Friday, May 21, 2004
Washington DC
I don't know what I can say about Washington without writing a book.
Lots of very grand buildings and monuments mostly in white or pale stone. If you went looking for the "White House" you'd never find it.
Lots of stairways leading up to buildings with gigantic columns, housing huge statues and sculptures of presidents and other famous figures. All the government office buildings are impressive, too. Everything is spotlessly clean and set in beautifully kept park like settings with lots of water features.
The white of the buildings contrasts nicely with all the homeless black people sleeping around them. Well, I did see some, but no more than you would see in Melbourne.
When we first entered the outer suburbs, we drove for miles through streets lined with 2 or 3 story terrace houses, only one room wide, all well maintained or in the process of being renovated. I saw one white person - and she was Japanese.
There is so much construction, maintenance and renovation going on in the city that it is hard to get a photo without a bit of machinery in it.
We left by another route where the picture was a bit different, a poorer area, but not too bad really and as the streets are all tree lined, still quite pretty.
We stayed at a hotel in McLean, Virginia, which I had never heard of. Again very clean, handsome buldings and excellent roads to cope with the most unbelievable traffic that any of us had ever seen (including Americans).
There was US resident French woman and her visiting French friend with us. I had to scratch up all my high school French as she kept on talking to me after I had made the mistake of introducing myself in French. At one stage I was alone with her for about 45 minutes, and though it was fun I was glad when she linked up with her friend again. Then I went off to the souvenir shop and spoke to the woman behind the counter in French!! I didn't even realise I was doing it.
The tour guide had asked me what part of England I was from.
The two of them had wine with their meal each night, but the US/French woman said she could wait to get home to crack a can!
I won't bore you now with details of all the places I visited - I'll do that when I get back with the photos - that is if the security x-rays before entering every building did not melt the insides of my camera. Remind me to tell you about the guide at the Ford theatre - it would take too long to write.
Lots of very grand buildings and monuments mostly in white or pale stone. If you went looking for the "White House" you'd never find it.
Lots of stairways leading up to buildings with gigantic columns, housing huge statues and sculptures of presidents and other famous figures. All the government office buildings are impressive, too. Everything is spotlessly clean and set in beautifully kept park like settings with lots of water features.
The white of the buildings contrasts nicely with all the homeless black people sleeping around them. Well, I did see some, but no more than you would see in Melbourne.
When we first entered the outer suburbs, we drove for miles through streets lined with 2 or 3 story terrace houses, only one room wide, all well maintained or in the process of being renovated. I saw one white person - and she was Japanese.
There is so much construction, maintenance and renovation going on in the city that it is hard to get a photo without a bit of machinery in it.
We left by another route where the picture was a bit different, a poorer area, but not too bad really and as the streets are all tree lined, still quite pretty.
We stayed at a hotel in McLean, Virginia, which I had never heard of. Again very clean, handsome buldings and excellent roads to cope with the most unbelievable traffic that any of us had ever seen (including Americans).
There was US resident French woman and her visiting French friend with us. I had to scratch up all my high school French as she kept on talking to me after I had made the mistake of introducing myself in French. At one stage I was alone with her for about 45 minutes, and though it was fun I was glad when she linked up with her friend again. Then I went off to the souvenir shop and spoke to the woman behind the counter in French!! I didn't even realise I was doing it.
The tour guide had asked me what part of England I was from.
The two of them had wine with their meal each night, but the US/French woman said she could wait to get home to crack a can!
I won't bore you now with details of all the places I visited - I'll do that when I get back with the photos - that is if the security x-rays before entering every building did not melt the insides of my camera. Remind me to tell you about the guide at the Ford theatre - it would take too long to write.
Monday, May 17, 2004
Ev's Birthday party
Back to the Yacht Club yesterday for Ev's party (and mine and Jess) It was really good to see all the boys and their women at the same time.
Managed to go for a quick sail in the morning. The club is just across the water from the Empire State building, but you would think you were somewhere way out in the country, except for the constant stream of jets coming and going from La Guardia airport.It's amazing that there are no accidents.
Managed to go for a quick sail in the morning. The club is just across the water from the Empire State building, but you would think you were somewhere way out in the country, except for the constant stream of jets coming and going from La Guardia airport.It's amazing that there are no accidents.
