In college, I got to spend a summer in Florence, Italy. While there, my friends and I discovered a phenomenal restaurant called Acqua Al 2. I have since eaten there multiple times, and had dreams of the scrumptious blueberry steak - trust me, I know it sounds ridiculous. I had heard that there was a sister restaurant here in DC that the chef had started when he moved back here. I was worried that it didn't match the standards, and I would be disappointed by it. So, while hiking, I casually mentioned to Niki and asked her if she knew the restaurant. She responded, just as I would have, with a sigh and, "Oh, that is one of my favorites!" Upon our first night here in this city, she made reservations and we were whisked away to Acqua Al 2. And yes, I splurged on the blueberry steak, and yes, it was just as delicious as I had dreamed about.
What a gift that we have this beautiful city that we can all come to visit, and so much that can be marveled at for free! Jessica and I decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and stroll through the city on our first day, admiring the sites as we went along. It was also the day that the Captials were celebrating their Stanley Cup win with parades and gatherings that crowded the streets with mobs of red. While standing on the steps of the Capitol building, I was able to look out over the lawn and see groups of school students, learning about how our government works, hockey fans celebrating around stages, and organized groups of protesters speaking out about issues important to them. It was a moment that I stopped to smile, and appreciate that all of this can be peacefully done in one place.
We wandered down to the Jefferson Memorial, a huge domed building honoring the man who valued education and religious freedom. He glances across the lake at the Washington Monument, perhaps the two are united in that way, both as Founding Fathers, giving our country the strong foundation it truly needed. The memorial to the three terms of Franklin D. Roosevelt is also quite remarkable. It is laid out in a timeline, highlighting many of the things he did for our country, interspersed with some of his quotes. The giant stone statue of Martin Luther King, Jr. stands out in stark white, and as a symbol of his strength and dignity. His quotes also surround his statue, allowing his immortal words to remain etched in stone.
The Mall, a huge grassy stretch from the Capitol down to the Lincoln Memorial was our next destination. I have loved walking along this stretch on my last two visits to this city in the last few years. It is full of a variety of people - some are local, out for a run or walking their dog, while some, like us, are obvious tourists with their maps out and cameras strapped around their necks. We walked amongst the Korean War Memorial, surrounded by men who fought in the war on an honor flight which allowed them to visit this spot. What a gift to get to see these true heroes of our country as they were telling stories and reminiscing about an important time in their lives many years before. The reflecting pool had baby ducks, only about a week old, jetting around nibbling at anything that moved, without a care in the world.
The White House is a place that brings a variety of emotions upon me right now. While I have great respect for the position, and for what the home represents, I'm increasingly frustrated by things that are currently coming out of the White House. But nonetheless, a trip to DC seems incomplete without at least a glimpse of the White House.
When I was in DC five years ago to begin my Fulbright journey, my exchange partner, Kelly and I visited the American History Museum. I remembered a few of the highlights, enough at least that made me want to return. So, Jessica and I toured the museum searching for Abe's hat, Kermit the frog, Michelle's dress, and many other fun and interesting bits and pieces of our country's history. One of my favorite items is the flag that inspired the Star Spangled Banner. It is absolutely massive, taking up the space of a large room on its own.
I visited a new museum this trip, the National Portrait Gallery. I wish that I had a deeper appreciation of fine art, but I don't. Don't get me wrong, I love looking at pretty things, but I don't know enough about the skills and background of the work, nor the history of it, to truly appreciate large museums of fine art. I must say, though, that I thoroughly enjoyed the Portrait Gallery. It may have been the size of it. Yes, it is large, but it is manageable. It is also a nice mix of artwork from silhouettes, to modern art, to yes, portraits. The information plaque next to each portrait gave, yes, a little detail about the artist, but mostly information about the subject. Perhaps that's why I enjoyed it as well, as it mixed a great deal of history with art. Of course I loved seeing Barack and Michelle up close, and I also loved the unique pieces of art that had to do with our country, like the license plates that spelled out the preamble to the Constitution and the televisions in the shape of the US playing pieces related to that state. I highly recommend spending a couple of hours at the Portrait Gallery if you have the opportunity to spend some time in DC!
A few years before, I had awoken early to go on a run and made it to the Lincoln Memorial early in the morning and found it truly magical. Jessica was good enough to get up early with me one morning so we could experience that again. And let me say, that standing in the presence of Abraham Lincoln without another soul around is worth setting an alarm for. I have such incredible respect for Lincoln, and his reverent face is so inspiring. Sometimes, when I look into his eyes, I see a smile, pride in the direction of the world. Sometimes, however, it is a look of disappointment and frustration. I know it is probably my imagination, but then again, perhaps the sculptor meant to leave the expression upon his face that way.
We had another early morning gift as well. Andy works for the National Holocaust Museum and was able to escort us into the door before the long line of people. Not only did we have some time in the museum before the giant crowd, but we had our own tour guide to get us started and give us some background information. The museum was truly heart-wrenching, but beautifully done. I was brought to tears many times throughout the museum at the tragedies that so much of the world ignored. I've read many books lately, both children and adult, fiction and nonfiction that have had to do with World War II (all of which I would recommend - The Zookeeper's Wife, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, The Nightingale, Refuge, Echo, and Number the Stars), but there was still so many horrors that I did not know about. For instance, many of the people killed first in the mass killings were children with special needs. The amount of mass killings was absolutely horrifying. Whole towns were annihilated, gas chambers could kill at least 1,000 people at a time, thousands of people were shot and dumped into mass graves. And while all of this was happening, much of the world stood by, offering little to no help to protect the Jews and others thought by the Nazis to be inferior. But some people did help, and that is the how the museum, beautifully chose to end things. A wall full of names of specific people from different countries who went out of their way to risk their own lives to save the lives of others is an incredible tribute, and a reminder to us all of the good in the world. The country of Denmark had the shortest list of specific people, not because they didn't help much, but in fact the opposite, as "The Danish People" was listed. The Danish people had heard that the Jews were to be deported, and they acted quickly, smuggling over 7,000 Jews into Sweden. In the end, over 99% of Denmark's Jews were saved. The Holocaust museum was in no way uplifting, but it was informative, and beautifully done, and a reminder to us all to stand up for others. We never know when we might be the one who needs standing up for.
Niki and Andy are very well-versed and politically-minded; they taught us a lot during our stay. Did you know that DC residents have no representation in Congress? Stop and think about that for a second. What was the biggest reasons the colonists revolted against King George? No taxation without representation. There are over 600,000 residents in our nation's capital that have no voice in Congress. One more reason to write my representatives.
Washington DC was a great stop for us. I loved the history, enjoyed being in our Nation's Capital, and also greatly enjoyed time with friends. I got to see a friend from high school, and the time we spent with Niki and Andy was amazing. They were incredible hosts: giving us great tips, taking us to great restaurants, cooking us a delicious meal, and allowing us to be a part of their home. I'm so thankful for friends around the country, and I'm so thankful for the freedoms provided by this country!
I'm also thankful for friends with cats! :)
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