Washington, DC Pictures

According to Domi, I am getting healthier by the day.  Domi was practically glued to my side on Tuesday.  I felt marginally better on Wednesday, so Domi hovered about a foot and a half away from me.  Today, Domi is cool with being in an adjoining room.  Unfortunately, I do still have a slight fever and a pounding headache.  I'm really disappointed because the weather is perfect and the blog post that I have in mind depends on taking pictures outside.  I'll hopefully be able to drag myself out of the house tomorrow.  Domi should be happy about that... I'm sure he can't wait to return to his normal routine which involves taking over the bed between the hours of 1 and 5.  I don't think Domi has spent more than 5 minutes in the bedroom since I got sick on Tuesday.  (I've been staying on the couch because that's where the tv and computer are located.  Much more interesting than the 4 white walls in the bedroom.)

I've been going through my discs of pictures today, and I've been admiring the pictures of DC that I've taken over the last two and a half years.  In person, the city is humid and sticky and generally oppressive in the summer.  The metro is often a royal pain in the tuckus, the amount of walking involved in admiring the scenery causes muscles to seize up for a week, and the wide, open streets that make the city look attractive and feel Parisian are great, except that attractions feel like they are placed at least a mile apart.  In pictures, however, DC is a beautiful city.  Regardless of the time of day, the monuments and marble buildings never fail to impress.  Here are some of my favorite DC pictures:

(By the way, I'm sorry if this take a while to load.  The pictures look so much better when they are a larger size.  You can view an even larger version of each photo by clicking on the photo.)

I took this picture on the first day I set my feet on DC territory.  The day was crystal clear, and this is one of the best Washington Monument pictures I've been able to take.  Gosh, it's tall.

Cherry Blossoms 2009.  You can barely see the sky through the blossoms, and we weren't there on the peak day!  Lovely.  I want an orchard.

One of many pictures I've taken in Arlington National Cemetery.  The thing that I love about this particular picture is that you can see the Washington Monument if you look closely.  (See it between the trees?)

I love, love, love this picture.  I think it is gorgeous.  This was taken as the sun was setting in October 2008.  Unfortunately, I took this picture while my dad stood a few feet away talking to my cousin who had called to let my parents know that my brother had been rushed to the emergency room with a serious bee sting reaction.  This picture was the last great thing about that evening. 

I love the National Mall at sunset.  This is the Washington Monument again.  I have a slight obsession with taking pictures of it.

This is not the best picture of the Lincoln Memorial, but it is really difficult to get a good nighttime shot without a tripod.  The thing that I like about this picture is that it reminds me of the feeling I get when I ascend the steps of the Memorial at night.  There really is nothing like it.  Due to the play of shadows and light in strategic places, it makes me feel like I'm walking up the stairway to heaven with God sitting on his throne before me.

FDR at the Roosevelt Memorial.  The Memorial is quite isolated, so I wouldn't recommend going there at night alone.  However, the many fountains and statutes look pretty cool after dark.

My favorite monument/memorial is the WWII memorial.  I really cannot understand why so many people objected to it when it was built.  In my opinion, the design and location are perfection.  I've been there many times and it still strikes me with its detail, thoughtfulness, and overall beauty.  One of the best things about it is that it is equally beautiful during the day and after dark.

I saved the best for last.  This is my dad at the WWII memorial.  He is standing in front of the Field of Stars on Freedom Wall.  The wall holds 4,048 stars - 1 star for every 100 Americans killed in the war.  The wall's inscription, "Here we mark the price of freedom," is even more powerful after dark when the wall's reflection pool perfectly mirrors the stars on the wall.  Here, my dad is just one of many who stand looking at the wall in silence.  (Did I mention that it is pretty powerful?)

 I hope you enjoyed the pictures!  Are you wondering where I live that allows me the opportunity to take so many DC pictures?  Here's a hint... 

Ha!  Not really.