Final score: 3-2, DC. It was intense, and the crowd was excited. No comparison to some international games I've seen, but actually pretty good for an American crowd. I'm sure they were all just really jazzed about no longer having to share their stadium with the Nats.
We were sitting right behind the superfans who would wave flags around and block our view half the time. (It became a new game to guess what was happening in the moments when the game was concealed by the flags.) They were also beating a drum 99% of the game, and every time DC scored, they lit smoke bombs. Because really, what better way to celebrate?!?
My favorite is those poor Toronto players you see stretching out right in front of the field there, who were prepped and ready to go the whole game...but never actually went in.
Before this game, I was kayaking in Maryland. What a great day! But alas, I have no photographical proof. Only the pictures in my head remain. Next time I'll go on the Potomac in Georgetown and bring my camera.
After that, as I was running to meet up with my friends in front of RFK stadium, I stopped to help some dude jump start his car. One point for Idaho girl - always prepared with those jumper cables! I guess dude was impressed by that simple mechanical feat of preparation. He started enquiring after my status and asking if I dated black men. Oh boy. Way to kill the act of service by turning it into a pickup. Oh well.
My adventure buddy for the first half of my BYU-Hawaii tenure was a free spirit named Jen. And she just moved to the DC area! Her timing was perfect - she got here in my favorite window of the year when the weather is perfect for being outdoors. Perfect weather for a hike. And so hike we did. We found a great place inside the beltway, right off GW Parkway. We saw lots of interesting wildlife...like some frogs, chipmunks, and metallic-shiny green beetles.
This one was sunbathing right by the rock we were sitting on for several minutes before we spotted it. I tried to get closer so we could have a pic to show how big it was (pretty big), but as soon as it noticed, it plopped into the river and disappeared.
They definitely showed their understanding of the American way: the best way to get us to like you is FREE FOOD! Everywhere we looked, there was German chocolate, gummy bears, bratwurst, and this mysteriously delicious spiced cherry soup. Gold star to Germany.
