My undoubtedly sweetest friend, Maria, came to visit me last week. Maria and I know each other from when we lived in the same dorm at Jerum about a hundred years ago, and from sining together in the choir Laudamus for many years. Since then, she is one of my best friends. She was only here for a week so we stayed in DC the whole time. Unfortunately, I got sick with something that gave me a terrible pain in my knees and ankles, so I couldn’t walk that much. (And hence Maria did not have the pleasure of me guiding her around the city and telling her the fascinating history of monumental Washington DC and my reflections over the similarities between the U.S. capital and some of the Soviet symbols that I’ve seen around the CIS during my travels – I understand that this must have been a great loss for her!) However, I could sit very well and so we spent a lot of time at cafes and restaurants. It felt very homey to have here staying with me, and I wish we were neighbors again, like in Jerum! I guess this is the backside of moving around a lot – that I am always far away from so many of my friends! But it is nice that so many are coming to visit me here and Maria and I had a lovely week.

Champagne brunch in Alexandria, American brunch on 18th Street, and Afternoon coffee at Cafe Leopold in Georgetown. (And yes, I need to figure out how to work with photos in this new blog…)