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Mr. Cascio Goes To Washington
I will be heading to Washington, DC, in a couple of weeks, ostensibly to take part in a short workshop for the Institute for the Future. I'll be coming in a few days early, however, in order to hit a few of the sights (and to spend some time with a good friend). I'll be arriving late on Saturday, December 2nd, and will have free time available for most of Sunday and Monday.
So: suggestions? There are obvious places to try to see, albeit briefly, but anything special or transitory I should make a point of getting to? Any "be sure to get a coffee/hamachi nigiri/blintz at..." ideas? Or "be sure to do [X] in front of the [Y], and get a picture!"
It will be my first time to DC, but I recognize that two partial days is nowhere near enough time to see even a fraction of the features. That, plus the fact that it will be early December (and I'm a born-in-Southern-California boy), may mean a "just the highlights" visit, but I'd love to see something that hasn't already been shown in a million movies.
Comments
Walking around DC isn't much fun since 9/11. The security is very depressing. I lived in DC in the 1970s when you could go anywhere--i remember getting lost in the basement of the Capitol building and running into Senators coming out of their hideaways.
Do walk the Mall. Don't miss the Albert Einstein memorial (good photo op) in front of the National Academy building, across the street from the Vietnam Memorial--something else not to miss.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Einstein_Memorial,_Washington_DC
Stay at the Tabard Inn near Dupont Circle if you can (they're always booked). It's where all the enviros/leftists hang out--it's been a refuge for the last 12 years...
Posted by: John Wilson | November 23, 2006 4:38 PM
Thank you, John!
Posted by: Jamais Cascio | November 23, 2006 11:05 PM
It's one of the great cities in the world for monumental architecture, of course, which is something I love. In addition to the wonderful Lincoln Memorial, the essential Viet Nam Veterans Memorial, etc., also worth seeing is the lobby of Union Station with its amazing gallery of statues. I also recommend some of the "trite" things like seeing the actual signed Constitution at the National Archives -- quite moving. Enjoy your trip!
Posted by: Mike Treder | November 24, 2006 1:22 PM
If you like going through texts, and assembling a history around you via multiple overlays, this can be pretty cool
http://www.archives.gov/dc-metro/
Posted by: Kevin Doyle Jones | November 26, 2006 1:47 PM
The National Gallery, late afternoon on Sundays; any of the permanent collection rooms. Or, Sundays, 3-4pm at the Phillips Collection in Dupont Circle area, The Société Anonyme: Modernism for America, then, 5pm free classical music recital. And, hello, the Well, eastcoast.135 "D.C. Small Talk Topic." Heh.
Posted by: Tom Howard | November 28, 2006 8:16 PM