Around DC

Last Monday morning I decided, in lieu of hunting for a swim workout somewhere that would fit my schedule, to get up early and try to get some shots of DC before the workday started. It was a grey day out, but already the temperature was rising and the air was humid. Oh, and people were up and at 'em. DC seems to be a town that gets up and gets to it at an hour when many of my colleagues at home would be hitting snooze. Not quite what I was expecting, and so much for gorgeous shots of beautiful buildings at sunrise, no one marring the scene by walking through it.

I strolled to a Metro station and took a train down to the Smithsonian on the Mall. Wandered down the Mall in the direction of the Capitol, walked back up 7th to the hotel. Hardly an ambitious stroll, but pleasant nonetheless.

Some of the scenery:

Chinatown, pretty much around the corner from my hotel.

Looking up the street toward my hotel (the left one of the two buildings connected by the glassed in part over the street) and the convention center (center of the view, behind the copper-roofed older building).

The Smithsonian castle.


Sculptures in the sculpture garden at the Hirshhorn. I won't embarrass myself with a display of my ignorance of art, though I do recall that the mobiles were by Calder, the tall yellow one is a Lichtenstein, and the blobs are Moore.





The National Archives. I've never been in, but the building is hadnsome in that Roman temple kind of way.

Entrances to the National Portrait Gallery and the Museum of American Art, two Smithsonian museums. I had spent some time at each (they share a building) the day before.



I eased off taking photos for a couple of days after that, preferring to enjoy the events and meals for what they were, rather than as photographic opportunities. Still, I had to good fortune to cross paths with a former classmate from the GSLIS on Monday. Ming and I met up for lunch the next day and had a nice time getting caught up.Not the best shot, I apologize to her for that, but one that any classmates checking the blog might be happy to see.