Washington D.C.

Going Home

September 29, 2009 JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

National Arboretum in Washington D.C.

This is our last day in the Washington, D.C. area and we don’t have a lot of time to goof around before our flights leave in the afternoon. The plan had been to split our time between the National Arboretum and Baltimore. The arboretum is somewhat off the beaten path for those visiting our nation’s capital. Our GPS is a trail guide unit, so its clarity in giving details regarding city locations is hit-and-miss. We found the arboretum, but not before we missed our turn and had to double back off the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. Once we entered, just behind the visitor center, we encountered this koi pond whipped into a multi-colored feeding frenzy by a group of school children offering treats.

National Arboretum in Washington D.C.

A small corner of the arboretum is dedicated as the National Bonsai Garden where we marvel at this Japanese White Pine in training since 1625. This just blows the mind, considering how many pairs of hands have nurtured this tree for nearly 400 years.

Other than for the school groups that make their way out here, this doesn’t seem to be one of the more popular D.C. stops, kind of like the Washington Cathedral we visited back in May.

National Arboretum in Washington D.C.

Away from the noise, not that there’s a lot of that out here, we are all alone among the Corinthian columns. Not just any columns either; these once supported the East Portico of the U.S. Capitol from 1828 to 1958, when an expansion required their removal. They sat in storage for years until 1984, when they took their place here at the National Arboretum. Like a ruin in ancient Greece, these columns stand proudly on a hill as though they had been here for centuries.

National Arboretum in Washington D.C.

Trails crisscross the arboretum through various terrains with a tremendous assortment of plant life on display. We make our way from a herb garden to a trail that wends its way through Fern Valley. The last area we have time to visit is the Asian Collection.

National Arboretum in Washington D.C.

After studying a map of the Asian Collection we choose to follow yet another path. It doesn’t look possible that we’ll see even a fraction of the garden, but the trails are not as long as we first thought, and soon, we have covered a wide area. One trail takes us to the Anacostia River; our return has us going uphill to Hickey Hill Road, walking along some dense trees and various Asian plants that are most often marked with a plaque imprinted with the plant’s botanical name. My apologies for repeating this so often, but we should have had more time to explore this place. Again, we are visiting a location with much to offer and is of great curiosity to us, but time is not on our side. Yet another reason for a return trip to the Washington, D.C. area.

Back on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway we head directly to downtown Baltimore and stop at the visitors center. What can someone do with just a couple of hours to see Baltimore? I loved the answer we were offered, which was, “Take the water taxi across the harbor,” so that’s just what we did as it’s not every day we are on water taxis.

Baltimore, Maryland

“Follow that with a walk through Little Italy, have a bite to eat, see some historic sites related to the Star-Spangled Banner, and then come back someday when you have more time.”

Baltimore, Maryland

That all sounded great, and so that’s just what we did and will do.

Baltimore, Maryland

The paninis and mufalato from Vaccaro’s Pastry Shop were fantastic.

Baltimore, Maryland

This is the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House, where in 1813, Mary Pickersgill made the flag that in 1814 was hoisted at nearby Fort McHenry. Francis Scott Key penned the lyrics of the national anthem after seeing that the flag was still waving after a 25-hour attack by the British.

Baltimore, Maryland

We didn’t take a tour of Fort McHenry today, which proved wrongheaded because when we returned a month later, we arrived in poor weather.

Baltimore, Maryland

I wonder if Baltimore’s nickname is the City of Red Brick?

Baltimore, Maryland

Like I said.

Back to the car for the short drive to the airport, dropping Jessica at her terminal with minutes to spare before her flight takes off while we have a few more hours before our departure back to Phoenix.

September 28, 2009 JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Caroline Wise, Jessica Aldridge, and John Wise in front of the Washington Monument in Washington D.C.

What promises to be a long day began with Caroline, Jessica, and I walking south on 11th Street to Pennsylvania Avenue, around the Old Post Office, continuing south on 12th Street between the Department of Commerce and the Internal Revenue Service. Right on Constitution Avenue and over to the Washington Monument. On our previous visits to the nation’s capital, tickets for going to the top of the monument had been sold out; this time, I planned well in advance.

View from the Washington Monument in Washington D.C.

We were first in line, and first through security, then we waited with everyone else to ride the elevator to the top. The Washington Monument was constructed between 1848 and 1884. Lack of funds and the Civil War were some of the reasons this 555-foot obelisk took so long to build. Today we are riding to the top of what at one time was the tallest building on earth. Once inside, our first view is looking north to the White House on a beautiful blue sky day.

View from the Washington Monument in Washington D.C.

The small windows looking west are occupied by other tourists, but the south windows are free, offering us a great view of the Jefferson Memorial, the Tidal Basin, and the Potomac flowing to the south. What a thrill to be up here; we take our time to inspect the granite, how the pieces were fitted together, the holes cut through the granite above us, which house the red blinking lights that warn aircraft that the Washington Monument stands here.

On the eastern side of the monument, the scenery is bathed in a blue haze; the sun over the Capitol is stopping me from getting a nice picture with all of the glare that’s over there. Next time in D.C., we’ll reserve a late afternoon tour just so we can see the U.S. Capitol from above, glowing in the golden light of sunset. Looking northeast, I was able to take the photo above with fairly good results. Remember, I am shooting through glass that doesn’t look as if it is cleaned every day. In the photo above, the first building on the left and the massive one with the interesting circle and half-circle next to it belong to the Department of Commerce – a huge agency indeed. If you are familiar with D.C., you’ll notice the Old Post Office with its tower; the building in front of it is the Internal Revenue Service. The two buildings on the right are the Smithsonian National Museum of American History and the National Museum of Natural History.

Now clear of other visitors, the western windows offer us a view of the Lincoln Memorial, the Reflecting Pool, and the National World War II Memorial. The buildings to the right are the Federal Reserve, the National Academy of Engineering, and the State Department. Out of view to the southwest is the Pentagon. I did shoot a number of panoramas while up here, but none of them gave me the results I’d hoped for.

Jessica Aldridge in the Washington Monument in Washington D.C.

At each window is a photographic diagram showing three different views of the same scene across time. For example, on the western view, you see an image from 1901 with what looks like a swamp next to the Potomac with a dotted overlay showing where the Lincoln Memorial and Reflecting Pool sit today. The next image is from 1920, with the majority of the monument built, but the entire site is still under construction. The last image is from 1999 and some buildings that had been north of the Reflecting Pool have been replaced by a carp pond. The construction for the World War II Memorial hadn’t been started yet, either. On the ride down, the elevator stops, and the lighting changes, allowing us to see through opaque doors some of the dedications made in granite on the interior of the monument. I may sound like a broken record, but we are thrilled to have had the opportunity to see all of this.

Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.

I have no idea how I had this vantage point above so much, and yet obviously not from the heights of the Washington Monument. By the way, it’s at this point, 13 years after the majority of this blog post was already written up, that I’m adding more photos and a bit more text, starting with this image right here. It’s 2022 when I’m working through these entries, which I believe I pointed out in the previous posts.

Washington Monument in Washington D.C.

Those tiny rectangles up there are the windows we were just looking through on the Washington Monument. While the day could have easily revolved around nothing more than visiting the immediate area right here, we do have other plans.

National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C.

East on the National Mall, we walked towards the Capitol until we reached the Natural History Museum.

National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C.

In May, when we visited with my mother-in-law, there was an event being held in the museum that cut our visit short. Caroline, in particular, had wanted to return to spend more time at the exhibit titled ‘Written in Bone.’

National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C.

We spend two hours here, seeing lots of dinosaur skeletons, fossils, minerals, precious gems, and human bones, but look forward to the day we might be able to dwell from opening to closing, reading and studying the displays.

National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C.

A giant nautiloid fossil.

National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C.

A Triassic-age relative of the crocodile.

National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C.

An example from the Lepidotes species of fish that is now extinct.

National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C.

We can all be happy that this line of amphibians didn’t survive very long out of the Paleozoic/Permian periods, as who the hell would want to see a line of frogs descended from these monsters?

National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C.

Various soil types from states across America this is just a small sample of them.

National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C.

In May when we visited the Jamestown settlement, we had seen that some of their exhibits were on loan to the Smithsonian for the exhibition titled, you guessed it, Written in Bone. This is one of those exhibits.

Smithsonian Castle in Washington D.C.

Across the Mall, we enter the Castle. The Smithsonian Information Center and administrative offices are housed here. The Castle was the first building built for what would, by the time of our visit, encompass a total of sixteen museums and the National Zoo. As you enter the Castle, on your left is the tomb of James Smithson, from whose charitable gift the Smithsonian was established on July 1st, 1836.

National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C.

The collection pieces on display in the Castle are taken from the various other museums within D.C.

Smithsonian Castle in Washington D.C.

Sure, there were other things seen and photographed, but I don’t have a lifetime to note the many details of inventory of what we’ve seen, so I must be moving on.

Rose in Washington D.C.

Between the museums, there are other things to see, such as beautiful roses.

National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C.

On our way to the newest addition to the Smithsonian, we dipped into the National Air and Space Museum. After flying Southwest Airlines so many times over the previous years, I had forgotten how large a 747 is; the front side of one of these trans-continental jumbos is on exhibit, complete with a cockpit, offering us a look into this giant of the skies. Obviously, the Spirit of St. Louis is not a 747.

National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C.

Seeing the model for the Hubble Telescope was nothing less than amazing; I thought it would have been a lot smaller. The same goes for Skylab; a life-size model is on display, and with a line of visitors snaking around it before reaching inside, you can guess this is a popular display. Skylab crashed back to earth in 1979, all 77.5 tons of it.

National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C.

On September 21, 2004, the National Museum of the American Indian opened its doors. This is our first visit, and to be honest, I had anticipated this particular museum would be a disappointment. The reason I assumed that is because the American Indian typically gets short-changed, and maybe this effort would appear to be a cheap second thought.

National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C.

I was wrong – very wrong. The five-story building and water features as you approach are beautiful. Walking through the doors, you can’t help but be impressed with the flow of things. The museum’s architect, Douglas Cardinal, is a Blackfoot Indian; his work is amazing.

National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C.

On display is part of a collection of more than 800,000 objects as well as a portion of the more than 125,000 images in the archive.

National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C.

There are many exhibits dedicated to particular tribes, with contemporary and historical pieces presenting these peoples and cultures. And it is not just the North American Indians here; the Native people of South and Central America also find representation.

National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C.

Guilt and shame are horrible traits of a people that claim to be modern and enlightened.

National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C.

I think we can see where Walt Disney lifted his inspiration for a famous mouse.

National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C.

Nope, just a lot of nope. If I ever saw another human being running at me wearing a mask made of a hornet’s nest, I’d be miles away.

National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C.

The Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe was closing when we were finishing our tour of the museum. The menu changes over the year but has featured buffalo steak, aji amarillo mashed yucca, banana-wrapped bluefish, dried red corn with chili salad, cornmeal crusted fried frog legs, wild-cinnamon-and-juniper-glazed acorn squash – next time; we are in Washington, D.C. we will try to take most of our meals right here.

U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C.

Good thing we have so many spectacular photos of this building.

National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C.

The National Portrait Gallery was our next stop. On previous visits, Caroline and I have toured the White House, the U.S. Capitol, and the Supreme Court.

National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C.

We have visited other units within the Smithsonian, the Lincoln, Jefferson, and Roosevelt Memorials, the Vietnam and Korean War Memorials, the National Archives, the Library of Congress, the Holocaust Museum, Ford’s Theater, Washington National Cathedral, and some other places but on this trip, we have been trying to fill in some gaps of a few of the places we have not been.

National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C.

As is usual with our travels, there is never enough time to see and do all we might like to do. It’s barely an hour in the Portrait Gallery before we have to leave; this was planned as our last afternoon stop because the Portrait Gallery is open until 7:00 p.m. daily.

Jessica Aldridge at the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington D.C.

For our final destination of the day at the U.S. Naval Observatory, the Metro in the direction of Shady Grove was the subway we needed to board.

Caroline Wise at the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington D.C.

Multi-pass.

U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington D.C.

By an incredible stroke of luck with a small window of opportunity, I somehow managed to snag reservations for one of the infrequent Monday-only tours of the U.S. Naval Observatory. You must arrive by 8:00 p.m., but we took no chances and arrived a half-hour early. At 8:00, the security check began, and soon, we were wearing the badges that would have to be worn during our stay at the Observatory.

Caroline Wise at the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington D.C.

While we did get the chance to look at Jupiter and its moons, we sadly did not have the same luck in spotting our Vice President Joe Biden – the Vice President’s residence is here on the Observatory grounds. Our tour consisted of learning about the Naval Observatory’s job of being one of the keys to measuring time for the United States – and the world – and how, back before atomic clocks, the observatory was used to fix on particular stars measuring their transit and then syncing clocks so that a recognized source could be established that business and government would accept as being a true measure of accurate time.

U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington D.C.

Finally, a visit to the observatory library and a terrific chance to see one of the world’s greatest collections of books regarding astronomy and mathematics, with one book on display dating from 1611-1612.

U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington D.C.

It was now after 10:00 p.m., we were hungry, and the tour was over. Great, we are quite the distance from a Metro station, there is no taxi stand nearby, and our feet are killing us. Fortunately, it wasn’t long after we started walking down Massachusetts Avenue that we were able to flag down a taxi moving in the opposite direction as us; thanks, unknown taxi man. Dinner was at Harry’s on the ground floor of our hotel; sleep didn’t show up until midnight.

Williamsburg to D.C.

September 27, 2009 JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

The different stages of a piece of silver that is being hammered into a ladle on display at the silversmith in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Oh, the luxury of it all, another day in Colonial Williamsburg. Not quite a full day, but enough that we will accomplish more than we had hoped for. Breakfast was on Duke of Gloucester Street at the Bakery – this is a misnomer and is probably my biggest gripe about Williamsburg if I were to have one. The “Bakery” is a small shop with absolutely nothing freshly baked; there are no ovens on the premises, not even a microwave to warm the cold plastic-wrapped muffins we are about to consider breakfast. Ok, enough complaining; next stop was the apothecary, where we would not find a remedy for our poor first meal of the day but rows and rows of beautiful jars, bottles, and other vessels containing oils, powders, ointments, herbs, pretty much everything that an apothecary-surgeon could have used or prescribed back in the day.

On to the silversmith shop, where we watch a demonstration of how a silver cup is made from a thin flat sheet of silver; pretty cool. The silver ingot on the left above shows how a flat piece of metal was hammered into a ladle.

Silversmith Shop in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

While it may be difficult to make out, the tools needed for forming silver into cups, bowls, and spoons are right in this photo.

Raleigh Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Walking up the street, we stumble upon an open door where a tour is about to begin: the Raleigh Tavern no longer serves food and drink but is still used for special occasions. We join the tour which allows us to visualize the different aspects of an old-style tavern – food, drink, and lodging. I walk away, knowing that the term “Sleep Tight” may have originated from the time prior to the invention of box springs when mattresses were held aloft by ropes woven back and forth across the bed frame. To minimize sag, the ropes would have to be tightened from time to time.

Fine Millinery in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

The Fine Millinery welcomed us and taught us about making hoops and petticoats.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Neither yesterday nor on our trip back in May do I feel I properly represented the exterior of Colonial Williamsburg due to the poor lighting of overcast skies, but today looks to be different.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

There are more than a few buildings here that seem to be acting as nothing more than facades to lend to the sense of authenticity of walking through the village as it would have appeared more than 200 years ago.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Some shops open early while others seem to operate with limited hours and only on certain days, no matter as there is so much to do and see here.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Hey, management of Colonial Williamsburg, how about a behind-the-scenes after-hours tour?

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Should you want to get deeper into the moment, here at Tarpley & Co., on the Duke of Gloucester Street you can find all the 18th-century fashion you desire.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Another one of those moments when modernity was kept at bay.

Blacksmith at work at Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

At the blacksmith’s, we were mesmerized watching the smith making nails while another smith worked his hammer and anvil.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Maybe there is too much to see and learn about here in Williamsburg.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

So far, we’ve not encountered a living history presentation, such as this one at the Printing Office, that wasn’t worth the time to visit.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Should we ever have the opportunity to stay in Williamsburg again, our planning will have to be perfect in order to see and hear everything.

Chowning's Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Over at the corners of Queen Street and Duke of Gloucester, you’ll find Chowning’s Tavern.

Chowning's Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Looks like a great place for lunch.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Stopped in here at the Courthouse to watch a presentation; by the way, when a Grand Union Flag is posted outside a historic facility, it means that they are open.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Visited the Magazine where the arms for common defense were stored.

Shoemaker in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

This guy is not only the shoemaker but somehow looks exactly like I’d imagine a shoemaker to look like.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

At the Mary Dickinson Shop, Caroline bought some fabric; it’s the India Garden piece up top.

Update: this shop is no longer a part of Colonial Williamsburg.

Jessica Aldridge in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Armed with an oversized red purse and a rifle, as long as she is tall, Jessica is ready to shop to the death. The gunsmith wasn’t selling, nor was he buying her baloney as he jumped over the counter and wrestled his gun back from her – I swear, I can’t take my kid anywhere. From out of her red bag, she just as quickly pulled a .45 and, putting it to the gunsmith’s head, demanded the rifle back. We left peacefully – with our new souvenir.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

The Governor’s Palace is further away than it looks, but we’ll get there.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

The Bruton Parish Church.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Many of the buildings are unmarked as to their purpose or history, as far as I could tell.

After so much walking around today, it was high time to cool our heels, so we dipped into the Play Booth Theater. We joined the performance midway, and before we knew it, the actors exited the stage, and we, too were exiting the theater.

The Governor's Palace Gardens at Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Just around the corner, we made for the Governor’s Palace Gardens – much more beautiful under the light of the sun (it had been a bit cloudy yesterday).

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Time to get out of Dodge, oops, that’s in Kansas, time to get out of Williamsburg.

Roadside Virginia

In our horse-drawn carriage, we obviously won’t be needing any gas here at Grigg’s Store on Route 14 through King and Queen County, Virginia.

Roadside Virginia

We are continuing our trek into American history, and such a journey wouldn’t be complete without at least a small bit of farmland under cultivation.

Roadside Virginia

While not out on the Great Plains, this solitary home surrounded by some kind of crop fits the image.

Roadside Virginia

Add a bit of wetland, and it looks like we are covering all the bases of experiencing early America.

China Town in Washington D.C.

It was dark when we checked into Hotel Harrington, around the corner from the White House, off Pennsylvania Avenue. Sunday evening doesn’t offer much in the way of touristy activities, so we opted for another favorite – eating. Chinatown seemed like a good bet and we almost stopped at a Burmese Restaurant but thought the better of it upon peering in to find a few elderly folks in the mostly empty place and decided to keep looking.

Jessica Aldridge and Caroline Wise in China Town in Washington D.C.

Good thing we did; at first, we didn’t give it a second glance, but then through the steam-covered windows past the hanging ducks, we spot a restaurant full of twenty and thirty-somethings chomping away. This is the place, and with the noodles being made on the spot, we knew where dinner was going to happen.

U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C.

Stomachs full, we head out for what will surely amount to too much walking but with a limited amount of time, what’s better, sore feet or a missed experience? Seeing we walked to Chinatown, we had to backtrack, and from H Street and 6th Street, we walked back to 11th Street and then Pennsylvania Avenue for a view up the avenue to the Capitol Building.

World War II Monument in Washington D.C.

Over the Ellipse, we will only make it as far as the National World War II Memorial.

Washington D.C.

It’s now past 10:00 p.m. We’ve been going for more than 14 hours already, and it will be after 11:00 before we finish circling the Washington Monument.

White House in Washington D.C.

After a late-night view of the White House, we finally head back to our hotel.

D.C. to NYC

May 21, 2009 JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Our last day in Washington D.C. starts with us paying a visit to Arlington National Cemetery and the gravesite of John F. Kennedy.

Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C.

We first visited this resting spot for soldiers from nearly all of America’s conflicts back in 2000, during our expeditionary journey across the United States that saw us racing from Arizona to Maine before heading south to take in places like Washington D.C., Kentucky, the Natchez Trace Parkway, and Louisiana. We didn’t have a proper visit to these grounds then; sadly, we are failing in that task today, too.

Washington National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

Washington National Cathedral might have been slightly out of our way leaving D.C., but who turns up their nose at some classic neo-gothic architecture when it’s so close?

Washington National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

Started in 1907, the cathedral, like most others, would take a long time before being considered finished. In this instance, it took 83 years until 1990, when construction was finally completed.

Washington National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

This cathedral is part of the Episcopal faith, which got its start when the United States was breaking free from Britain and the Church of England which required allegiance to the monarch.

Washington National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

We, though, are not here for religion or God; we are here for our senses and to see how old-world European cathedrals compare to what sprung up over here.

Washington National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

Strangely enough, Caroline and I have visited more Spanish missions in California than any other house of worship across America.

Washington National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

I don’t know what I was expecting when I planned our visit, but this is quite a beautiful cathedral. I suppose I’d likely seen it in the news being used for funerals or for inaugural prayers, but a foggy memory isn’t certain.

Washington National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

Things missed while visiting: listening to the organ or a music recital, a tour of the bell tower, and attending services.

Washington National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

The light is magnificent in many parts of the cathedral.

Washington National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

I might be wrong, but this seems like a stained glass window one would only see in America.

Washington National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

Close-up detail of the rose window, dedicated in 1977 in the presence of President Jimmy Carter and Queen Elizabeth II.

George Washington statue in the Washington National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

This is the namesake of the cathedral, George Washington, in an alcove under stained glass windows towering above.

After leaving the D.C. area, our destination today is New York City, four hours away.

Caroline Wise and Jutta Engelhardt in New York City

It was late in the afternoon as we arrived at the Courtyard Marriott in Jersey City, New Jersey on the Hudson River. Mere moments after dropping off our bags in the room, we were jumping on the subway at the Pavonia/Newport station en route to Times Square.

New York City

The sun was just peeking over the horizon as we started our walk up Broadway to 42nd Street.

New York City

While it’s a well-known phenomenon, the vibrant energy coursing through this city is palpable. Excitement pulls us in.

Caroline Wise and John Wise in New York City

Gotta remember to take the occasional selfie of Caroline and me so we are reminded that these adventures weren’t just Caroline and Jutta traveling with their personal documentarian.

New York City

Can we ever have too many photos of things that amaze us?

Caroline Wise and Jutta Engelhardt in New York City

The streets were crowded and, sure enough, lived up to the buzz that this corner of America generates. We weren’t allowed too much time to gawk, though, as we had reservations for a famous local attraction over on 5th Avenue between 33rd and 34th Streets.

New York City

View from the Empire State Building.

New York City

A perfect, cloud-free, fogless, clear night to look out upon New York City.

Caroline Wise in New York City

We must have lingered more than an hour up here. We did take the elevator to the 102nd-floor observatory but enjoyed the 86th-floor more, with the wind and sounds of the city below.

Caroline Wise and Jutta Engelhardt in New York City

Not a lot accomplished yet here in New York City but we have a full day planned for tomorrow.

The White House & More

May 20, 2009 JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

The White House in Washington DC

The photo above was taken last evening and is filling in for the photo I would wish to have here. The reason I have no morning photo of the White House from this day is that we were not allowed to carry “ANYTHING” with us for our tour of the White House. No cameras, no phones, no combs or brushes, no cosmetics; basically, you come with the letter from your Congressman and your I.D., anything else, and you will be refused entry into the White House.

Our tour was self-guided and allowed us to linger to our heart’s content. While on first blush, this sounds better than being ushered through like so many cattle, the narrative is absent, and so the history that one might learn of is relegated to reading a book about the details once you’ve departed this historic home. However, the Secret Service staff on hand watching over the rooms were absolutely friendly and would answer almost any question. The only problem here is that you must overcome your awe and compose a question. Until you have been through the White House yourself, you cannot imagine how amazing it truly is that the average person and even a visitor from another country have access to the executive mansion, the home of our president.

Update: Here I am, 13 years later, adding photos to this post, and after checking the rules about visiting the White House these days found out that phones are allowed, which means that if we can visit again, I’ll be taking photos.

Subway in Washington D.C.

After our tour of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, we hopped on a subway to DuPont Circle near Embassy Row. Feels like we are in Europe; great job, Washington D.C., for keeping things stylish and not New Yorkish.

The Textile Museum in Washington D.C.

We are a short way north from the core of the historic center of government, about to visit the Textile Museum.

The Textile Museum in Washington D.C.

This is one of Caroline’s special wishes in her quest to learn more and more about the world of textiles and the fiber artists who’ve brought us to this juncture in the craft.

The Textile Museum in Washington D.C.

Update: good thing we visited here when we did, as it turns out that visiting textile exhibits might not be all that popular anymore. The 27,000-square-foot building must have been a pricey one to maintain as, in 2016, it was sold to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and the collection was moved to a new building at George Washington University.

In yesterday’s post, I mentioned passing the Ben Franklin statue in front of the Old Post Office; we were on a 1.5-mile-long walk over to the Capitol starting from Hotel Harrington, where we are staying. Today, the D.C. Metro, as the subway is known, brought us back from DuPont station to the Federal Triangle stop, from which we are going to continue our walk to the next stop.

National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.

We have arrived at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

The top hat worn by Abraham Lincoln the evening he was assassinated. National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.

The top hat worn by President Abraham Lincoln the night he was assassinated at Ford Theater in 1865.

National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.

The plaster cast of Lincoln’s right hand was taken two days after the Republican party nominated him as their candidate for President; it was pointed out that his hand was still swollen from shaking so many hands prior to the nomination.

National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.

A campaign hat worn by Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman.

National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.

Poor note-taking combined with not taking a photograph of the descriptive placard or forgetfulness, but none of that matters now as I want to share the image of a World War II soldier’s rather large boot with no supporting information about why these made the cut to be included in the American History Museum.

National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.

A World War II German Field Marshall’s baton.

Funny that there are no photos of Caroline or Jutta in front of the Berlin Wall from when it still stood in Germany; they had to come to America to have their photos taken in front of this iconic part of the Cold War.

The U.S. flag that flew over Fort McHenry that inspired our national anthem at the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.

On a previous visit, this relic of American history was still being restored in a side room, but now here we are in a special darkened enclave where the famous Star-Spangled Banner that flew over Fort McHenry and inspired Francis Scott Key to write the lyric that would become our national anthem is now on permanent display.

After a couple of hours in the American History Museum, our next stop was the Museum of Natural History, but they were closing early, which afforded little opportunity to see very much. Caroline and I will be returning to D.C. in September and have this museum at the top of our list of sights to see.

Maybe the most famous object in this museum is the Hope Diamond.

Other than being a curiosity, I suppose this piece of barite from Dreislar mine, two hours north of Frankfurt, only captured my attention because of its German origins.

The biggest chunk of gold I’ve ever seen.

I don’t know about others, but it’s around this time that I wish I lived in a museum.

Come to think about it, do I really want to be responsible for keeping a museum’s worth of stuff clean?

The Smithsonian Castle.

Our visit to Washington D.C. would not have been complete if we hadn’t walked around the Tidal Basin and visited the Jefferson Memorial.

Closing in.

While Jefferson was a flawed man, he also helped pen the Declaration of Independence when he was only 33 years old, setting the stage for a founding document that survived for hundreds of years and blazed a trail that many who would follow, unable to equal his intellect, would never be able to attain or at least so it appears seeing their utter lack of ability to govern with vision or advance our country.

There’s no denying that we are all tired so it was time to just hang out at the Tidal Basin, rest our feet, and take a break.

Watching goslings with their goosey parents nearby is about the speed we can best handle as we approach exhaustion.

No matter our level of sore feet or any other ailment, we were not about to take the fastest way back to our hotel. So, we circled the Tidal Basin in order to pay a visit to the Roosevelt Memorial, which memorializes the life of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and, by extension, his Scottish Terrier Fala.

It would almost be easier to write about Eleanor Roosevelt’s husband than this strong woman. To put into context the tireless work on behalf of minorities, women, and the president, too, would require a blog post about nothing but her. There’s a reason that so many books and movies have been made about her life.

This is the District of Columbia War Memorial that notes the lives of fallen soldiers from World War I.

World War II Memorial in Washington D.C.

Seeing we were in the area, why not check out what Washington’s newest monument looks like when its lighting is lending evening ambiance to the area?

World War II Memorial in Washington D.C.

After our first visit in the year 2000 and this trip with Jutta, I thought that this monument was going to appear to be shoe-horned in and that it was nothing more than President Bill Clinton wanting to leave his mark on D.C. back in the early ’90s. Well, this corner of the U.S. Capital just shines with this addition, helping me look forward to whatever else might spring up here during the rest of my lifetime.

Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.

From the World War II Memorial, looking towards the Lincoln Memorial, it’s still a beautiful sight.

The White House in Washington DC

Once more, we pass the White House, only able to dream of what the Obamas’ nights in this historic building are like.

The U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

A last look up Pennsylvania Avenue to see the U.S. Capitol at night before dragging ourselves to our hotel; we are spent and out of energy.

The Nation’s Capital

May 19, 2009 JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Caroline Wise and Jutta Engelhardt at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

From Pennsylvania Avenue, over Constitution Avenue, passing Benjamin Franklin in front of the Old Post Office, we cut between the Smithsonian Museum of American History and the Museum of Natural History, turned left onto the National Mall, and walked straight ahead towards the U.S. Capitol Building.

The U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

We swung left around the Capitol and, like at many other places, we were astonished to be offered these crowd-free views. We’ll come back to the Capitol later, but right now, we have a date elsewhere.

U.S. Supreme Court in Washington D.C.

Here, we are approaching the steps of the Supreme Court in awe. I don’t know how anyone could stand in the presence of these institutions and not be bowled over by not just the magnificence of their buildings but also the role they’ve played in shaping the United States. Once inside, we were first in line for the 9:30 orientation presentation by a clerk of the Supreme Court – we were stoked.

U.S. Supreme Court in Washington D.C.

I would like to think that being here might have extra significance for Caroline, knowing that her father, Hanns Engelhardt, a judge retired from the Federal Court of Justice in Germany, would probably enjoy visiting this extraordinary building with her and so in some way, she’s acting as his surrogate.

U.S. Supreme Court in Washington D.C.

For 220 years, two months, two weeks, and a day, this institution has operated as the arbiter and interpreter of the law, and since 1935, it has sat here in this purpose-built, immaculate courtroom.

Inside the chamber of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington D.C.

A mea culpa: technically, there is no photography allowed inside the chamber of the Supreme Court, but it’s not in session, and I’m at the threshold, so I believe this was kind of okay. The fact is that I just had to have this photo to remind myself as I reach old age that I actually stood at these places and saw them with my own eyes.

U.S. Supreme Court in Washington D.C.

This is not easy to photograph as we are not afforded all the time we might wish to have, nor are we allowed to explore all the other treasures that likely exist just behind the walls and doors we cannot visit. In addition, our day is full of other wonderful locations that must be taken in.

Random flower in Washington D.C.

Barely a five-minute walk away, we’re arriving at our next destination.

The Library of Congress in Washington D.C.

Who plans this stuff? Seriously, the Supreme Court tour at 9:30, and then at 10:30 we are scheduled to tour the Library of Congress. We are nothing if not ambitious.

The Library of Congress in Washington D.C.

With my mother-in-law in tow, this trip is about bang for the buck, and it was long ago decided that it is better to spend a little time seeing a lot than to use our time immersed in granularity.

Update: I wrote the above 13 years ago, and as I’ve grown older, I’m now in love with granularity. I’ve been updating this series of posts from 2009, and as I pointed out elsewhere, I’m adding photos that bandwidth restrictions wouldn’t allow after we returned from this trip back east. In returning to those old musings, I’m being drawn into wanting to spend time exploring these places we rushed through in more granularity. I’m penciling in a 2023 return.

The Library of Congress in Washington D.C.

The tour was fantastic, giving us enough history about the building, its uses, and the opportunity to see the major highlights, including an original Gutenberg Bible.

The Library of Congress in Washington D.C.

I’ve not seen the interior of every building in America, but if someone told me that this is the most beautiful, I’d likely believe them.

Jutta Engelhardt and Caroline Wise at The Library of Congress in Washington D.C.

After nearly two hours in the Library of Congress, it was time to take the underground tunnel over to the U.S. Capitol building.

Inside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

Upon reaching a security desk and showing a letter from my Congressman regarding our scheduled tour of the Capitol, I explained that we were looking for the Senate dining room. Thanks to my exuberance and mentioning how my great uncle Ken Burke was with the Secret Service as Chief Inspector at the White House starting with the Roosevelt administration through Johnson’s time in the Oval Office, the three of us were given badges to seek out the security desk on the Senate side of the Capitol – we were allowed to travel unescorted.

Inside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

We could not believe our luck when the lady offered us badges to use the Senate elevator to the Capitol Subway to catch a ride to the Rayburn Building – again, unescorted.

Inside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

At the Senate reception desk, we learned that we could eat on the Congressional side as it was my Congress John Shadegg who’d arranged our tour. We were ecstatic by now. Our tour of the Capitol was led by Sara, an aide to our Congressman.

Caroline Wise and Jutta Engelhardt inside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

We may as well have been delivered to the moon as we stood there in the Crypt at the geographic center of Washington DC

Inside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

Prior to the building of the Supreme Court we had visited earlier, this room was the Chamber of the Supreme Court.

Inside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

The dome of the Capitol is not misshapen, but photographing it with a lens not suited for this purpose and then trying to stitch together all the images I shot produced this slight distortion.

Inside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

Close-up of the painting at the top of the Capitol Dome.

Caroline Wise, John Wise, and Jutta Engelhardt inside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

How is this even possible that average people should be able to visit such an important place of government? It can only happen in a system that is “mostly” open to broad participation by leadership that works by at least some level of transparency. This place in the rotunda might as well be hallowed ground where people such as Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, and Rosa Parks have lain in state; what an honor.

Inside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

I can only hope that I will hold onto this grand respect until the end of my days.

Inside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

Old Senate Chamber, where the business of the senate was conducted before the wing dedicated to their business was built.

Inside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

The ceiling of the National Statuary Hall.

The U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

Finally, our guide, Sara, brought us into the House gallery, where we caught the tail end of a vote and were able to see Nancy Pelosi and a number of other representatives we recognized. Sara, you made our day and have helped leave us with indelible memories. Also, a special thanks to Congressman John Shadegg’s office for helping with our plans.

U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington D.C.

The day still had a lot more in store for us. Our reservation to enter the National Archives was still more than an hour away at 4:45 when we finished with the Capitol, so we visited the National Botanical Garden for the briefest visit ever.

Jutta Engelhardt at the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington D.C.

Apologies should be offered to my mother-in-law as this is certainly a grueling itinerary that is pushing her hard, but what a sport she is; I can only hope that the intensity of the experience is carrying her through.

The National Archives in Washington D.C.

From the Botanical Garden, we walked across the Mall to a side entrance of the Archives.

The National Archives in Washington D.C.

Within minutes, we were standing in front of the original Declaration of Independence!

The National Archives in Washington D.C.

Followed by the Constitution, in addition to the Bill of Rights and the Magna Carta.

The Washington Monument in Washington D.C.

After many a mile walked on now very tired feet we still had the energy to make our way to China Town for dinner. Since it was still relatively early afterward, we were not about to waste perfectly good daylight and decided we’d take a leisurely walk down towards the Washington Monument and then pass the White House for a sunset view. By now, our feet were in serious pain. We’d been walking the better part of 14 hours, covering countless miles, and were ready to call it quits for the day.