Day 1 - Saturday July 26
Arrived Friday with no problems .. just a bit of travel time. Surprised that from Dulles Airport to the Metro (subway) there is only a bus that takes about 45 minutes... why isn't there a subway out to the airport? The bus is NOT a traveler-friendly bus - just a regular city bus, so it was very crowded with suitcases and people. My hotel is modest, rather 60s-ish, but clean and comfortable. None of those amenities that more modern places have. But the shower has great water power!
Arrived Friday with no problems .. just a bit of travel time. Surprised that from Dulles Airport to the Metro (subway) there is only a bus that takes about 45 minutes... why isn't there a subway out to the airport? The bus is NOT a traveler-friendly bus - just a regular city bus, so it was very crowded with suitcases and people. My hotel is modest, rather 60s-ish, but clean and comfortable. None of those amenities that more modern places have. But the shower has great water power!
Out at 7:30am since the subway doesn't start running until 7 on weekends. Once in DC, I walked and photographed until after 3 when I couldn't do it any more. It's about 95 by that point. Headed back to the hotel to shower and rest. Also my camera battery and card space were getting low.
Coffee at Cafe du Parc (yeah, double macciato cost me $7) that's right in front of the famous Willard Hotel. Walked toward a park area - which became the National Mall area - photos of Washingtron Monument, The White House (from a distance .. will get closer later) and the Constitution Gardens. Saw a Great Blue Heron there.
Vietnam Memorial - impressive - a slash in the ground, beautifully designed. I overheard one gentleman explaining to another: The diamonds beside the names means killed in actions, a cross means missing in action, a cross with a circle means later found dead. There are books that list names alphabetically to help people find the name they're looking for on the wall, because the wall is listed chronologically by date of death.
Coffee at Cafe du Parc (yeah, double macciato cost me $7) that's right in front of the famous Willard Hotel. Walked toward a park area - which became the National Mall area - photos of Washingtron Monument, The White House (from a distance .. will get closer later) and the Constitution Gardens. Saw a Great Blue Heron there.
Vietnam Memorial - impressive - a slash in the ground, beautifully designed. I overheard one gentleman explaining to another: The diamonds beside the names means killed in actions, a cross means missing in action, a cross with a circle means later found dead. There are books that list names alphabetically to help people find the name they're looking for on the wall, because the wall is listed chronologically by date of death.
The bronze statue of the 3 men was beautiful and powerful, as was the Vietnam Women's Memorial. I especially liked the image of the black woman looking hopefully/expectantly toward the sky, with her left hand stretched in tension, and her right on the back of another holding a wounded soldier in her arms.
Past the reflecting pool and Lincoln Memorial to the Korean War memorial. I'd seen photos and really wanted to see this. I was taking a couple photos through the woods at the base, to get a feeling of the bronze figures being more real, when a Vet approached me and asked why from there. We talked for quite a while. He gave me some great personal info.
There are 19 figures, reflected in the black wall behind, which together represent the 38th parallel where they fought. Troops never went out in that number, more like a half dozen at a time. Gary (Vet) was always 2-3rd in his group. He was wounded and carried out twice.
The images etched on the surface of the wall are not active fighters but the support troops. 1 of 9 actually were on the front line. The shrubs surrounding the statues are juniper and only representative of the shrubs there. Lines of granet on the ground represent the rice paddies. The soldiers also did not march/fight with the ponchos on, but when the memorial was dedicated - Gary was there and many of the men talked to the artist. The artist said that each soldier had carried so many items that to sculpt them would have taken forever. I added that artistically the ponchos add a flowing visual element as well.
There are 19 figures, reflected in the black wall behind, which together represent the 38th parallel where they fought. Troops never went out in that number, more like a half dozen at a time. Gary (Vet) was always 2-3rd in his group. He was wounded and carried out twice.
The images etched on the surface of the wall are not active fighters but the support troops. 1 of 9 actually were on the front line. The shrubs surrounding the statues are juniper and only representative of the shrubs there. Lines of granet on the ground represent the rice paddies. The soldiers also did not march/fight with the ponchos on, but when the memorial was dedicated - Gary was there and many of the men talked to the artist. The artist said that each soldier had carried so many items that to sculpt them would have taken forever. I added that artistically the ponchos add a flowing visual element as well.
I shook Gary's hand again and thanked him for his sacrifices and it was an honor to meet him. At the head of the monument is a reflecting pond and the words in silver on the wall: Freedom is never free.
Back toward Lincoln. I spent some time there. It is such an impressive - nearly holy - place. The statue is beautifully done - powerful, solid, yet sensitive. There's a small gallery in the "basement" which I discovered by chance (looking for a restroom).
Behind the Lincoln Memorial are some "gateway" sculptures, donated by Italy, at the head of the bridge over the Potomac River (Arlington Memorial Bridge) From there I started to head toward the FDR/Jefferson but felt too tired. I knew it was time to plan to head indoors somewhere to get cooler. I passed the site where they will soon put the Martin Luther King Jr memorial.
Heading toward the Smithsonian (and coolness) I passed the World War II and spent longer there than planned. Every memorial is so well thought out and planned. Impressive. Passed Washington again and can't imagine someone climbing inside to the top .. especially in this heat!
Behind the Lincoln Memorial are some "gateway" sculptures, donated by Italy, at the head of the bridge over the Potomac River (Arlington Memorial Bridge) From there I started to head toward the FDR/Jefferson but felt too tired. I knew it was time to plan to head indoors somewhere to get cooler. I passed the site where they will soon put the Martin Luther King Jr memorial.
Heading toward the Smithsonian (and coolness) I passed the World War II and spent longer there than planned. Every memorial is so well thought out and planned. Impressive. Passed Washington again and can't imagine someone climbing inside to the top .. especially in this heat!
First to the Freer Gallery of Art - so nice.
Then the S.Dillon Ripley Center (a tiny building, kiosk almost, which houses a museum and office area underground). There was a Jim Henson exhibit there, among other things. From there to the Castle visitor center and a snack. The Castle is the Smithsonian Information center.
Hirshhorn Museum next - modern art, but especially the Sculpture Garden (outdoors, but I couldn't leave it!) One of my all-time favorite sculptures is there: the Burghers of Calais. A group of men who stepped forward to sacrifice themselves to save their city. Created by Rodin and Camille Claudel ... powerful image.
From there I escaped to the metro and my hotel. Shower, rest, AC. Now I'm hungry! Gotta go get some food (I've been subsisting on nut snack mixes and a variety of liquid). Think I'll head back to the Ballston Mall that I found last night and this time, go eat at a restaurant!
Day 2 - July 27
Sunday - very hot and very humid. I considered not taking my camera .. but realized I would regret it at some point if I didn't. By 9ish it had cleared off for a bit and I got some decent photos. I planned to hit Smithsonian Natural History Museum which didn't open until later, so I walked the Basin, which is about the size of Back Bay, to visit the FDR and Jefferson Memorials.
I really liked the FDR. Beautifully and thoughtfully designed. The bronze statues, the solid granite blocks and the flowing water and gentle trees complement the Roosevelt's lives. Eleanor was an amazing woman in her own right.
By the time I made the Jefferson it was opressively hot. A girl at a kiosk graciously put ice in my Gatorade (which I decided would help get me through the morning). When I started photographing, I noticed a huge bird in a tree .. I think it may be a red-tailed hawk. Beautiful.
By the time I made the Jefferson it was opressively hot. A girl at a kiosk graciously put ice in my Gatorade (which I decided would help get me through the morning). When I started photographing, I noticed a huge bird in a tree .. I think it may be a red-tailed hawk. Beautiful.
. . .
I finally made the Natural History Museum before mid-day .. thankfully. It was so hot and humid. Wandered the halls, which were filled with families - the most filled of any museum I'd visited yet. Probably due to dinosaurs, animals, moon rocks, etc. I got a ticket for the iMax for underwater fish of dinosaur times. 3D.
When it was over, and I considered leaving, the entry ways were crowded with people escaping a huge thunderstorm. There were people in the bathrooms drying off with the hand dryers! So .. thanks to the camera, I kept busy. Interesting collections of items .. and an Easter Island Moai (figure head)... my first in person. "Don't Touch" ... aaah but I was so tempted!
