So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Adieu

 Sunday, April 10, 2022 

 

Washington DC/Minneapolis 

Farmer's market at Grand Army Plaza on April 2

Last night I set my alarm for 6:10, but I woke up at exactly 6:00 on my own. Last night when I returned to my hotel I packed my bags, leaving out my clothes and toiletries. This morning I moved a few things around to get more in my big bag, so that my smaller bag was easier to find things in. I currently use a large travel backpack that is small enough to count as a carry-on, but larger than a standard backpack. When we started traveling internationally as a family, Randy bought each of us a Rick Steves travel backpack. I still use mine, though I’m contemplating buying a rolling carry-on size suitcase to use instead. Those are more difficult with stairs, but easier to get around otherwise, especially with my back issues. I wonder if I can find one that has backpack straps to use with stairs? There are a lot of stairs in New York and in other countries. Well, that is for later. I also use the same backpack that I use for school as my personal bag. I can fit my travel bag that I use when out and about when traveling (it has steel reinforced straps and locking zippers, and can hold everything I need in one place), as well as my books, electronics, and snacks. 

 When I was back from the shower, my roommate was awake, so she got up and we talked as I moved things around in my bags to get everything packed in a compact manner and rebagged my liquids for security. Then I easily walked to the metro stop nearest us and took the yellow line to the airport. Currently, only the Reagan International Airport is connected to the subway line, but an extension of the silver line is underway to connect that to Dulles; hopefully by next fall. When I arrived at the airport, it was clearly marked which terminal I had to go to and how to get there. When I checked in, the kiosk said that the flight was full and asked if I would consent to checking my carry-on for free. I agreed, printed out a luggage tag, and was off. I was happy not to have to lug my big bag with me everywhere, especially for something simple like a trip to the bathroom or to buy a snack. And nothing I needed on my flight was in there. So, off to security and my gate. Long lines for security, but I arrived at my gate at 8:30 for my 10:00 flight. I was going to go back to a Starbucks I saw for a bagel or a scone and tea, but decided to eat the almonds I packed and drink from the water bottle I had just filled up. Save a little money after all of the money I spent on food this past week! Both New York and DC are so expensive! 

 I had a lovely time, but getting back home to things that are familiar is comforting. And back to school tomorrow.

Finally got my SD reader to work, so these pics are from April 2!  

Atlas at the farmer's market April 2

The Brooklyn Library across from Grand Army Plaza

Seceded from the District

 Saturday, April 9, 2022

A picture from Arlington with, from left to right, the
Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and the Capitol Building

Washington, DC

Today was a day with Joshua. He planned out a timetable with 4 different destinations with the option to drop or add as needed. We were intending to meet at the Foggy Bottom metro station at 12:00, but I was waiting to get in the shower for 1/2 an hour after some slow guy. Really?? Half an hour in a shared bathroom? And then when he was finally done, he headed downstairs, so he wasn't even from our floor! He has a bathroom on his own floor! Anyway, Joshua had stopped to get something to eat from the food service at his dorm, so he was late too. I arrived first and we texted, he said that he was on the VEX transport from the other campus where the freshman dorms are located, and that they had to re-route because of a presidential motorcade (#only in DC). That's when Joshua said that he had already eaten, so I could get something to eat while I waited. Well, there was a Whole Foods at the next block and they have a HUGE area of ready to eat foods. So I found a salad bar and got a salad, then saw fruit and got a bunch of fruit. They have an eating area, so I told Joshua to meet me there and enjoyed my salad and fruit.

Joshua's plan was Arlington National Cemetery, Historical Alexandria, the Navy Yards, and the Federal Triangle. Arlington and Alexandria were originally part of DC. If you look at a map, you can totally see that. The outer boundaries of both match up with the boundaries of DC to form a rectangle. But in a retro-cession, the county containing those two areas was ceded back to Virginia (who had ceded them to the federal government in 1789). Evidently the residents of the county were given the choice.  

Arlington was what I expected, fields of headstones of men and women and their spouses who served in our armed forces. The majority of the headstones are all the same which is very aesthetically pleasing as you look out over the hills and fields. We did specifically go to see where Kennedy (which is right below Robert E Lee's house) and Ruth Bader Ginsburg are buried. Judge Ginsburg is buried with her husband who served and near other supreme court justices, including Thurgood Marshall (the first black supreme court justice). Joshua was still feeling a bit tired from his GI issues, so we skipped the tomb of the unknown soldier and going up to the Robert E Lee house. 

The bridge over the Potomac with the Lincoln Memorial on the other side

Arlington with Robert E Lee's house at the top of the hill

JFK's memorial with the eternal flame

Ruth Bader Ginsburg's headstone (and her husband's)

The back of Justice Ginsburg's headstone
(and an unintended selfie!)

 Next we took the metro to historic Alexandria. It has a cute main street (King Street) which leads down to the Potomac River. We walked about halfway down, then took the free trolleybus to near the end. We window-shopped and talked, then went down to the river and sat on a rock to talk some more. With the sun shining, it was a beautiful day. As we walked back to the metro, a cool wind picked up and I was glad that I had worn my sweatshirt. 

King Street in Alexandria (and a back
view of Joshua!)

King Street--Potomac in the distance

The Potomac River

Along King Street

The George Washington Masonic National Memorial
is a masonic building and a memorial dedicated to the 
memory of George Washington, a mason.  It is fashioned
after the ancient Lighthouse of Alexandria in Egypt.  The masons
funded the entire monument.

 We decided to skip the Navy Yards and went instead to the Capitol Mall where we walked around the castle gardens and the beautiful buildings that house the Smithsonian museums. We both agreed that the National Mall could do with a bit more sprucing up. Plant some gardens on the sides, put in a pollinator-friendly lawn down the middle, and put down cobblestones instead of the gravel. 

The Smithsonian Castle

The Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building

A side view of the Castle

Gardens in front of the Castle

The newish National Museum of African American History and Culture (2016);
at this time you need to make reservations ahead of time to visit. It is 
a Smithsonian museum.

A beautiful space to eat your lunch or spend
your afternoon on a sunny day!

Castle gardens with the Department of Energy building across the street.

Side door of the Castle

Gates to the Castle

Back view of the Arts and Industries building

 We decided to get dinner at Foggy Bottom and headed over there at around 8:00 because Joshua had a social function to attend with the committee of one of the organizations that he belongs to at 9:00. I wanted the last meal of my trip to be a sit-down meal with menus and wait staff. We tried all of those that we could find, but it being a Saturday night, they all had waits of one to two hours. Joshua elected to go to the small food court in the basement of District House, one of the dorms. We got Mexican food and ate that before Joshua went to his event at a committee member's apartment and I went back to my hotel. It was nice seeing DC through Joshua’s eyes and being able to find out more about his life. I mentioned to Joshua that it was a much different feel walking around DC versus New York. New York is filled with many historical homes and buildings and as you walk around, you can imagine what life must have been like long ago. And there are people everywhere. DC has fewer people and feels less historical, despite the historical monuments. Joshua said that until around the turn of the century, most of the population of DC were government workers, so that explains it a lot.  The population increased in the 1900s.  I must say that I prefer New York for things to do and for just walking around. The public transit system is also more complete. But I’m glad to see Joshua and have a few things to visit more completely next time I’m in DC visiting Joshua. And tomorrow I fly home.

This is currently Tr**mp International Tower, but is not
owned by him any longer.  I'm hoping they change the name.
It was originally the Department of the Post Office.

DC Metro station.  Reminds me of the 1970s visions of the future
like in Tomorrowland at DisneyWorld.

Very different than the New York subways!

Spreading out across the city

 April 8, 2022

Washington, DC

Pretty flowers in Georgetown

Today I woke up on the bottom bunk, much happier than I did on the top.  It wasn't a great night's sleep, but it was better than the night before.  My first night's roommate was Joy, a teacher from California.  The second night was Maggie, a college professor in Florida.  My roommate for the last two nights is Angelique, a high school special ed teacher from San Jose/Santa Clara (we talked shop quite a bit!).   

Today I took the metro from the city center to Brookland, way in the NE corner of Washington.  I went to the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America to walk in their gardens.  I had read good things about it from a travel page.  It was very pretty and serene.  I probably would have liked it more if I were religious.  They had recreated some monuments from the Holy Land along the paths including the Tomb of the Virgin Mary near Jerusalem, the Grotto of Lourdes from Southern France, Ascension Chapel from Mt. of Olives, and the Grotto of Gethsemane.  A funny thing which I forgot to take a picture of, were two staircases leading from the gardens down to a grove of trees that were recently planted.  But the fences surrounding the garden didn't have gates to allow you access to the steps, in fact the steps were full of branches and leaves and you can tell that they are not used anymore.  But at the top of one of the sets of stairs was a welcome mat!  It made me laugh!  Someone has a sense of humor!  On a sad note, I started thinking of my mom while I was walking and sat down at the benches surrounding the Grotto of Lourdes to cry for awhile.  She died in October and I am still dealing with my grief, though it is getting easier and the crying is less frequent.  It was a serene and quiet space to cry, then calm myself.  

A pretty tree near the metro stop (a redbud maybe?)

The Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America

Inside the gates

The beginning of the gardens

The Ascension Chapel

Inside the dome of the Ascension Chapel

Tomb of the Virgin Mary

The Grotto of Lourdes

The Grotto of Gethsemane

The front garden from the cloisters

The cloisters

Leading up from the metro downtown

Then I took the metro back to the city and on to the NW corner--Georgetown.  The metro doesn't go all the way there.  You have to get out at either Dupont Circle or Foggy Bottom.  On the train, I saw a teenage boy with a bag from McDonald's and had a craving.  I haven't eaten at McDonald's for a long time, so I decided to indulge myself, even though it is horrible for me.  It was weird, you go up to a screen and order and pay at the screen.  You pick up one of the plastic table markers with a number hanging there and you enter that so they will bring your food to your table.  

An historic home all by itself surrounded by big glass buildings

These are all over the city, I think it was a contest; 
they are all different.

Then I walked to Georgetown.  Georgetown is a cute area of small shops and houses located between two universities.  So I wandered, mostly window-shopping and found one area that was along the canal with swings (like porch swings) and Adirondack chairs.  So I sat there for awhile and it was very peaceful.  When I left there was a man sitting on one of the swings with a really big dog in his lap.  He was holding it like a small child, the dogs head was on his shoulder.  It was so sweet!  I loved it and wanted to take a picture, but everytime I looked to take one, he was looking directly at me.  Even when I had reached the other side of the canal--like he knew that I wanted to photograph him.  So I didn't get a shot.  I did stop and buy macarons at Olivia Macaron.  I bought a lavender  for me and a blueberry cheesecake for Joshua.  The lavender was best!  

One of the shops was all decorated for spring!

It was then time to head to Foggy Bottom at GW and meet Joshua at 5:00.  He gave me a tour of the areas of campus that he goes to and we went into one of the classroom buildings. It was fun seeing inside the building and seeing where he spends all of his time.  He showed me the outside of the dorm he requested as his first choice for next year.  But he has a stomach virus, first day without a fever, but still needed to be near a bathroom, so he left to eat at his dorm and go back to his room while I headed back to my hostel.  I stopped along the way at Panera for a salad for dinner (trying to make up for that heavy lunch!).  Then met and talked to my roommate before (and while) writing this!   Tomorrow I am with Joshua all day--hope he is all better by then.  

Joshua in front of a tulip magnolia tree

Campus

Joshua refused to get into this picture

The district house dorm that he hopes to live in next year. 
This is a brand new building.

Campus flowers

Saw the White House as I walked home; there was some
protest going on, but I was too tired to go see.