A Wonderful Weekend at Washington
Feb 5 2008 | Views 636 |
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Tags: Washington DC(2) Potomac Smithsonian Air and Space Museum International Spy Museum Holocaust Museu
Tags: Washington DC(2) Potomac Smithsonian Air and Space Museum International Spy Museum Holocaust Museu
Whenever I think of Washington, I remember the bone chilling North American winter that I experienced there. It is almost a year since I visited the place.
After enjoying pleasant weather for months in Southern Cal, my husband and I flew to New York last February. From New York we went by road to Washington. We had only a couple of days at our disposal, but we planned to make the most of it.
When my son-in-law stopped the car for a cup of coffee on the way, I was reluctant to get out of the car and walk even the short distance to the restaurant because of the weather; the harsh cold wind blew against my cheek. Apart from my face, the rest of the body was covered in layers and was well protected. My son and daughter had seen to that.
On the way to Washington
On the way to Washington
The scenery on the way looked bleak but beautiful. Naked trees stood braving the cold, awaiting the end of the long winter.
After dumping our bags in a hotel room from where I could get a glimpse of the Potomac, we decided to cover the memorials. Without stepping into the road, we could reach the subway station from the mall where the hotel was situated. Neither the subway station, nor the subway car was as crowded as in Manhattan.
Half-frozen Potomac--A view from the hotel room
The first thing that strikes you as you step out into the streets is that Washington has beautiful buildings and broad avenues. You cannot help comparing it with New York where the growth of the city is upward.
You do not see the kind of rush or the crowds that you see in Manhattan. As I traveled to Washington from New York, I could not help comparing the two places. (New York has its own attractions--ethnic diversity is just one of them).
The clean and well maintained city is famous for its monuments and memorials such as Lincoln memorial, Washington Memorial, WWII memorial, and Jefferson memorial to name only a few.
Washington Memorial
Washington Memorial
We did a quick tour of some of these and came to the White House, the edifice that is witness to important decisions being taken that affect the entire world. There was heavy security, as expected. We had to see this building from a distance. It was getting dark and the lights were coming on. I tried to imagine the President and Barbara Bush at one of the windows!
We walked on the wide roads of Washington, admiring various buildings, some with enormous pillars. When the cold was unbearable, we got into a taxi and went to the subway station.
The Capitol
The Capitol
The next day, we decided to cover as many museums as possible. Of course, you need a lot of time for each museum. Washington is a delightful place for museum lovers; there are a number of museums here. Apart from the museums of the Smithsonian institution, there are other museums too.
The first choice for all of us was the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space museum. You could spend hours and not get bored if you are fond of spacecrafts and planes. The plane that Wright brothers flew and the Apollo 11 module in which Neil Armstrong traveled are some of the exhibits here.
Lunar Module
Lunar Module
We then went to the Holocaust Museum. The tower of faces is something I can never forget. It has pictures, of happy faces of people who were killed later by the Nazis.
After visiting this museum, which highlights the tragedies of the holocaust, I came away rather depressed thinking of the atrocities man could cause to fellow man.
We spent some interesting time at the International Spy Museum. Various gadgets, weapons, cameras that have been used by spies over the years are exhibited here. You learn about the methods used by famous spies, some of whom were caught.
The National Gallery of Art is a place where you could spend hours and not feel like coming out! There is a wonderful collection of sculptures and paintings, each of which holds your attention. It is difficult to cover the entire museum in a day if you really want to see all the exhibits. Instead, you can choose a section and cover that completely. We decided to cover European art. There are live guided tours as well as audio guides too. You just have to press a button placed near an exhibit to have a voice telling you all about it over your ear phones. I had to drag myself away from the museum although my knowledge is limited and I am not a serious artlover.
Inside the Museum
Inside the Museum
For us, it was a wonderful, albeit hectic, weekend!
© Soumya Srinivasan., all rights reserved.
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