Raoul’s Two Cents: October 20, 2023

Display City: Washington D.C.

I visited my aunt in Washington DC. My plan was to visit all the museums DC had to offer but, by the 3rd day, I was exhausted because I traveled by subway and by foot.

Note: If you plan to go here, do enough exercise to prepare for a marathon. Here’s a map of some of the places I visited.

I was planning to list the different exhibits but I realized there are just too many to jot down; so let me just give you my overall impression.

Washington DC, is a smorgasbord of museums. I stayed there for a week but even that was not enough time to go through all that DC has to offer. There are sites to see both inside (the museums) and outside (Lincoln Memorial, the Korean and Vietnam War Memorials, the WW II Memorial, the MLK Jr Memorial, etc.). Most of them are free. The ones that you have to pay to get in (like the Spy Museum, the Holocaust, Memorial Museum, the Museum of the Bible, etc.) are privately funded and the entrance is usually about $30.

DIRECTIONS

It’s hard to figure the logic of the roads near the Washington Monument but it helps to imagine a spider web where the Washington Monument is in the center and all the streets are radiating from that (that’s why there are a lot of wedges and curved streets). If you look at Google Maps there isn’t too much detail and I think that’s done on purpose for security reasons. Traveling by foot I noticed buildings and organizations I never even knew existed. Another good visual to start a map in your head is to envision a rectangular shape from the Lincoln Memorial to the World War II Memorial to the Washington Monument and to the US Capitol building. I figured the best way to get around was to simply ask the locals.

AWESOME

There is majesty in the design and size of the buildings. And there is serenity in the open spaces. There is endless variety in the themes of each exhibit. There are priceless paintings, sculptures and furniture that remind you of the hardship of eras long gone by that brought about the birth of a new nation. Different ethnicities — African, Asian, European, South American — cry out to be heard. Fossils, stuffed animals/birds and insects reminded me of Noah’s ark; while airplanes and rocket ships made me wonder what else God has hidden for us to discover.

There was so much to absorb for visitors like me that I found myself rushing and taking endless pictures to be appreciated back home. There were no seats nor benches to pause and breathe in the masterpieces. It was as if the museums were designed to herd the tourists through as quickly as possible.

GOVERNMENT

Aside from the exhibits, I had to remember that this “little town” is the heart of America. Inside the surrounding buildings powerful leaders were making decisions that would resonate around the nation and rest of the world. The Executive, the Legislative, and the Judicial branches are in close proximity to each other — hey, what’s that I smell? Corruption? Off with their heads! How I wish our leaders are still in awe of their huge responsibility to mankind.

Whatever your race, skin color, gender, age, religion or political party, when you go to DC, you can be proud of the tapestry of our country — the great political experiment called the United States of America.

TGIF People!

“In known history, nobody has had such capacity for altering the universe than the people of the United States of America. And nobody has gone about it in such an aggressive way.” — Alan Watts

“If they hear and serve Him,
They will end their days in prosperity
And their years in pleasures.” – Job 36:11

JOKE OF THE WEEK

Thanks to Clinton of Arizona

Parting Shots

Thanks to Maling of New Manila, Philippines

Thanks to Art of Sierra Madre. CA

I found these

The Traveling Boy

My good friend (and jokester) Terry and I came up with these.

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