Well, here it is, 1:00 AM in the morning, Eastern time and I have experienced an evening that I wouldn't have pulled out of the proverbial magic hat.
It started off at the International Festival sponsored by The Washington Center from 5:30 to around 8:30 or so. There I enjoyed a salad and a variety of cuisine (Russian cream cheese and chocolate, Asian stir fry, etc.) while laughing at the antics and musical/talent performances of students representing the countries of Korea, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Venezuela, Canada, Russia, Brazil, and others whose names I do not recall. As the festival began to wind down near the end, I met up with the Mexican contingent (about 20 of them), including my roommate Oliver and his friend Julia who I sometimes practice my Spanish with. They were all heading out on the town (although I mis-heard them and thought they were just heading back to the apartment).
I decided to go along for a little fun, even after I realized we were heading into DC and not away back home. We stopped off at the Chinatown/Gallery-Place Metro stop and then I spent about 15 minutes of amused patience watching the spectacle of my friends trying to decide what to do and where to go. There were lots of arguments, phone calls, exhortations, and laughter as they debated various places to go. We ended up at a club called "Ultra Bar" which officially counts as my first nightclub experience in DC and pretty much anywhere for that matter. After miraculously obtaining $10 off the cover fare, $15 for those over 21, I hit a rough spot with security – I had way too many pens and a water bottle. I nearly got turned away before they allowed me to put all that stuff in my backpack and stick it in the coatcheck – to which I was escorted by a security guard. It cost another $8 to check my coat and backpack and I was given a claim ticket to redeem when I left.
Back on the main floor, I knew it was going to be an interesting night. The floor lights were dim, the neon purple, pink, green, and blue disco lights were flashing, and I could feel the air vibrating from the speakers throughout my entire body that set my pant legs flapping. I lucked out and was able to grab a free Sprite at the bar, then found a spot to chat with my friends. We decided to check out the second floor to see if it was playing Latino music (which rumor said it was). It turns out that when we got up there, they were playing ultra electronic/house music at twice the volume as the first floor. After finding out they switch the musical styles at around 10 PM we headed back downstairs and continued to groove to the American pop/techno music and watch Stars Episode III, which was projected on the wall. I also had to watch the drunken girls who stood on the equipment box in front of a huge mirror and performed a little table-top dancing (skimpy clothes on) for the crowd, most of which wasn't paying attention that I could tell. I felt sorry for them and am still curious as to whether they will remember it the next morning.
After about 10 PM, we got word that the music had changed and headed up to do a little salsa. That's really when my nights entertainment began, and I ended up doing a little of everything – salsa, reggaeton, merengue, and cumbia. It was very entertaining watching my friends dancing and talking, although most of the night seemed consumed with taking endless pictures of each other, accompanied by mirthful laughter. By the time 11:16 PM rolled round, I was happily exhausted and ready to give my ears a rest – they were filling up with the 'cotton' sensation that lets me know I probably will need hearing aids when I'm in my sixties. I made my way back to the Metro and caught the red line home.
Although I don't think I'll make a habit of blasting my ears out, it was nice to get out of my head for a while, and embrace the total-body experience that was salsa-dancing in the nightclub known as the Ultra Bar....hopefully I'll remember this time in my life so that I can share it with future children, whether mine or those who hear that I went to DC when I was a young lad. I hope that all my readers have a wonderful weekend – it should be up to the 70's by tomorrow, well, today now, making it necessary to take a walk and soak up some rays!
Contentedly yours,
The Mental Cartographer
