Most of this is from my last couple days in D.C., but a couple were misplaced photos which I forgot to add to the early posts.
Row houses serving as offices and such in Jackson Place of Lafayette Square, to the north of the White House .
For instance, here’s the headquarters for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives.
Remember the stink about Blair House and Australian Prime Minister John Howard? Here it is (sans the stink).
North Side of the White House with the Peace Vigil lady who has camped out there for nearly 30 years in the foreground. Talk about dedication!
Andrew Jackson statue, 180° from previous picture.
Just one of those ‘what the hell why not?’ photos that work out.
South Lawn.
Close up. No Secret Service this time around.
General Sherman Memorial. I felt drawn to the figure of Peace. Hopefully I have more of these in better light later.
Funny, just a few blocks the other direction I usually went was the National Portrait Gallery, towards Chinatown. I don’t think the Stephen portrait was still up though. Just one of the many things there was no time for.
Got caught once in an upscale pizza place before a Caps game in a sea of red shirts. Here’s where they play, across the street from the National Portrait Gallery.
After a beer nearby just went round the corner and saw this, AARP headquarters.
I just realized I should have saved this next picture I posted a couple posts back here. So, sorry for this redundancy, but it helps to see the outside first of the Old Post Office Pavilion.
Now, the inside.
The view from the tower’s observation deck. Chatted with the Park Ranger there. He said he almost got a job in Arizona. I don’t think this is his career goal. He pretty much just runs the elevator. I am glad the Park Service took this building over though. It would have been a tragedy to lose it.
Some people really live lives I’ll never come close to.
It’s interesting that looking downwards, it almost looks like something from Italy.
Remember my last installment with the picture from the Pilgrim Observatory Gallery? Well, back atcha.
Ever find it curious no one like the Tea Party protests in front of this building?
Christopher Columbus Memorial Fountain and Statue has some interesting symbolism to it. Go ahead and guess, for example, what the three flags symbolize, then go on from there. This brave soul has many excellent close-ups with info. Me? I didn’t feel too comfortable loitering about in front of Union Station for too long.
Inside Union Station.
One of those ‘you had to be there’ photos. The lighting not working out, but had there been a touch more light I like the gloaming feel.
Ceiling in the other direction.
Apparently these Roman centurions were a bit too hot, and they had to add “modesty shields” after it opened in 1908, if you catch my drift. I didn’t quite catch a good angle of any of their “fasces” but would love to find a picture. Something tells me they’re more David than Priapus.
Not bad for a shot from a tour bus, eh? When I was down there on foot on a previous occasion I do regret not getting better shots of the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial, though. The ones I had are pretty half-assed.
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. This is it folks, I took about one other photo. We were told absolutely no photography inside and woe to any soul who wasn’t listening. Although it was allowed inside the main hall, I wasn’t taking any chances. Seriously, the security scared the crap out of me.
The Newseum (this is the building that has the giant First Amendment on its back) has papers from every state it changes every day. This was the paper of the day they chose from Washington, which just so happens to be from my hometown.
You know it’s fancy when there’s a ‘The’ in front of it. I hear it’s better than A George Washington University.
This was just loose in my folder meant to go into one of the original posts. Can’t remember if I forgot it earlier or not. Just to make sure, the SCOTUS building, with the Authority of Law figure to the right.
Well, see ya next time.
FYI, I went to the National Gallery of Art twice. I hope no one minds if I post some redundancies in my next Museum oriented post of the series.
Sorry I[m late to the post, but these are exceptionally beautiful views – not at all the ordinary stuff of tourist shots, nor are any of yours ordinary in any way.
I love the “feel” of DC – it just seems to loom large as the fount of democracy, and I am passionately fond of it all. I know it would be different living there. The saying to staffers and to low-level lobbyists such as I is that “if you want a friend in DC, get a dog.” That cynical view is distressing, partly because I have friends there, but I suppose it’s meant for higher and more combative types than I. Still and all, I love it.
I STILL believe in this country’s promises, dammit, and the place just resonates with that hope and dreams. And anyway – I have three books in the Library of Congress and several reports in the National Archives, so I participated a tiny bit in that great city’s legacy. It honestly makes me proud knowing that. Of course, ANYONE who has ever printed a book can say the same. It doesn’t take away the feeling of connection.
I spent a conference in 2004 at the United Methodist Church building right next to the SCOTUS digs you photographed so well, and one block to the LEFT of Faith and Action, the RW HQ of the doofuses I tangled with back in Buffalo who are always doing some rant on the Supremes’ steps. They’re the buffoons who “anointed” the capital doors before Obama’s inauguration – you know, to ward off his evil…
My fave place though is the Hawk & Dove tavern near the Capitol because it’s the Dem staffer hangout. I once sat next to Ted Kennedy’s staff, and it was a hoot. We’d been working on some things of his at that 2004 conference, so we hooked up with them and had a grand talk and time.
You’ve brought all that back for me. Thank you!!!!
I vaguely remember those buildings next to the Supreme Court, they do kind of ring a bell. Had I only known! And, same goes for the Hawk & Dove Tavern!
I must say though, that one of the things I won’t miss are the people of D.C. A soulless bunch. Not one smile or any eye-contact with the “little people” either. As much as I loved D.C., around the capitol, if you weren’t a tourist, you were somehow involved in government and the suits could be really icy when walking past them in the street. I sat next to one on the Metro, and while I like to keep to myself, I sensed that his was more discomfort at having to sit next to anyone, especially a scummy tourist. There was always that nervous tic, too, always in a rush to be, be, be somewhere, 5 minutes ago. That part of D.C. made me sick.
But, then again, I never got to hang out with Kennedy staffers. 🙂
And the staffer for my congresswoman I knew back from ’08 and she was really friendly when she recognized me. So, as in all things, it’s partly just who you know. People could at least nod when you walk by once in a while, though.
Khirad, how do you post your photos? I tried to put up a photo I took of LA and failed. 🙁
Do you have a Flicker account, Cher?
No, Bito, but I just published a new post, and I think I figured it out– thanks!
It’s quite laborious, actually. I upload to a photosharing account and then insert them one by one… I know you said you’d had it figured out, but that’s me more expressing that these are not as easy as they look to do.
More great photos, Khirad. I’m always struck by how much older the East seems than out here in the West. I’m inspired to do the tour you did. Did you get around by car or train … ?
Primary mode in D.C. was the last photo. This was my best friend:
[img]http://living-in-washingtondc.com/images/circulator/metromap-circulatorbus-washingtondc.png[/img]
Stunning photos, Khirad! What a treat.
Are the three flags the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria?
DC is as beautiful as I wanted it to be– it really makes me proud!
And that photo that looks like Florance! Where was that??
Correct on the flags!
I know, I thought it looked completely different from above. Then again, those building complexes have a seemingly purposeful European feel to them, with cobble alleyways and arches and such.
I’m fairly confident it is part of the federal triangle. You can match it to the shapes on this map if you flip it to just the right angle.
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/FederalTriangle_WashingtonDC_2009.jpg[/img]
Khirad, great stuff!
I’m sure you noticed the “sky rays” emanating from the Capitol in the shot from the tower observation deck. Tres cool. How did you arrange that?
Will we soon be referring to “The Yale,” “The Harvard,” and “The Columbia”?
Loved all the shots inside Union Station. And the reference to the “Hot, Gay Statues Round-up” was too funny!
Don’t you mean chemtrails? 😉
If there’s a dent in their shields they’re just happy to see you?
Chemtrails! Naturally! That would be more of Mr. Obama’s nefarious doings, of course. I am so naive…”sky rays” indeed!
And if our marble friends are capable of shield-denting…wow…I can see why it’s called Union Station.
😀
I see another Night at the Museum sequel!
I suspect not PG-rated?