On the history beat in Washington DC or Desperately Seeking Obama!

Published in Irish Mail on Sunday July 2013

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All set for the White House

Being a teacher for over twenty years can make anyone a bit pedantic about education and although you can take the teacher out of the classroom there are always those moments when the classroom comes out in the teacher. I recently had one of those when my son asked me to suggest a famous figure from history to write about for his school project. I got overly enthusiastic as usual and my son stopped me in my tracks with my first suggestion – Abraham Lincoln. “That will do mum,” he said and slunk off to Google the 16^th President of America. Feeling a bit surplus to requirements I handed him a five dollar bill and one cent coin that carry Lincoln’s image but I still wasn’t in the picture. Then the opportunity came handed to me on a plate to research DC as a destination for one of my novels – it was fate, serendipity – call it what you like but a wonderful chance for my son and I to spend time together in a city with more museums to the square mile than anywhere in the world so it would be educational too.

At the Lincoln Memorial

We took a United Airlines flight direct from Dublin which made the 6 ½ hour journey seem short. The extra leg room in economy plus was available for a nominal charge and a must because it gives plenty of room to stretch right out. We decided to get in the mood for our destination chose the latest Will Ferrell comedy from a huge list of movies. It’s appropriately called ‘The Campaign’ about a politician seeking re-election.

The first thing that struck us at Washington Dulles airport was the order and newness of the place – this was America with its best foot forward and what else would I have expected. The drive from Dulles was a little over half an hour and we stayed in the heart of the city – a stones throw from the White House in the fabulous W hotel.

Bike an Roll in Washington is the best way to get around!

With the time difference to our advantage our arrival meant that it was still only the afternoon and the temperature was a pleasant 20 degrees. We set off for a stroll to get our bearings and discovered that most of the must see tourist attractions are laid out in a convenient triangle. The George Washington memorial, which is the iconic monument shaped like an Egyptian obelisk, was being repaired and covered in scaffolding but it did not detract from the impressiveness of the scale. At one time it was the tallest building in the world and is still the tallest stone-made structure.

We had our first dinner at the Old Ebbit Grill which had a pleasant mix of tourists and locals unwinding on a Friday evening. It had an old world feel and had hosted plenty of presidents since opening in 1856. DC has history and I discovered that quickly as my son informed me that the civil war was played out all around the area of Virginia and Maryland which sandwiches the ten square miles of the capital.

The next morning we woke sprightly and made our way to the Old Post Office Pavilion from where the Bike and Roll tours depart. This is an ideal activity with children offering a choice of routes. We took the three hour monument tour and although I am not the most athletic the bikes were extra comfortable with padded seats and it was a fun way for our bonding to commence and see the best sites of the city.

The Lincoln monument was awe inspiring and the tour sent us all around the basin which in April is covered in cherry blossoms and a spectacular time to visit DC. All of American history is commemorated in this square mile including WWII, the Vietnam War, FDR, Martin Luthur king and Thomas Jefferson but we had the most fun at the enormous Einstein statue outside the museum of science. It is purported that to touch Einstein’s nose ensures an increase in intelligence so I made sure we gave the bronze statue a good rub.

Einstein memorial

It was time for lunch and where better to have it than the POV which stands for ‘point of view restaurant’ with unspoilt views of the White House and the mall. My son was pacing me and advising me on a rest before our next visit to the Newseum. This is the museum of news and packed with all you ever need to know about anything that has happened in the world over the last century. It is bang up to date and hosting a special exhibition about JFK at the moment. I was buzzing with excitement at the chance to read in front of an autocue and see ourselves in a news reel on screen. My son however took it all in his stride – he had bigger fish to fry and was really sussing out his surroundings, I felt like the child as he told me that it was time for another break before we got our taxi to the Kennedy centre for performing arts. I hoped I hadn’t pushed my luck by organising a show. ‘Shear madness’ is the longest running theatre show in America at over 25 years and it runs in Boston and DC. It’s a comic rendition of a whodunit with audience participation and a choice of four endings, played out only after the audience had voted. We decided that the hairdresser had done it.

At the Forde Theatre where Lincoln was shot.

Next morning our tour to Fordes Theatre was organised for nine o clock which was fine because we had woken at 5.30 we had breakfast at the famous Willard Hotel next door in the Café du Parc and the theatre was only a short stroll three blocks away. This was the venue where President Lincoln was assassinated and after an intense tour through history, which included historic items such as the actual murder weapon, we got to see the stage and what is now a working theatre. My son was interested but not by all the gory details, more by how the crime related to a similar event that we had seen in the Newseum the day before – he had digested the information about Kennedy and I was delighted that he was clearly learning something.

Cruising on the Potomac River

So it was time for lunch and we had it on the Potomac River courtesy of Odyssey cruise line which was a leisurely two hours of feasting complete with live entertainment and finished off with an enormous chocolate fountain. It’s a nice way to see the city from a different perspective and gave us the chance to have chats that are missing from our routine filled with texting and technology at home.

Air and Space Museum

We had the afternoon at our leisure to visit some of the many free museums – the Air and Space was the priority. I was amazed by the space hardware and information but again Mark seemed to be taking it all in his stride. Sit here mum and I’ll show you how this works. I was the child being brought around and he was asking me how I was managing and did I need to sit down. It’s an interactive museum and I certainly needed his help to work some of the contraptions.

Ben's Chilli Bowl

The museum of the American Indian was next door and we learned how the Innuit tribe train kids to sit in a canoe. It is in a beautiful building shaped in the round and has the reputation for the best food of all the Smithsonian Museums. However, on the recommendation of a chef that we met along the way we ended up taking a taxi ride to U Street – the happening end of town where Bens Chilli Bowl restaurant is a must. The mural of Bill Cosby outside advertised his patronage and a photograph of Obama and his family dining there were proof of how highly this place rated. Mark had a hot dog and I had the chilli burger with a milkshake covered in cream and a cherry on top and hoped for the best with the weighing scales on my return to Dublin. But this was our last night in Washington and my son had become accustomed to watching the NBA and baseball games on American TV, I felt like I had had a glimpse of what my little boy was going to be like – and as I flicked through my camera I saw that he had grown an inch over the weekend.

The golden mile of museums leading up to the Capitol

We stood later at the carousel at Dublin airport and I smiled as he ushered me over to a chair while he looked after the luggage. My boy had matured so much after our Washington adventure. Later that day when we got home I asked him. “So which was your favourite memorial then?” “I liked Lincoln best.” He answered quickly. “And what was the best thing we did in Washington?” “The bike and roll probably,” then he gave me a knowing smile and I was sure he could read my mind. The best part for me was being with him and Washington DC had been the perfect destination.

When in Rome...

Published in Irish Mail on Sunday 12th January 2014

The first time I visited Rome I was accompanied by thirty five art students, six teachers and in the middle of the trip the Pope died. It was a memorable experience so it wasn’t any wonder that when I came home I wrote a novel inspired by my time there. Now eight years and six novels later I know why the Eternal City had such a profound effect on me. But I didn’t realise, that as well as so many visual delights, the city had such a thriving literary past. In the nineteenth century Rome was a must-see-destination for the English Gentry travelling on the Grand Tour – young ladies with chaperones and young gentlemen discovering all the delights that the world had to offer. On this occasion, I was in town for a weekend escape with my husband and with no other appendages to blur the romance of this amazing city.

At the Trevi Fountain

We arrived on a Ryanair flight into the small but conveniently located Campino airport and in a little over half an hour we were at the Spanish Steps. It was here the Romantic Poets Byron and Shelly lived - Keats followed out after contracting TB in a vain attempt to prolong his life but unfortunately died there. The house where they lived is now a museum dedicated to the literary past of this area and can be visited for €5 entrance charge. At the other side of the steps is the famous Babbington Tearooms which must be seen to get the full Grand Tour ambience.

Our hotel was located on Via Bocca di Leone which is only a few steps around the corner from the Spanish Steps. Not surprisingly it is called the Hotel d’Inghilterra as this area was inhabited by great talents from England and America who had stayed here in the past. The writers Mary Shelly and George Elliot lived around the corner from the English Romantic painter Turner to name but a few. The Polish, Nobel winning author of the novel Quo Vadis stayed in our hotel as did my personal favourite author Ernest Hemingway. But it wasn't just writers that frequented this beautiful hotel, kings and popes have dined and enjoyed the finery and opulence that is now accessible to all. Each room is individually decorated with tasteful Italian elegance and it was the perfect start to our short stay.

At the wonderful hotel d'Inghilterra 

We had lots to see and as this was my husband’s first time in Rome we grabbed a taxi to St Peters. The last time I visited the square, the world’s press were vying for coverage of the final hours and days of Pope John Paul. But things are very different in Vatican City today as Pope Francis has the whole of Rome in raptures. Our tour guide told us that the Pope’s appearances are packed out every Sunday and he's such a jolly fellow that he blesses the items on sale in the Vatican shop – and a good business man by all accounts. My favourite trinket was a fridge magnet of Frances himself giving a big thumbs up. But you don’t need to be a believer or follower of the Christian faith to be in awe of St Peters Basilica and Michelangelo’s Pieta was just as spectacular on second viewing.

Our hotel’s location was not only a stone’s throw from the Spanish steps but also beside the famous designer and fashion street the Via Condotti. Some serious damage on the credit card was optional with shops such as Max Mara, Armani, Gucci, Dolce and Gabbana and Louis Vuitton. But we decided to play it safe and wandered on to the adjacent shopping street the Via Del Corso where we found all the favourite stores like Zara and H&M. I lost myself in some of the handbag shops and bought a handbag and purse in Carpisa like I did last time because it was too good value not to.

The Galleria Alberto Sordi was close by and the building, complete with frescos and baroque features, resembles a museum more than a shopping centre. It’s a nice place to stop for an espresso, drank standing at the counter of course in true local fashion. It is also en route to the ultimate tourist attraction – the Trevi Fountian. When I threw my coin in eight years ago I hadn’t reckoned on finding myself staying in such style this time so I hastily threw my coin in and hoped that the charm would work again. 

It was a straight walk from the Trevi, via the Pantheon, to the Piazza Navona. There are plenty of reasonably priced pizzerias and restaurants with good food en route and it is less expensive to eat here than the Piazza Navona. This famous square heaves with locals and tourists throughout the year but it must be seen to get the full roman experience. The obelisk and fountain that featured in Dan Brown’s novel Angels and Demons, amongst many other memorable movies, dominates and is even more impressive in real life. Local artists lined the centre of the square selling their wares amongst the breathtaking domes and buildings of Baroque Rome. A cup of coffee can set you back five or six Euros so we splashed out on a cocktail and sipped at leisure while watching life stroll by.

Cafe Romano - wonderful delicacies to be enjoyed.

We dined in our hotel because the Cafe Romano has the perfect romantic atmosphere for a first night in Rome. The mouth-watering menu made it difficult to choose but we opted for the lobster linguine and washed it down with some delicious local wine. Our waiter Max couldn’t do enough for us and we got a real sense of being spoiled. But the night was young and I recalled the best place to find a buzz at night is the Campo dei Fiori in Trastevere. This large square is surrounded by bars and restaurants and a part of Rome where the locals and tourist like to hang out. There is much to see in this area, including the Temple of Bramante considered to be one of the first churches of the High Renaissance and Our Lady’s in Trastevere, that a full day can be spent here before settling down for the evening.

Next day we took the metro at Spanish Steps, which was only a couple of stops from Colosseum, beside the Flavius Amphitheatre. This site is always busy so I recommend pre-booking your tickets or getting a Roma Pass to avoid the queue. The Roma Pass allows entry into two museums and your transport for two days. At €34 it is good value for a two night stay. The Colosseum is an awesome monument but it is a shame to spend too long visiting the sites of the past when there is so much else to see and do. Rome is a city of living vibrant people who love culture beauty and food and for those looking for a perfect weekend break there isn’t anywhere better. You can fill your time visiting the Villa Broghese, Roman Forum or Circus Maximus but you will never get to see it all so it is probably best to just keep chucking coins in the Trevi Fountain to guarantee your return. 

As we checked out of the Hotel d’Inghilterra our charming receptionist assured us that this was our home for the next time we returned, we thanked her and assured her that we would be back. And I won’t be leaving it eight years either!
Michelle x

www.royaldemeure.com/

The Hotel d’Inghilterra is part of the Royal Demure hotel group. Classic rooms start from 270 Euros for 1 night based on 2 people sharing and including breakfast in January 2014