Mind the Gap

One thing I enjoy about the holiday season is that it brings a general sense of festivity to the greater Washington region. And part of that means it's also model train display season. Exhibit A -- the train display at the U.S. Botanic Garden. The gardens normally host a beautiful train display inside, and typically a line snakes out the door. Families with young children are eager to see the trains chug through foliage and near detailed models of stations, farms and other landmarks. In past years, I've waited up to 45 minutes in said line. This year, as COVID-19 cases continue to surge due to the spread of the omicron variant, the display has been moved to the outside portion of the garden. I actually liked this setup better, because there wasn't a line and the display could be accessed from many points. Additionally, without a line I didn't feel a need to rush through, and was able to take it all in. Many of the trains themselves I remembered from past years, particul