Blog 2: Getting into DC

I haven't really experienced Washington DC before this seminar but I've had a chance to see the city in the past few days. We had a scavenger hunt in which we took pictures in front of various landmarks around the city. We took a picture in front of the Chinese gate in Chinatown, the mural near Adams Morgan, South Hall in the Eastern Market and a few other notable places in DC. It was a great assignment because first of all, it got me out of bed on a Saturday, and also helped me see many parts of a city that I otherwise wouldn't have known about, much less visited.

Going to a new city or location is always exciting but the fact is, often times you don't know where the truly interesting and fun places to go are. I never would have thought to visit the Eastern Market but it was a great cultural experience. There were artists of all sorts, a flea market with goods from around the world and fresh produce from local farmers (many of which had free samples!).

We also visited the National Mall and Capitol Hill, which are full of monuments and notable landmarks that we've all seen on TV and in photos. While I know what the White House, Washington Monument, and the Capitol Building look like, I've never seen them up close. They hold so much meaning that it's really an experience to visit them.

Morning tour of the Capitol Building

Tightening up the tie for the super senator

Linda's contemplation of the Washington Monument

This program has shown me the things that I've expected and hoped to see, but I've also gotten a chance to visit some areas that I didn't even know existed. I'm hoping to follow the same pattern once we get to London. I would like to see the places that everyone wants to see, the places that hold meaning and a powerful image. However, I also want to see some of the places that tourists don't frequent, the places that are hiding and only known about by locals. These less known places tend to give you a more genuine taste of the people and the culture.