Post by Honeylioness on Nov 18, 2010 14:10:33 GMT -5
03 November 2010
I took the girls to Washington, D.C. yesterday. Amazing promotional deal from Jet Blue that came out to $35 per person RT including all taxes and fees.
We rose early in order to have time for breakfast and so Mom could swing by and vote before we left. Traffic into Boston wasn't as bad as it could have been, but I was still glad we left as early as we did.
I must admit it felt a bit strange to have no luggage to check and minimal carry on as we went through Security. However after an uneventful flight we were looking down on Virginia as the plane banked and landed at Regan International. While getting to the "nearest" Metro station was indeed the hike I had been told it was I was glad to see that the system operated a lot like the one in Boston so with almost no delay we were aboard a train and headed for our first stop.
I had heard, and frankly had expected, that since there really is not an "Off Season" for D.C. that we would be dealing all day with large groups of school classes and other field trips. Perhaps because it was Election Day and many schools closed, we did not find any real crowds all day which was quite refreshing. And this meant that where ever we ventured access was easy and wait times non existent.
Our first stop was the National Archives where I had been informed it was possible to wait in line for more than an hour. However we walked directly into the lobby area and through security in less than five minutes. And when we made our way into the Rotunda there was only perhaps 20 other people there as well.
One thing I had not realized is that the Archives house a 700+ year old copy of the Magna Carta. THAT was really wonderful. Here was an original circulating copy of the first document of it's kind - upon which hundreds of governments would base their system of justice and law.
Ines and Siying were please to be able to identify various names and dates as we went along the exhibits leading to the Declaration - they are currently studying this period of history in school. I was in awe that the document even survived after reading of where and how it had been stored and treated for decades prior to arriving at it's present location. It is incredibly faded and almost impossible to read in parts but it still gave me a little shiver of patriotism.
However the Constitution was another matter all together.
As I came to the special display case where the words "We the People of the United States..." leap off the page at you - well, to put it plainly - I lost it a bit. I really didn't anticipate it coming and really had no way of stopping my reaction - but from one breath to the next I was crying. Not hysterical-someone-call-security crying - but the steady flow of moisture down cheeks that comes from profound feelings of honor, pride and loss. This document was the reason that more than 10 generations of my family had joined the military to serve their country. The reason they died, and yet the reason their sons would also answer the call to service. This was the tangible embodiment of all that we as a country profess to believe in. The reason Redhawk has given so much of his life to protect others. I could feel them - like a large group around me refusing my thanks for what they did, but merely nodding to the case as if to remind me that these ideals and rights WERE worth fighting and dying for.
All this I tried to explain to the girls once we had left the darkness of the display area and were making our way down Pennsylvania Avenue towards the White House.
During our ramble down this wide boulevard we passed the Old Main Post Office and the statue of Ben Franklin (the creator of the United States Postal Service and it's first Postmaster General), the FBI headquarters and the Regan Trade Commission while grabbing a hot dog from a street vendor for lunch. I was rather amused that their favorite building along this walk was the FBI - since, in my opinion, it is a rather dumpy and plain building with little architecturally to recommend it. Perhaps they have just watched too many television crime shows - but they both wanted pictures of them in front of the sign and next to FBI vehicles.
After walking through Freedom Park we headed towards the south lawn of the White House. I remember when this street and the one along the North Lawn were both open to traffic - but now it is pedestrians only. From the South side you get to stand between it and the Washington Monument. We then walked around the West side of the grounds and past the Old Executive Building - pausing to look at various statues and architecture along the way.
Then we were at the North Side of the White House where staff and press enter and exit and you are closer to the building than on the South side. The difference here though were the protesters. Between the two very large DC Police Officers stationed at either end of the walkway with their squad cars was a group with posters of Obama with a Hitler mustache and people stopping tourists to try and engage them in their issue. These folks were from the Lyndon LaRouche group - and are beyond the fringe of political thought.
We met up with a friend, Alicia, who took a long lunch break to come down from her office to meet us. The girls also got to see proof of the current security climate by noting the sharp shooters on the roof of the White House. And then they watched a bit bemused as a man walked over to the press gate dressed in camouflage pants, a rainbow tye-died shirt and large fuzzy blue magicians hat to pace back and forth ranting about how the Constitution was being destroyed by the media.
I think for Siying especially it was a startling contrast to how people behave and/or protest in her home country. But such is the power of our First Amendment rights that unless you throw an object, assault another person or threaten the life of the President - the security guards and police around the White House will not intervene or try to stop you from expressing your views.
After purchasing a couple of chotke from a street vendor we parted ways with Alicia and made our way past my favorite museum - The Corcoran. I like it not just because of their variety of rotating exhibits and range of objects, but because of the two huge lions that guard the entrance!
We walked past the DAR head quarters (Daughters of the American Revolution) and the American Red Cross building before crossing Constitution Ave and the newest memorial in town - the World War II Memorial. This had not been completed when I was last in D.C. and though I had seen pictures I really wanted to see it first hand.
www.wwiimemorial.com/default.asp?page=pictures.asp&subpage=photos
Again through luck or planning we were one of only 20 or so people there at the moment so not only was there plenty of room to fully take in the area, but relative quiet as well to appreciate the sacrifice these men and women made.
We then walked the length of the Reflecting Pool towards the Lincoln Memorial. As we were more approaching the end of the Pool Siying commented that she didn't see any statue of Lincoln and thought it was really big? I realized she was looking OUTSIDE the structure and moved her to let her see his looming figure gazing out from the shelter behind the columns. www.nps.gov/linc/index.htm
Here was the first place all day where we actually had a good number of people sharing an area with us - I would estimate about a 100 on the steps and inside the monument itself. A very eclectic mix of school kids, military personnel, a group of catholic priests and nuns and visitors from every nationality. What many don't realize however is that you can walk around the main chamber on the upper level to catch wonderful views of the Potomac River and outer parts of D.C.
Our next stop was the Vietnam Memorial, or The Wall thewall-usa.com/
I have always found this place to be the most moving and emotional for me. Perhaps because it so starkly portrays the loss of life during war, or perhaps because this war is that one the most touched me at a young age and continues to be felt through my relationship with Redhawk. Either way, this is the place that will make me cry - every time. The girls were more than a bit subdued once they realized that the lines of script that ran on and on and on were real names of real boys, not much older than they are - who died during this war.
I had wanted to get over to Arlington National Cemetery, however by the time we would have made it over the bridge there it would have been closing it gates - oh well, next time.
We did take a rest near the memorial statue for all the women who fought and died during the Vietnam War before making our way across the Avenue to visit the Albert Einstein statue. Something I didn't even know was IN D.C. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Einstein_Memorial
We then wandered back up Constitution Avenue, past the Federal Reserve and finally across from the Washington Monument once more. There we ran into a large group of police officers on bikes who were taking a quick break and were very helpful in helping us locate a not too expensive place to eat before doing a last walk down Pennsylvania Avenue and the metro back to the airport.
There are definitely things we did not have a chance to get to that I would very much like to get back and see with the girls: the National Cathedral, The Smithsonian, a night bus tour of D.C., the Korean Memorial, Arlington and a tour of the White House.
Ah well - next time.
I took the girls to Washington, D.C. yesterday. Amazing promotional deal from Jet Blue that came out to $35 per person RT including all taxes and fees.
We rose early in order to have time for breakfast and so Mom could swing by and vote before we left. Traffic into Boston wasn't as bad as it could have been, but I was still glad we left as early as we did.
I must admit it felt a bit strange to have no luggage to check and minimal carry on as we went through Security. However after an uneventful flight we were looking down on Virginia as the plane banked and landed at Regan International. While getting to the "nearest" Metro station was indeed the hike I had been told it was I was glad to see that the system operated a lot like the one in Boston so with almost no delay we were aboard a train and headed for our first stop.
I had heard, and frankly had expected, that since there really is not an "Off Season" for D.C. that we would be dealing all day with large groups of school classes and other field trips. Perhaps because it was Election Day and many schools closed, we did not find any real crowds all day which was quite refreshing. And this meant that where ever we ventured access was easy and wait times non existent.
Our first stop was the National Archives where I had been informed it was possible to wait in line for more than an hour. However we walked directly into the lobby area and through security in less than five minutes. And when we made our way into the Rotunda there was only perhaps 20 other people there as well.
One thing I had not realized is that the Archives house a 700+ year old copy of the Magna Carta. THAT was really wonderful. Here was an original circulating copy of the first document of it's kind - upon which hundreds of governments would base their system of justice and law.
Ines and Siying were please to be able to identify various names and dates as we went along the exhibits leading to the Declaration - they are currently studying this period of history in school. I was in awe that the document even survived after reading of where and how it had been stored and treated for decades prior to arriving at it's present location. It is incredibly faded and almost impossible to read in parts but it still gave me a little shiver of patriotism.
However the Constitution was another matter all together.
As I came to the special display case where the words "We the People of the United States..." leap off the page at you - well, to put it plainly - I lost it a bit. I really didn't anticipate it coming and really had no way of stopping my reaction - but from one breath to the next I was crying. Not hysterical-someone-call-security crying - but the steady flow of moisture down cheeks that comes from profound feelings of honor, pride and loss. This document was the reason that more than 10 generations of my family had joined the military to serve their country. The reason they died, and yet the reason their sons would also answer the call to service. This was the tangible embodiment of all that we as a country profess to believe in. The reason Redhawk has given so much of his life to protect others. I could feel them - like a large group around me refusing my thanks for what they did, but merely nodding to the case as if to remind me that these ideals and rights WERE worth fighting and dying for.
All this I tried to explain to the girls once we had left the darkness of the display area and were making our way down Pennsylvania Avenue towards the White House.
During our ramble down this wide boulevard we passed the Old Main Post Office and the statue of Ben Franklin (the creator of the United States Postal Service and it's first Postmaster General), the FBI headquarters and the Regan Trade Commission while grabbing a hot dog from a street vendor for lunch. I was rather amused that their favorite building along this walk was the FBI - since, in my opinion, it is a rather dumpy and plain building with little architecturally to recommend it. Perhaps they have just watched too many television crime shows - but they both wanted pictures of them in front of the sign and next to FBI vehicles.
After walking through Freedom Park we headed towards the south lawn of the White House. I remember when this street and the one along the North Lawn were both open to traffic - but now it is pedestrians only. From the South side you get to stand between it and the Washington Monument. We then walked around the West side of the grounds and past the Old Executive Building - pausing to look at various statues and architecture along the way.
Then we were at the North Side of the White House where staff and press enter and exit and you are closer to the building than on the South side. The difference here though were the protesters. Between the two very large DC Police Officers stationed at either end of the walkway with their squad cars was a group with posters of Obama with a Hitler mustache and people stopping tourists to try and engage them in their issue. These folks were from the Lyndon LaRouche group - and are beyond the fringe of political thought.
We met up with a friend, Alicia, who took a long lunch break to come down from her office to meet us. The girls also got to see proof of the current security climate by noting the sharp shooters on the roof of the White House. And then they watched a bit bemused as a man walked over to the press gate dressed in camouflage pants, a rainbow tye-died shirt and large fuzzy blue magicians hat to pace back and forth ranting about how the Constitution was being destroyed by the media.
I think for Siying especially it was a startling contrast to how people behave and/or protest in her home country. But such is the power of our First Amendment rights that unless you throw an object, assault another person or threaten the life of the President - the security guards and police around the White House will not intervene or try to stop you from expressing your views.
After purchasing a couple of chotke from a street vendor we parted ways with Alicia and made our way past my favorite museum - The Corcoran. I like it not just because of their variety of rotating exhibits and range of objects, but because of the two huge lions that guard the entrance!
We walked past the DAR head quarters (Daughters of the American Revolution) and the American Red Cross building before crossing Constitution Ave and the newest memorial in town - the World War II Memorial. This had not been completed when I was last in D.C. and though I had seen pictures I really wanted to see it first hand.
www.wwiimemorial.com/default.asp?page=pictures.asp&subpage=photos
Again through luck or planning we were one of only 20 or so people there at the moment so not only was there plenty of room to fully take in the area, but relative quiet as well to appreciate the sacrifice these men and women made.
We then walked the length of the Reflecting Pool towards the Lincoln Memorial. As we were more approaching the end of the Pool Siying commented that she didn't see any statue of Lincoln and thought it was really big? I realized she was looking OUTSIDE the structure and moved her to let her see his looming figure gazing out from the shelter behind the columns. www.nps.gov/linc/index.htm
Here was the first place all day where we actually had a good number of people sharing an area with us - I would estimate about a 100 on the steps and inside the monument itself. A very eclectic mix of school kids, military personnel, a group of catholic priests and nuns and visitors from every nationality. What many don't realize however is that you can walk around the main chamber on the upper level to catch wonderful views of the Potomac River and outer parts of D.C.
Our next stop was the Vietnam Memorial, or The Wall thewall-usa.com/
I have always found this place to be the most moving and emotional for me. Perhaps because it so starkly portrays the loss of life during war, or perhaps because this war is that one the most touched me at a young age and continues to be felt through my relationship with Redhawk. Either way, this is the place that will make me cry - every time. The girls were more than a bit subdued once they realized that the lines of script that ran on and on and on were real names of real boys, not much older than they are - who died during this war.
I had wanted to get over to Arlington National Cemetery, however by the time we would have made it over the bridge there it would have been closing it gates - oh well, next time.
We did take a rest near the memorial statue for all the women who fought and died during the Vietnam War before making our way across the Avenue to visit the Albert Einstein statue. Something I didn't even know was IN D.C. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Einstein_Memorial
We then wandered back up Constitution Avenue, past the Federal Reserve and finally across from the Washington Monument once more. There we ran into a large group of police officers on bikes who were taking a quick break and were very helpful in helping us locate a not too expensive place to eat before doing a last walk down Pennsylvania Avenue and the metro back to the airport.
There are definitely things we did not have a chance to get to that I would very much like to get back and see with the girls: the National Cathedral, The Smithsonian, a night bus tour of D.C., the Korean Memorial, Arlington and a tour of the White House.
Ah well - next time.
