Trip Report: Washington, D.C.

The Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. We didn't go in, though - this picture was taken on Easter Sunday.

We just returned from our trip to Washington, D.C. We had great weather, saw a lot of great monuments and memorials, and went to some outstanding museums. The first day we were there, we trudged the mall, then down by the water for the FDR and Thomas Jefferson memorials. That was a long day, and we were all ready for dinner and swimming at the hotel, but the person who called in a bomb threat to the Pentagon City subway station caused us to encounter a 2-hour delay in getting home. In short, the Metro authorities shut down the station, and we were stuck waiting for a shuttle bus to take us to the station after Pentagon City. We were lucky that we even got a shuttle – there were hundreds still waiting when we scrambled onto ours. I’ve never been so happy to stand up in the back of a cramped bus.

I saw some new monuments that I hadn’t seen before, or hadn't seen up close: World War II, Korean War, FDR, and Thomas Jefferson. There were thousands of people out on the mall the first day we were there, scattered all over the grass, and almost completely covering the stairs and interior of the Lincoln Memorial. J pointed out that it is much more impressive and stately when it is not completely filled with people, and I agree. Over the following few days, we saw the mall from various viewpoints, and some of the monuments from a distance, but they were not nearly as busy as they had been that first day.

A few things struck me about Washington, D.C. that I hadn’t noticed before. One was the presence of the Washington Monument. Everywhere we went, it drew attention. When we were at the Lincoln Memorial, people took a picture of Abe, then they’d turn around and take a picture of the Washington Monument in the reflecting pool. When we were at the FDR Memorial, people were taking pictures of the Washington Monument through the cherry trees (yes, with their blossoms – the Cherry Blossom Festival is currently in progress.) The same story when we were at Thomas Jefferson and Arlington Cemetary, or walking to the Capitol building. Some of the other monuments may be more impressive, or evoke stronger feelings, but the Washington Monument was a magnet that drew attention no matter where we were.


The Korean War Memorial - very subtle and quiet

Another thing that struck me during our visit was the incredible politeness of everyone we ran across (with the exception of some of the people who were stuck waiting for the shuttle bus when the subway stop was closed.) The people in the hotel were polite to a fault, including kids that I happened to run into in an elevator or who were holding a door for me. The park rangers we talked to at the White House were very nice while they explained that there was little chance we’d be able to get a good look at the White House due to the Egg Roll and the space it required. (We did get a tiny glimpse, but not much.) We also saw President Obama himself in a motorcade, returning from throwing out the first pitch at the Washington Nationals’ season opener. It was a very pleasant trip as far as the people we encountered.

We drove there, and by the time we had reached Maryland, we were pretty tired of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. So we avoided it as much as possible on the way home, and were rewarded with a more serene ride. We went through Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia on this trip, to add three states (and one District of Columbia) to the boys’ total. I had never been in West Virginia, and it didn’t look much different from Maryland. I think they should call it West Maryland.

Before we left for the trip, we bought the boys an inexpensive digital camera to share. In the past, we’ve bought them disposable film cameras (you take the pictures, then drop off the whole camera, and the film is extracted and the pictures developed.) They combined their efforts to take more than 400 pictures. Fortunately, they had a large memory card to hold it all. And the batteries lasted through all 400 pictures. I’ve seen some real improvements in battery life ever since the Energizer Bunny took over as CEO.


A satellite at the Air and Space Museum.

Washington, D.C. Visitor Tips

1. Walk, or stop to rest, on the right of the walkway.

2. If you are moving, move with purpose.

3. Motorists are supposed to stop for pedestrians, but pedestrians should not count on it.

4. If you’re prone to motion sickness, being seated in a subway car is a lot better than standing up.

5. If you can’t figure out the fare card machines on the Metro, stand in front of the machines looking puzzled (head-scratching is optional), and pretty soon someone will come and push all the buttons for you. We are smart people, and we would have eventually figured it out, but the lady who worked there was a lot faster.

6. The Embassy Suites in Alexandria doesn’t have free high-speed internet. You’ve been warned. Also, there isn’t much in the way of restaurants in the area surrounding the hotel. However, the pizza at nearby Quattro Fromaggi is very good, so be sure to go there.


Unrelated News
There was a recent news item I wanted to pass along - in December, there was a shooting a few blocks from our house. Prosecutors say the homeowner who did the shooting was acting in self-defense. Here is the AnnArbor.com article with the latest.