I'm in DC - hub of the world, they say

So Vodafone Mobile call only find 2G connections

When it does it says Googlemail is barred for security reasons

The hotel's wireless network is steam powered and refreshes a page once every few minutes

Is this a metaphor for Washington? Stuck in its own little cocoon unconnected to the world outside?

I hope not.

But having tried every which way I can to get on to the net this is as far as I got in exchange for a lot of bucks. Maybe that's another metaphor for this place.