Travels, Part 1?

Dear Readers:

I will get to Madame’s posts and some other matters next week or so.  Here’s some light summertime reading.  My own feeble attempt to mimic in this one instance Madame’s Diary of a (Traveling) Suitcase!  It concerns a trip to Washington DC, one that Miss Face Palm (my daughter, who says I cause her to face palm regularly) went along on!

Arriving at the airport, were met by a wonderfully helpful station manager for the Metro (subway), who advised us to get SmartCards as the cheapest option.  Did as he suggested.  Got off barely a block from our hotel, the Hamilton Crowne Plaza, a prominent downtown location barely two blocks from the White House (and with all sorts of neat Alexander Hamilton sayings, including this one: “The first duty of society is justice.”).  Went and saw the WH right away.  I said the guard on the roof with the telescope was just the obvious reminder to everyone they were being watched. 

The hotel was on K Street.  Yes, THE K Street, the one with all the lobbyists.  Lots of good restaurants and hotels on it or near it.

Next day we went to the Reserve Officers Association building, where a friend of mine was responsible for much of the grandeur (it is one of only 2 non-government properties in the whole vicinity of the Capitol).   We met our congressman’s staff at their office in one of the House office buildings, and an intern there escorted us.  Got a tour of the Capitol building, including old Senate, old Supreme Courtroom, Hall of Whispers, Rotunda floor, saw our state’s statues, etc., plus got to sit in the Gallery (although House was not in session).  Everything was immaculate (important peeps!).  Traveled through a tunnel that had artwork from students from every state.  I joked with my daughter that ours would probably be stick figures.  Then when we got to our state, one of the paintings was about bare branches of a bush, lol!  Had a bite at the Capitol Hill Cafeteria before heading to the Library of Congress for a tour. 

Library of Congress: I ignored the irony that the body in whose name knowledge is collected, ignores it.  Our tour guide was good.  Looked at exhibits on early W. Hemisphere and also one on Civil War.  In the main floor area were the names of some literary greats.  Gibbon’s name was one, but it wasn’t lit up like the others.  How ironic I thought, so I took a picture:

My daughter thought it was all cool because she’s a fan of the National Treasure movies, so these places are “familiar” to her.  We took a quick look at the Peace Monument (Civil War) down from the Capitol Building, the Reflecting Pool, plus saw them setting up for the Capitol 4^th of July concert (for armed forces bands, plus Barry Manilow).

At the Supreme Court, we saw where the cases are heard.  I did NOT snicker at the motto on the building: “Equal Justice Under Law.” Death penalty opponents were on a 4 day vigil on the steps.  They had some persuasive arguments and literature, including this quote from now deceased Supreme Court Justice Harry A. Blackmun, back in 1994, after he turned away from being a supporter of the death penalty: “I feel morally and intellectually obligated to simply concede that the death penalty experience has failed…from this day forward, I no longer shall tinker with the machinery of death.”

                   

Finished the day with a tour of the Natl Museum of the American Indian (Smithsonian American Indian Museum).   Really great architecture, plus some great exhibits.  And the most interesting—and best!—food at the cafeteria. 

A bit long this has gone, to use Yoda voice.  I either need to rethink this, or turn it into a serial.  Hmmm.  I have barely covered a day and look at how much I’ve written.  What to do.  What do you think Madame?