On Saturday morning we got up early and headed to the red line subway station, with plenty of time to spare for the estimated 20-minute transport to the white house (we’d timed it the day before). The train was leaving as we walked up the steps, but we weren’t worried as there would be another along soon and we were early.
However, fifteen minutes later we were informed via the PA that the red line was operating on a 24-minute delay, Saturday only. Twenty-four minutes. We pondered taking a cab or uber but ultimately decided to wait, as the Marine Corps Marathon was taking place that morning and would have made travel on the streets time consuming as well.
At 9:25 we finally ran out of the metro station and kept running until we reached the White House visitor station at exactly 9:30. A Ranger informed us that we’d made it, but after waiting a while she (as well as a Secret Service agent) informed us that they were having a bomb scare as a visitor had left her purse unattended while she was in the White House. We had to wait over an hour before we could even start the process of checking in to visit the White House because of this. The tours for the rest of the day were backed up because one stupid woman didn’t read the explicit instructions of what you can and can’t bring to the White House.
We weren’t allowed to take pictures inside the White House, unfortunately, but we saw most of the Lower East Wing; the dining room, tea room, china room, green room, blue room, etc.
We were allowed to take photos after exiting on the North portico – but we weren’t allowed to bring cameras in, so everyone was rushing to take cell-phone photos.
After eating some lunch at Five Guys we went back to the National Gallery and spent the rest of our day there before retiring to our AirBnb to pack for our flight back early Sunday morning.
Ironically, we experienced delays again the next morning as all the bridges to Reagan airport from DC were closed due to the marathon (I’m still confused as to why the streets were closed for two days – was the marathon two days?). It took us an hour and a half to go six miles, but we made it through security with ten minutes to spare before boarding the plane.
