A Grand Day Out

We just had a lovely day out. We took the Metro downtown to see "Attack of the Clones."

I haven't been on the Metro for a couple of years. You'd think living as close as we do to D.C. we'd take the metro more often. But honestly we just don't go downtown that often and when we do we usually drive. I guess it's just a habit you get into. Driving everywhere.

Taking the Metro is always a neat experience. It always reminds me of Europe. In fact when we were passing through Silver Spring, I'm convinced that if the buildings had names in words I didn't understand we would have been in another country. The Metro is good, but I think I really prefer other countries versions (I know ours came later). The Underground was neat but very busy, at least the stops that we were at. The Paris Metro was neat, but we didn't ride very much since we were only there for a day. Germany's was nice as I recall but we were only on it from the hotel to Hofbrauhaus and back and I don't remember too much of the return trip. My favorite of all time though I think was Austria's. Not only was it nice but the annoucer was clear and easy to understand. That may have been because it was pre-recorded, and it was clear enough if you understood German. But the best part about the annoucer was the way he read the name of the stops. Two of the best being Kardinal Nagelplatz (said in a rather nasal robotic sort of way) and Stubentor (said the way you would say the name of a superhero).

Own the way downtown we had a serious discussion about the passing graffiti. The main topic...Cool Disco Dan. Cool Disco Dan's name was painted about every 30 feet from Glenmont until Union Station. It's been that way since Andy and I were kids. None of the originals are left, having been painted over through the years and a pseudo Disco Dan had come back and tried to fill the gaps.

Once we got off the train we walked to the Uptown and bought our tickets for the afternoon show. Now, I have to explain the Uptown. It's an old theatre. The kind they don't make anymore. With the screen being two storeys tall and velvet seats. Part of the ambiance of theatre unfortunately causes a little discomfort, not being built like today's modern stadium seating there's a little less leg room, and there's a lot fewer toilets in the bathroom.

But the benefits far outweigh the little negatives. I did mention how big the screen is, right? And this is one of the few theatres left where there's actually audience participation. No, I don't mean participation like "Rocky Horror Picture Show" participation. I mean the kind where everyone laughs, or yells woohoo when the hot chick comes on screen, or boos and hisses at the bad guys. We went to see all three of the original movies at the Uptown just for that reason. Just so we could join hundreds of others laughing at Luke whining that he wanted to go into town to get power convertors, booing our heads off at Darth Vader and Boba Fett. And the coolest part, everyone claps when the movie's over. The last time I remember an audience clapping at the end of a movie was when I went to see Bambi. I think I was 7 or 8.

We had about an hour to kill before we needed to stand in line, so we walked the 3 or 4 blocks away to the zoo to check out the new pandas. I haven't been to the zoo in a couple of years either and there's some things I miss from being a kid, aside from the luxury of someone pushing me in a stroller I mean. There used to be footprints. Big cartoony versions of the different animal feet that you could follow to their exhibits. And being able to walk right up to the panda exhibit.

We followed the signs for the pandas and then entered a Disneyworld-esque series of gates and back and forths: But Dad we can't go over there! There's a velvet rope! The velvet rope. (Yes, a Simpsons reference for those of you wondering. Think Lisa at the Egyptian exhibit.) Eventually we worked our way around to see Mei-Xiang, the new female panda. Tian-Tian was nowhere to be seen. Still it was a thrill to see one, up close and in person.

After that we started heading back to the theatre, noting on the way the insane number of sticky, wailing, hot, hungry little children. I'm all for taking your kids to the zoo, and once we get to that point, we definitely will take our kids (years away folks!). But as a future reference to myself. I will NOT take them on a day that is humid and 88 degrees.

Now for the part you've been waiting for...the movie. Overall it was good. Definitely in that "I AM A MIDDLE MOVIE" genre. I fully agree with Christopher's opinion and The Boondock's interpretation certainly does strike close to home... Still I'm waiting for the third and final installment, to see what other cool effects Lucas comes up with us for us to watch, if not for the storyline. Personally it was a little embarrasing to see that Lucas apparently never matured in his love relationships past middle school, or in his writing abilities for that matter. Maybe the man should spend more time with woman and less time on these movies?

Overall a great day out and about in D.C. You should try it sometime.