After yesterday's 3-hour tour of the zoo, I couldn't move for the rest of the day. Something tells me I need more exercise. So this evening, Penny and I went on a waddle through our neighborhood. I went around a different block than I usually do, and I was pleasantly surprised to find a quiet little neighborhood. Up until tonight, I thought that there was nothing within walking distance besides the metro stop, high-rise buildings, restaurants, and road construction. But even with my pregnancy-reduced walking range, there is a peaceful road to walk down.

Most of this road was lined with luxury apartments. I could tell from the well-groomed gardens, fancy balconies, and posh gates that they were well above what I could afford if I were staying on my own dime. But then suddenly there was an old, cheap, kinda ghetto place-- right there in the middle of poshville. I hesitate to call it ghetto, because really, it was the most charming sight on our walk. The apartments were small. The buildings were old, square and brick with boards covering where the AC units would soon be hanging out the windows. The parking lot was nothing fancy. But the place was well-maintained. The walls were painted. The windows were new. For what it was, it was maintained to be as nice as it could be.

The most charming part of it all, though, was the little community happening in the courtyard. An old Indian grandma came walking out and stopped to talk to me about Penny, my upcoming baby, and about her four children. Her English wasn't perfect, but she was friendly enough to still stop and talk. A couple of American families were sitting in their lawn chairs just chatting away the beautiful spring evening. Another immigrant mom was out on the lawn playing soccer with her two little kids.

Penny and I stopped to watch the kids and play a little soccer of our own. We briefly talked with the soccer family, and they nicely played baby soccer with Penny for a few minutes. Then another family came outside, and a real soccer game began.

It was refreshing to see the little community out there enjoying the evening.