Mr Smith Goes to Washington

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My trip to Washington DC starts in the Arlington National Cemetery. No one honours their war dead like the Americans. Arlington started as a place to bury the dead from the Civil War, now it's the final resting place for many dead soldiers, Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. It's actually quite crowded because family members are also buried alongside the war dead. John F Kennedy is buried here, he has an eternal flame and a sizable tomb. But there are only a couple of Presidents buried in Arlington; Presidents are usually buried in their hometown. But JFK was a war hero, and he was assignated in the line of duty. His two brothers are alongside him, Robert and most recently Edward, the long term Senator who died last summer. The astronauts of the Challenger Space Shuttle which blew up on its launch in 1986 are honoured here in Arlington. We stayed for the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, quite a solemn occassion, and happens every half an hour. The guard of the tomb of the unknown soldier marches a very precise 21 steps back and forth for 30 minutes. During the changing of the guard, the soldiers march in step, exhange the gun, check the gun and the new guard begins his precise march. All this ceremony is monitored by a superior officer. They ask the crowd gathered to be quite and respectful, but there are always those people who can't quite manage this. No talking, gum chewing, and no smoking. But I saw someone blowing bubble gum bubbles and popping them, and heard another on his cell phone. Almost everyone there is mindful of the ceremony and understand its power and significance. Lest we forgot those who died in battle.

We dropped off the car and made our way by subway to our hotel on 16th Street, just a couple of blocks from the White House. The miracle of the internet lets us book a cheap room at the Capital Hilton. The Queen stayed here, and many other dignitaries. There is a storied history of this hotel going back 70 years, but I didn't bother to get all the details, or write them down. We needed to eat dinner this first night in Washington DC so we asked the concierge of the hotel for a recommendation and he sent us to Georgia Brown's just a couple of blocks away. Normally, I would bother writing about a restaurant, unless of course it is worth blogging about. Southern cooking, gourmet style in a wonderful atmosphere and lovely interior, with gracious service and southern hospitality to borrow from their website. I had the vegetarian sampler: fried green tomotoes, black eyed peas, Carolina red rice, smoked vegatable medley and corn bread. Kris had the chicken salad and her meal also was one of the most delicious meals ever. I still remember with tasty memories.

Sunday was the first full day in Washington DC and it rained. It put a bit of a damper on the day, it was difficult to wander about. And rain here in the ex-swampy lands are muggy not cold. We did our best in the couple of hours in the rain before Kris set off to Ronald Reagan Airport. She returned to California, and I stayed on in Washington DC and then onto New York for another two weeks in the east. I stayed in a older building now converted to a hostel. I don't mind staying in hostels for a short time, you save on money but you pay in privacy. One roommate a little older than me spent much of the time in the room just staring into space. He liked to have the air conditioning on full blast, I slept with a blanket as a result. The floors creek, the plumbing old and the elevator was a death trap. I took it once, and not again. It did get stuck with a couple of staff members on my first day. From that first day, I walked up and down five flights of stairs - safe and fit.

Monday, I got a meagre breakfast at the hostel and set off for the day. I mailed the cookbooks from the Post Office. Then I walked to the White House to see what Obama was up to. I couldn't see in. No one can, of course because there is a rather sizable security perimeter. You can see the snipers on the roof, and plenty of secret service personnel wandering about watching us. I walked on, and to the Washington Mall. The Mall is just over two miles long from the Capitol Building to the Lincoln Memorial, and about 300 meters (1/6 mile) wide lined with buildings, several of those buildings comprise the Smithsonian Museum. I chose one a day for my visit, and the first choice, my highest priority, was the Air and Space Museum. I was, however, a little let down. The building was packed with people, loud and full of screaming kids. The only real food in the museum is McDonald's, and the Boston Market is almost the same and uses the same kitchen. And the Apollo 11 capsule that went to the moon and carried the first astronauts that landed on the moon was wrapped in plastic, just like the food available. Naturally they don't want us to touch the capsule, so it's been covered in plastic. But this solid wrap makes it actually difficult to see it well, there are a lot of reflections off the plastic further obscuring the capsule. The manner in which the Science and Industry museum in Chicago had separated the Apollo 8 by plastic worked better, a single flat sheet of plastic. Also in this museum was a Mercury mission module, and a Gemini module from which an astronaut went outside for a spacewalk. Hanging from the ceiling is the Spirit of St Louis, which Charles Lindbergh flew aross the Atlantic Ocean in 1927. And in its own room is the original Wright Brothers flyer from 1903. One of my favorite rooms was a collection of large photos taken by various spacecraft as they flew by the planets and moons. Fantastic colour and clarity. Certainly a good museum with a lot of great items to see, but that the Apollo 11 was so tough to see, and the poor food situation made for a less than perfect visit.

Later in the afternoon I rented a bicycle and rode around the Mall. Being more than two miles long with lots to see along the way makes for a long stroll, but this can be expedited with a bike. The actual memorials are some distance apart, so a bike makes good sense. I first cycled to the Washington monument, 555 ft tall, masonary and no morter. Then the recently completed in 2004 World War Two memorial. 400 000 Americans died in WWII. Then I made my way to the Lincoln Memorial, which was a bit of a zoo. Signs clearly say to be quiet and respectful, but this place is anything but that. A lot of people making a lot of noise. Then I rode further around the Mall, past some construction, which I later found out is a new memorial to be completed to honour Martin Luther King Jr. I walked my bicycle through the four chambers of the FDR Memorial. On the souther rim of the tidal pool is the more serene Jefferson Memorial. Jefferson gets far fewer visitors simply because of its location off to the south. I returned to the Washington monument which was close to the return point for the bicycle.

Tuesday turned into a long day, but great day. I didn't eat the meagre breakfast offered at the hostel but instead got fueled up with a more substantial meal. I walked to the National Geographic building. There was a temporary exhibit of Leonardo da Vinci, they had made many models of his sketches. And these we were allowed to try out: screws, levers, cams, the octagonal mirror room, and there was a helicopter, flying machines, and an underwater breathing aparatus. Very interesting, and much to explore so I bought a book to help me remember all the details. Then I walked over to another Smithsonian Museum, this time the American History Museum, a huge museum of displays to describe the history of the USA. A very popular room was the first lady's room. There was a gown, usually the Inaugeration gown, of each first lady. Dozens upon dozens of dresses, and hundreds of people squashed into this room. The rest of the museum was less crowded. The American Flag from the War of 1812 was there, in tatters underglass and dim lights to preserve what's left. This flag inspired Francis Scott Key to write the Star Spangled Banner, the National Anthem. This torn flag was in Baltimore, the place where the Americans held off the British, and the Americans hold this flag very close to their hearts. Another room is dedicated to presidents and presidential history, and huge display of America at war. Another room for Lincoln himself. Downstairs is the huge display of America on the move, trains, cars and buses which outlines the history of how America gets around. A nice museum with a nice restaurant, I stayed for quite a while.

Later in the day I walked to the Capitol Building, and inadvertantly stumbled across the public access, I got there just in time for a tour. A group of us were led into a large auditorium where we watched a short video about the history of the Capitol Building and how it's a part of American history. Then we were split into smaller groups and shown through the public areas of the Capitol building, the Rotunda, a very impressive room of paintings and statues, and the original Congress Hall, a parabolic shape with perfect acoustics. The tour didn't take long, as there isn't much public space. The House of Representatives was undergoing some renovations so that was not viewable, and to see the Senate takes a special ticket. They asked if I was American, so being a foreigner takes even more paperwork. Across the road is the library of Congress, so I jumped in before it closed for the day. It's decorated in the grand European style, ornate and lavish. The round reading room can be viewed from above, no photos allowed. And to get into the reading room takes another special ticket. It was time for dinner, and after dinner I went on a bicycle tour, this tour happened at twilight, the same route as I took by myself during the day the day before. We went in the opposite direction, and saw the Jefferson Memorial, the FDR Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, then Lincoln, then then the Vietnam War Memorial. The sun was setting and the photos were great, and coming fast and furious. We cycled in the dark to the WWII Memorial and then the Washington Monument. We ended at the White House. I needed a tour for this trip because I don't think I would have found all the bike paths in the dark, and there was a couple of places I missed the day before when I was on my own.

I started the next day, Wednesday, a bit later just to recover from that long day the day before. I walked past the White House again, and this time there was a larger perimeter around the complex, we of the general public were furher from the White House than a couple of days before. There were some kids coming out of the building, a few more cars than usual. And someone had a poster wishing Obama a happy birthday. I could see a lot more activity, but still no one I recognized. So I went to the Art Gallery. It's not part of the Smithsonian, which I didn't realize until far inside. I went on a walking tour hosted by a volunteer. I. M. Pei designed the annex, made up of different triangles. Even the elevator has triangular shape. Several rooms were closed for renovation, and some paintings were on loan to other museums. Nevertheless, a lot of wonderful paintings to see, you can never go wrong with Picasso and Manet.

It was so very humid that last day in Washington DC, "Gad, it's Hat!" as they say here in the east. It's so humid you can taste the air. So humid that my lens had fogged after going from the air conditioned interior to the steamy outside. So hot that you never feel relief even from a breeze. So hot that while I did my nightly hobo wash in the sink, the clothes were not dry the next morning, it would take another day to dry. It's so humid that when the clouds develop and if it rains it actually feels hotter. Washington DC used to be a swamp, the wetland around the Potomac River. During our evening bicycle tour I could see fireflies darting in and out of the trees around the Korean War memorial, and the crickets and cicadas create the soundtrack.

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Comments

[daryljames]

I've been to Washington and took the same tour as the author. It's a joy to "visulize" that tour again through the eyes of a visitor.