What a night. And I don't mean that in a positive way. The window of my hotel room was, to put it kindly, an acoustic disaster. It felt like I was lying directly on the sidewalk in front of the door – without a window in between. The guests of the bar below my room were obviously in great spirits until about two in the morning, smoking and talking loudly right under my window. After that came garbage collection and street cleaning, as if they were part of an urban night program. By four o'clock I was wide awake – restful sleep was out of the question.

But hey, what can you do? I made use of the time. I freshened up at my leisure, texted with friends and Steffi, whom I really missed at that point. Traveling alone is okay – but it's nicer as a pair. At least I was able to check in online at my accommodation in Washington D.C., which would greatly simplify the later process.

Around six o'clock, I felt drawn to go out onto the street. The city was still pleasantly quiet, almost peaceful. I headed to a bakery I had discovered the day before – Paris Baguette, just a few minutes away. The smell greeted me a block away: fresh pastries, croissants, sweet stuff – a dream. My breakfast consisted of a decaf latte, a huge breakfast sandwich, and a coffee Danish, which I enjoyed by the window at my leisure.

At around 16 euros, the price was completely reasonable for the area – and the quality was absolutely convincing. If only it hadn't been for the air conditioning, which kicked in at full blast ten minutes later. So there I sat with my windbreaker – in May. New York, you're weird sometimes.

Fortified, I took a small walk around the block before boarding the M7 bus heading north. The driver was remarkably friendly – especially when a wheelchair user boarded. The bus driver took care of it personally, carefully secured the wheelchair, and made sure everything was in order before continuing. In Germany, you'd be happy if the ramp worked halfway decently. Here it was genuine service. It's these little things that make a moment special.

I got off at Central Park, enjoying the fresh air and the colorful hustle and bustle. On a lawn, I watched a baseball game, recorded a small birthday video for my buddy Klausi, and just let myself drift. It was one of those little breaks where you don't have to do anything – except breathe and watch.

Later, I took the subway back to the hotel, packed my things, and got some drinks for the train ride. And – great success – I finally found Boar's Head products, which had been recommended to me multiple times. Checkout was at 10:30 AM. I ordered an Uber to Penn Station and arrived on time. Quickly grabbed a chicken sandwich and a brownie – just in case – and then the waiting began. The platform was only announced about 20 minutes before departure. I wasn't the only one impatiently glued to the screen. When the gate was opened, the masses streamed in.

The train was quite full. I had a window seat, a bit cramped perhaps, but completely fine. I used the time to write on the blog – the perfect moment to record everything while it was still fresh. The journey itself was relaxed, even if the landscape passing by outside was rather unspectacular. Past brick houses, small industrial areas, and repeatedly along large highways.

With about a 15-minute delay, the train finally rolled into Washington Union Station. No problem, I didn't have a fixed schedule. I had already loaded a SmartTrip card digitally onto my iPhone in advance, so the transfer to the Red Line of the Metro went very smoothly. I rode to Dupont Circle and walked the last few meters to the accommodation.

I'm staying at the Placemakr Dupont Circle, room T0201, for the next few days – a modern apartment with a kitchen, washing machine, and everything you need for a week. And: I had already checked in that morning, so everything went smoothly. In the meantime, I had received an email with the PIN code for the doors. So I was in the room within a few minutes. It's in the basement level, but if that means I finally get a quiet night, I'm more than happy to accept it.

After a short break, I felt drawn to go out again – I was curious about the city. So I walked to the White House, past impressive buildings and well-maintained parks. On the streets, police cars were standing at every corner and seemed to be waiting for something. A short time later, it became clear what. Two motorcycle convoys were escorting several tour buses through the city at high speed.

From the White House, I strolled roughly towards the National Mall and Smithsonian Station. I actually wanted to look for new shoes along the way – but ended up at TJ Maxx. And as it goes: I saw a stylish baseball cap for 13 dollars and instantly forgot why I had come there in the first place. Shoes? Maybe tomorrow.

Before heading back to the apartment, I made a quick stop at CVS – unfortunately the only somewhat accessible store nearby. I spent surprisingly much money there for a few basic groceries. So finding a real supermarket is also on the agenda for tomorrow.

Around 8:30 PM, I was back in the room. I was exhausted. No wonder, after the short night, the journey, and all the impressions. And tomorrow morning at six, my first remote workday starts – the home office travels with me. So I set the alarm for 5:30 AM, prepared the laptop – and finally: lights out.

See you tomorrow.