Do I Look Familiar?: I spent the last few days in Washington DC for work. The city is still the same. The prevailing comportment for all cashiers, receptionists and transportation workers is standard issue, public servant, chip-on-your-shoulder attitude.

I got to spend an afternoon on the Mall. It's pretty much as it has always been. Lots of activity. There was a Silk Road cultural festival going on in the middle of things. The Silk Road corresponding to stages and exhibits arranged appropriately from Italy to Japan. It was mildly interesting, although I must say the music of the Silk Road really does nothing for me.

Inside the museums there was little outside the ordinary going on, the one exception being a video exhibit of 9/11 at the Museum of Science and Industry. People were sitting and watching in dead silence, in stark contrast to everything around them. Eerie.

I stayed at the Ritz-Carlton at Pentagon City - nice. A bit upscale from your Hyatts and Hiltons, but not extremely so. Well appointed rooms with nice touches like turn-down service (including slippers and chocolates) and an excellent (for a Hotel) exercise facility. Oddly, there is no high speed connection in room, you have to go to their business center - which is only open until 7pm. Reasoning? No clue. And we could use an in-room safe big enough to hold a laptop. But one thing I will say for the Ritz is that they are unfailingly polite and attentive. An oasis of great service in the Metro DC desert of inhospitality.