Capital City - Day 2

The difference between visiting a city that is new to you and revisiting a place where you once lived, is in knowing those quaint places that are off the beaten track. One of the best sights in DC (for those who are scientifically inclined) is the Albert Einstein statue that sits on the grounds of the National Academy of Sciences, a stone’s throw from the Lincoln Memorial, at the intersection of Constitution Avenue and 22nd Street. The bronzed statue of Einstein in a sitting position looms 21 feet tall. It was installed on the birth centenary of Einstein and a brief description of his accomplishments is listed alongside. I wanted to show Aparna my fondness for this understated celebration of a great man who differs from all the other political statesmen who have been immortalized in this most political of all places in America. So we dutifully took pictures of the renowned scientist and sat for a while observing the two naughty boys who climbed up the statue, chasing each other, exploring the uninhibitedly.

The short walk to the White House was uneventful and we had a good view from the Ellipse, the side facing the Washington Monument. But as we walked by the Washington Hotel to approach 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue (the most famous address in the US, that of the White House), we were caught in an unexpected downpour. The DC area is notorious for its rapid changes in weather leading to sudden deluges in the summer months. We took shelter under a small tree and the shower retreated as quickly as it had appeared. Tourists thronged the front gates, getting a good view of the graceful columns and manicured lawns. We took the mandatory picture in front of the black metal fence contrasting against the milky expanse of the eponymous house behind it. The White House has been the official residence-cum-office of the US President for as long as anyone cares to remember.

Our next stop was the home another prominent piece of history, a rock, to be precise – the Hope Diamond. The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History contains many interesting displays but none as famous as the 45+ carat rare blue diamond, named “Hope” Diamond. The origin of the diamond is in India and it started its life as a 67 carat brilliant piece of carbon which then made its way across the world. It was bequeathed to the Smithsonian Institution and now lies, splendidly displayed in a secure glass case which rotates to give you a 360 degree view of its magnificence, stopping long enough for you to take a picture.

While I have listed all the places we visited, there is still so much that was left unexplored – a tour of the US Capitol, watching dollar bills being printed at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, looking at pictures of Americas Most Wanted criminals at the FBI, getting a glimpse of the horrors of the holocaust at the Holocaust Museum, watching a performance at the Kennedy Center. There are seasonal attractions in DC that are worth mentioning – the Cherry Blossom parade every spring when the cherry trees around the Tidal Basin bloom in unison, the brilliant colors of fall in October, the national Christmas tree in the White House lawns, with little trees for each state of the Union on a cool December evening.

In general, I feel that cities generally tend to look alike. But capital cities everywhere in the world have a character that is unique, Washington DC is no exception. What made this visit special for me was my connection to this particular capital city. The heap of memories linked to every place here, whether or not of tourist interest overflowed as we created more.

Cheers to Washington DC!