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Post by htmb on Oct 4, 2013 0:26:49 GMT
Several weeks ago, when I planned a trip to Washington, DC, I hadn't counted on a government shutdown. I'm actually here for other reasons, but I had planned to spend the day visiting the museums and monuments. I started the morning at the Lincoln Memorial. The press was there. The man in the red shirt is with Reuters. The scaffolding covering the Washington Monument, opposite the Lincoln Memorial, is in place for repair related to the earthquake of several months ago. Down the path, the Korean War Memorial was also barricaded. That's Capitol Hill in the distance. I wonder if duck excrement is going to build up along the reflecting pool surround now the government has shut down.
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Post by htmb on Oct 4, 2013 1:34:43 GMT
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 4, 2013 3:54:14 GMT
Well, if there is any beneficial side effect to the debacle in Washington, it has to be that it got all those pesky tourists out of your way so you could take pictures in peace. But really ~~ I must say, you got some excellent photos! The one of the plane over the Lincoln Memorial and the first one of the turning leaves near the Tidal Basin (again, w/plane) are particularly nice. That's a very odd, clunkily phrased inscription on the WWII memorial. It almost sounds as though women are human. Thanks for turning your thwarted plans into an interesting -- historical, really -- thread.
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Post by htmb on Oct 4, 2013 11:19:04 GMT
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Post by htmb on Oct 4, 2013 13:27:30 GMT
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Post by htmb on Oct 4, 2013 15:01:35 GMT
The officer at the WWII Memorial had assured me that I would be able to walk all the way around the Tidal Basin, however, I encountered this three-layered barricade just before the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. Pay special attention to the inner, plastic covered wire fencing. I would have to climb over one of these later. On me, it was about chest high. Walking through the trees up to another path, I could see the MLK memorial from the side. I've never even seen a photograph of the site, so was disappointed I couldn't view it from the front. For anyone visiting in the future, the crosswalk nearest the WWI Memorial, not the WWII, seems to be the safest place to cross a very busy roadway to get to the Tidal Basin memorials. It appears a couple of people have crossed the barricades. Sorry the next picture is so dark. No time to edit. Can you read the sign? Note, the girl is on the other side of the fence. I walked on, hoping I could get back to the edge of the Tidal Basin. As you can see, the paths were almost completely empty. It was as if I had the whole place to myself. It would have been lovely, except for the barricades and the reason for their placement. Up ahead is the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial, and I can already see the barricades in place.
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Post by htmb on Oct 4, 2013 23:12:38 GMT
I'm pretty much of a straight-laced rule follower, but as I was looking at the front of the FDR Memorial........ And thinking that I was going to have to go way out of my way to get to the Jefferson Memorial.... Around the tree-lined edge of this field...... I decided to cross behind the barricade and walk through the Memorial area. I honestly didn't spend too much time taking photographs, I'd been to the memorial twice before, so the sights weren't new to me. though it is a very interesting space. When I got to the back side, I was close to the water's edge, and was on track to get to the Jefferson Memorial, however I met up with that fairly high fence I mentioned earlier. The only was to get out without doubling back was to climb over the fence. It wasn't easy, and I have a big bruise to prove it, but I was finally making progress!
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 4, 2013 23:32:12 GMT
So glad you broke the rules to get such good, illuminating photos. Well, broke the rule to look at a memorial you help pay for.
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Post by htmb on Oct 5, 2013 2:36:02 GMT
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 5, 2013 2:47:57 GMT
John Paul Jones who warned us, "The British are coming." Isn't that what Paul Revere is known for?
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Post by htmb on Oct 5, 2013 2:56:43 GMT
Oh, yes. Drat! From wiki:
John Paul Jones (July 6, 1747 – July 18, 1792) was a Scottish sailor and the United States's first well-known naval fighter in the American Revolution. Although he made enemies among America's political elites, his actions in British waters during the Revolution earned him an international reputation which persists to this day. As such he is sometimes referred to as the "Father of the United States Navy" (an epithet he shares with John Barry). He later served in the Imperial Russian Navy.During his engagement with HMS Serapis, Jones uttered, according to the later recollection of his first lieutenant, the legendary reply to a taunt about surrender from the British captain: "I have not yet begun to fight!"
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Post by htmb on Oct 5, 2013 2:59:26 GMT
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Post by htmb on Oct 5, 2013 3:05:23 GMT
Thomas Jefferson Memorial
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 5, 2013 6:05:53 GMT
;D Or as I said, when I was in domestic service, "Give me livery, or give me death!"
I'm so enjoying this beautiful, unhurried report, even that monument that looks like a settling pond.
The MLK monument is a little disappointing seen full face -- I don't think it much resembles him. Wonderful concept, though.
Love the picture of the tourist snapping a pic at the Jefferson monument, the gorgeous one of the obelisk reflected in the pond with the trees in the foreground wearing netting to match that of the obelisk, and always, your brilliant bird photos.
Hey -- wiki is having a photo competition on monuments which I think is still open. You certainly have some perfect entries here!
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Post by mossie on Oct 5, 2013 10:38:57 GMT
What a sad collection of deserted parks, I suppose it reflects the mood of America. Your photos are excellent, I hurry to add, but the whole scene reflects badly.
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Post by htmb on Oct 5, 2013 11:19:42 GMT
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Post by questa on Oct 5, 2013 12:10:00 GMT
Mossie, I find these photos beautiful in their emptiness. There is such a huge area given to honour the honourable and declare the noble aspirations of the people. The images should be mounted as an exhibition of USA at its best and, in a way, its worst due to the circumstances of the photo shoot.
What I find conflicting (for me) is the harmony and tranquility of these places at the heart of the nation, and the much reported violence of the citizens and its foreign policies.
This is just a personal thought and not meant to cause affront to any of our US members of APIAS.
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Post by questa on Oct 5, 2013 12:16:06 GMT
htmb...I'm serious about the exhibition. You have an extraordinary collection of images here, so skilfully taken. Surely a newspaper in your home town would help mount an exhibition to mark the historical aspect of the occasion?
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Post by htmb on Oct 5, 2013 12:17:34 GMT
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Post by htmb on Oct 5, 2013 13:26:57 GMT
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Post by htmb on Oct 5, 2013 13:45:57 GMT
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Post by tod2 on Oct 5, 2013 14:15:26 GMT
What a beautiful underground station! I love your photos of the maize and pumpkin flowers! Wonderful! ALL your photos are inspiring htmb...
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Post by fumobici on Oct 5, 2013 15:20:46 GMT
Needless to say, this is a brilliant and interesting report. Dare we call the timing of the visit fortuitous?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2013 16:21:19 GMT
It is all the more amazing for me to see this because there are many memorials and monuments that I didn't even know existed.
Even though I have passed through the airports a few times in my life, my last (and only) family tourist visit to Washington D.C. took place when I was something like 3 years old, so I remember absolutely nothing about it even though there are a few colour slides to prove that I was there. My brother at least has been back once or twice to see all of these things, but it is still on my list of things to do.
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 5, 2013 21:29:09 GMT
I wonder if anyone is tending to the plants now. Maybe they can bring in undocumented workers! Htmb, you keep topping yourself in this thread -- outstanding.
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Post by htmb on Oct 5, 2013 22:52:39 GMT
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Post by htmb on Oct 5, 2013 23:06:17 GMT
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 5, 2013 23:09:45 GMT
I see you went for your visa to come visit me!
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Post by htmb on Oct 5, 2013 23:14:02 GMT
Yes, the Mexican Embassy was open. In fact, the restaurant across the street from the embassy had great food, and many of the diners were speaking Spanish. I figured a lot of them were affiliated with the embassy.
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Post by htmb on Oct 6, 2013 0:00:30 GMT
After finishing a late lunch I decided to walk towards the front of the White House, which was just a little over two blocks away. I stopped at this park to take a couple of pictures of this tree. Then I continued walking toward the White House check point where Pennsylvania Avenue is closed to traffic. There was a group of Segway riders, so I was intent on giving them plenty of space. At this point I had no idea anything was wrong. The GNC sign is in front of the General Nutrition Center store. Once the Segway people moved out of the way I could see the street was clear of everyone except for police. In looking at the picture above, the White House is to the right of the first police car and Lafayette Park is on the left where a crowd of people can be seen standing. I spoke with a police officer who said the street in front if the White House was closed. At this point I wasn't sure if this had to do with the Federal shut down. Here's a fuller picture of this western end of the street. During the shutdown, garbage is not collected. After hearing from one couple that there had been shots fired, I decided to walk around the block and enter Lafayette Square. This would put me directly across the street from the front of the White House.
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