!

We danced on our roof. But not only that evening was there a party on the roof of the W. Every evening we could go house there. Unfortunately, we did shake almost out of our bed every night because of it. Not so great for us, but great for everyone looking for the famous and infamous parties of Washington. Do check the agenda, because for some events tickets are needed.