I know, I know, that trip was weeks ago. Who wants to hear about it now?
I just love Washington D.C. It's such an exciting, vibrant city. So much is going on there, but it feels so do-able too. Callum's been angling to go for years now, and we did it in just the right way. A couple of half-days in the city, plenty of time in the hotel pool and the knowledge that we live close enough to come back any time. And it was so fun to see with my young politico, too. (Neel's convinced that Callum's destined for the foreign service.) When we turned the corner and saw the White House for the first time, he simply breathed, "Oh my gosh."
This towering vision followed us everywhere.
There was lots of walking.
It's a pretty city that makes walking easy.
Vietnam Memorial.
Lincoln Memorial
Stepping into the darkened hallway to see this magnificent statue always brings tears to my eyes. The low lights, hushed voices and glow from the marble all illuminate the power of this beautiful piece of art and amazing man.
There was lots of reading too. Callum insisted on reading every word at the Linclon Memorial, of both the second Innaugural addres and the Gettysburg address. We lost track of him for the barest of seconds after the he'd read the Gettysburg address, but I found him pretty quickly, sitting on one of the top steps looking out over the Mall toward the Washington Monument. He looked deep in thought, overwhelemed with emotion, almost. I was instantly skeptical. This boy can be pretty dramatic, and if he told me how moved he was by Lincoln's words, I was going to have to cry "BS" on that one. When I asked if he was okay, Callum said simply, "Man that was a lot of reading."
The World War II Monument was really beautiful. We rested our tired feet in the fountain and listened to the burbling of the water.
Next day, more walking. A tour of the US Capitol
and her beautiful rotunda.
On a tip from a colleague of Neel's we had lunch at the National Museum of the American Indian, and it was one of the best meals I've had in a long time. Neel and Callum had salmon, of course, and I had what's called a "plate of color," which are side dishes from the many regions of American Indians. We sat by the window with a view of a gorgeous waterful, and the food was amazing. So next time you go to DC, skip the pretzels and hot dogs on the Mall and go get some great food and culture.
Next stop was the high point for Neel and Callum, the Air and Space Museum, but I got sensory overload and had to sit down. The highlight for me (and for Neel too, actually) gets its own post tomorrow.
On our last night we had dinner at our favorite kind of restaurant, a Spanish tapas house in Arlington, but I'd wager to say we all felt like this. Still, I can't wait to go again.
