Escapes

Temps have gotten down to the 70's (24-25C) so it's time to go back to walking in the city.  Today we focus on little-known places of quiet escape right off the National Mall.

 National Gallery

Smithsonian
(between the Hirshhorn & Arts & Industries)

Does this look like the middle of one of the busiest & most touristed parts of the country?

 

Confection

 I am beginning to suspect that this chocolate bar may have been manufactured abroad...

 

 

 

 

DC at Night

Not a lot of people realize how lovely DC can look at night. The monuments and main government buildings are lit up, and since they are all made of white stone, the effect is magical. Flying in at night on the approach right over the Potomac (from the west) you see the entire monumental area of the city, and it is breathtaking! David very kindly drove a friend of ours to the airport in the wee hours of the morning (she was going to Houston to receive the NASA distinguished service award--very special because her astronaut father also received it several years ago) and thought to bring his camera with him. It is tricky, taking photos of brilliantly lit white buildings on a black background. Here are his spectacular results.

   

the Capitol

the Jefferson Memorial & Tidal Basin

the Supreme Court

the Air & Space Museum

the Washington Monument

 

Under the Bridge

Gracious me!  I've been so neglectful of my blog the past several days.  10,00 pardons begged; I'm OK, just fell into a lazy streak.

 

Below please find photos of a walk I took last Thursday under our favorite bridge, i.e., the Wilson Bridge across the Potomac from Virginia to Maryland. It's a drawbridge, since large or tall-masted ships pass through from time to time, although we like to say it's because it allows us to keep the Marylanders out if we so desire.  It's a great design.  The two of us nicknamed the park underneath the "Troll Park" for obvious reasons.  David ans I got married at Jone's Point, a 5-minute walk away.

 

If you look upstream, you can clearly see Washington and the capitol dome. Since that doesn't show up well in the photo, here's a close-up:
 

"the scene of the crime"... 

Lily Lusciousness

I adore these! 

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

For those of you following the Age of the World calendar 

(Annus Mundi / ἔτος κόσμου)

🎉🎉 HAPPY  7,534 🎉🎉