Long Waits for Washington D.C. Visitors

The estimated time to get to the front of the line is nearly three hours. On a normal day that would be outrageous and send tempers soaring. But on this day Eric Ortiz doesn’t seem to mind, even if he is standing in the cold.

“It’s definitely not San Antonio weather,” Ortiz who traveled from San Antonio to D.C., just for the inauguration.

Back home the weather was sunny and in the 70s, but in line for the Metro the temperature is in the 20s with light snow flurries. Ortiz says at least he’s away from the miserable Texas cedar pollen.

“I’ve got my thermals on, and we’re good to go,” she said.

With Ortiz is his sister Elizabeth. She is a teacher is a teacher at Martin Middle School in Austin.

“The students are expecting a full report,” she said.

The siblings were able to get the hard-to-find inaugural tickets through their congressman Ciro Rodriguez.

“We’re here to see the show and witness history being made,” said Eric.

In line in front of the Ortiz siblings are Russell and Betsy Johnson who came to D.C. from Atlanta to see Obama become the nation’s president.

“It’s a historic event, and we wanted to take part in it,” said Russell Johnson.

Russell said he thinks Americans picked the right man to lead the nation.

“It’s a statement of hope for the country will see better times. The economy – the relations between the people – diversity,” he said.

Betsy Johnson said they are also meeting their grandchildren for the once in a lifetime event. They are already at the Mall.

Also in the long queue and enduring the long wait is Darleen Jones and her 8-year-old daughter Kaleen. They, too, are from Atlanta. Darleen bundled up her child well, but even though the layer of clothing its impossible to hide the little girl’s excitement, and the mom was also excited for her daughter.

“Because it’s history, and I want her to see the history being made. And she loves history. It’s her favorite subject,” said Darleen.

Kaleen also wants to see the Lincoln Memorial, because she had just finished a school paper on Dr. Martin Luther King. Coincidentally, this was also the national Martin Luther King holiday.

Little by little, the line crept forward, but eventually the Jones, the Johnsons and the Ortiz siblings were able to buy their ticket and board the metro bound for D.C. where they would join over a million more supporters of Obama.