Here is a picture of zebras that I took at the National Zoo in DC five or six years ago. Don’t these zebras look like they are in a prison compound like Guatanamo Bay? Stars and Bars and wire for hire?
Category: Photos
Washington, D.C., Cherry Blossom Festival Venture
What madness! I took the Metro into town on Thursday, April 1, to see the cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin. Last year I rode the scooter down to check them out but the area was so packed with people I just cruised through for a quick look and headed home. This year, I wanted to walk around and get some pictures so the Metro was the way to go. I got on at the Vienna, VA, station and off at the Smithsonian station. From there it was a reasonably short walk to the Tidal Basin where all the action is. I ended up walking all the way around the Basin at a leisurely pace snapping pictures of the trees and the Jefferson and Washington Memorials.
There were people all over the place. The advent of digital photography has not boded well for tourist destinations since now everyone thinks they are a photographer. Walkways were blocked by phototogs trying to get snaps of their friends, family, and the monuments. I believe that I can assuredly say that if all those people had to pay for film and developing, most of them wouldn’t be taking pictures. I certainly take many more pictures using my digital camera than I would using my analog cameras. At least I have a history going back 26 years of taking analog photos and have four analog cameras to my two digital cameras.
That being said, I think I got a few decent photos. I went into town late with the intention of staying through sundown. I did do that but ended up shooting sunset photos on the mall of the Capitol and the Washington Monument rather than of the cherry blossoms. This was mainly due to the fact that I had to pee and was thirsty as hell. I walked down the south side of the mall near the Capitol looking for an Irish bar that I had been to years before but haven’t been able to find for the past few years. I am not even sure it is there any more.
What is really odd is that it is so hard to find someplace to just stop and get a brew or quick bite to eat around the mall. There are huge government office buildings everywhere and people have to drink and eat. D.C. is very much a commuter city so perhaps the government workers are just in and out for work and there isn’t a good restaurant business environment. I ended up going to Capitol City Brewing Company on Massachusetts Avenue just of Capitol Hill. It is adjacent to Union Station which is a good venue for getting chow and such, not sure about brews, and also catching the Metro.
After making my bladder gladder, I managed to find a seat at the bar in the very packed restaurant. I was so thirsty from walking around for four hours in the sun that I pounded down a pint of Kolsch and a pint of water in no time. Since the sun was setting, I had to get back out on the mall, about 5 blocks away, snap some pictures and get back to the Smithsonian Metro station. Even though it was about 8:15 PM, I just barely managed to get a seat and was hemmed in by people as the car reached standing room only a few stops later. That lasted until about four stops before the end of the line where I disembarked and headed home.
When I got home, I realized that I hadn’t eaten the sandwich I brought with me so I showered the city off of me, scarfed a quick brew, ate my sandwich, and chased it all down with more water. Meanwhile, I was downloading 203 pictures from my camera to my computer.
Here are a few of those pictures. More will be posted in my photo album in the not too distant future. Once that is done, I’ll make a note and put a link to them here in my blog.
The Pussy Shots I Got Last Night
Here are two pictures of my cat Hamlet up on my bed. He’s almost 20 years old and very cranky!
It Snow Secret
It has been a month since we had the last snow, 28-30 inches of it. Here is what we had:
Here is what I have left (click to enlarge):
Note the scooter at bottom left. I rode twice this week but we have rain coming in so I’ll have to take a break. At least the bike isn’t covered in snow anymore. It is hard to believe that we, in Virginia, got over five feet of snow as of 11 February this year and that, today, one month later, I was sitting on my balcony in a t-shirt reading the Washington Post as the temperature neared 70 degrees.
Pictures from the WWW…Williamsburg Wreath Walk
The week before Christmas I drove myself and my parents down to see my sister in Suffolk, VA. My sister and her husband were unfortunately not going to be able to join us for Christmas at my other sister’s house in Centreville. Since my folks were in town from overseas, it was deemed opportune to get them down to Suffolk that week.
While we were there, my sister, my mom and dad, and I went to Williamsburg to check out the holiday festivities. It was a cold, breezy day but we managed to stay comfortable by hitting the shops, having a nice lunch, and walking the main promenade. Walking the promenade included viewing the Christmas decorations, many of which were elaborate Christmas wreaths, displayed on the homes and shops.
And since I was taking pictures like crazy, and my mom and sister prompted me to take more, we have located here the WWW, otherwise known as the “Williamsburg Wreath Walk.” Below are a couple of my favorites.
The Power of the Flower
Here are a few closeup flower pictures that I really like.
