Monday, November 21, 2011

I Had a Dream . . ..

. . . . .  today has been a chillin`out day . . . processing some photos, reflecting on our amazing journey, and catching my breath from the frenetic pace we have been keeping.

We visited Washington, DC last month . . . I fell in love with this City and I MUST go back . . there was no way we could take it all in . .we walked, and walked and walked and walked . .. until there was barely any part of my feet not covered with blister paks.  My feet finally gave out . .. those broken bones from a few years back came back to haunt me . . .. and I just couldn`t walk another step.  As a result we didn`t get to see some of the things on our list.



Up close and personal



 History has been, and will continue to be made in this building.  For me, seeing it in real life makes all the difference in the world.  It is truly beautiful and the grounds are spectacular.

George Washington
This statue is right across the street from the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue.  The whole block is blocked to vehicular traffic, and hordes of peoples are milling about, along of course, with hordes of security.  Actually found that the security folks were very friendly and helpful.  We both asked questions and we were treated very graciously.  Of course we should be, we are Canadian!!



Library of Congress
Lynn walked in here . . now he is a man of few words . . most of the time . . and said WOW.  This building is just amazing and reminds me of the European style.  People milling everywhere .. hard to take photos . .. next time we will go much earlier in the day.





Iwo Jima
We didn`t get to all the war memorials that we wanted to, but this one was on the top of our list.  Very profound and of course having watched History TV about the actual event and the story behind the creation of the monument, it meant even more to see it in real life.  This was one of those places where school buses were lined up foreva . . . . every 10 minutes another bus drove up . .  .and we are not talking the yellow ones . ..we are talking HUGE tour buses filled with kids and their teachers from all over the country.  Thus the close cropped photo . . helps to have a telephoto lens!!!
National Cathedral
Unfortunately this amazing church was damaged in the earthquake and there was scaffolding everywhere as she was under repair.  Another reason I have to go back to Washington . .. the interior of this church is phenomanal and I have to see it with my own eyes and so does my camera.  This is truly one of the most beautiful churches I have seen this side of the Atlantic.

Detail from the Lincoln Memorial
No photos will ever do justice to the Lincoln Memorial.  It is massive, and hugely impressive.  Again, peoples milling about everywhere . . would pay to go earlier in the morning for good photos.  The view of the city from here is amazing.  If you imagine Martin Luther King standing on those steps and speaking to the masses which filled the space to overflowing all the way to the National Monument, it is all quite overwhelming . . .. and powerful.
Marks the spot where Martin Luther King stood

You see the pictures on TV, but when you see the space with your own eyes it is even more overwhelming. I Have a Dream . . for me, sums up how I feel about this journey we have been on . . . a bucket list of places to see where present and past history has taken place . . . more amazing in real life than any HD TV program could ever make it . . . feel so lucky and privileged to have had this journey. 
 

3 comments:

  1. I have found a certain depth of amazement in seeing history with my own eyes. It's one thing to see images/read articles in a book but another thing entirely to breath the same air. (the Lincolm Memorial was a last stop for me many years ago.... Abe and I finished my last beer of the evening as we watched the sun rise.. lol). DC is filled with so much to see.. I doubt your feet could have taken the week or so you'd need to do the city justice !

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am so glad you understand the need to see it in person and breathe the same air . . a lot of people don't understand that. For me, it makes it all so much for real and gives me a sense of relativity.

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a trip! Not just DC, but all the other places you mentioned. I'm glad Lynn gave a "wow" at the Library... that is certainly an appropriate response upon walking in there the first time! So glad you got to glimpse the cathedral, too, even if just outside; I think I posted to you, if you get back here, look me up for a private tour of the building! Likewise, I'll drop a line if I'm headed to Canada---been awhile since I visited there, and have only been to two or three cities up there so far.

    ReplyDelete