Washington DC - First Truly Solo Vacation - NYC - Bermuda - DC - October 17

I slept really well last night but was still awake before 6:00 a.m. and in DC nothing seems to open before 10:00 a.m. so I had time.  I found some coffee and a bagel at the restaurant in my hotel and settled in a window seat in the lobby with my laptop to blog, people watch, and relax.

My original plans for DC included both the Museum of Natural History and the Air and Space Museum.  But my heart wasn't in either.  I had skipped both last year when I visited DC because I knew they would be ones my husband would really enjoy and wanted to experience them with him.  And now they just don't hold the allure.

So instead I headed for the Hirshhorn Museum, a museum of modern art.   And I'm really glad I did.  The third floor had an exhibit by Mark Bradford called Pickett's Charge which really spoke to me.  It is 8 panels of very abstract, almost 3D art.  I understand it is inspired by the final charge of the Battle of Gettysburg although with a consideration for our current political climate.

Gardens right outside of Hirshhorn Museum

Hirshoorn Museum is a giant cylinder

"Pickett's Charge" - left panel "Two Men", right panel "The High-Water Mark"

"The High-Water Mark" - I spent a lot of time with this panel, finding a comfy bench and pulling out my notebook to do some writing.

"Witness Tree"

A close up of "Witness Tree" to show you the texture/3D aspect of it

"Woman and Little Girl in Front of the Sun" by Joan Miro - I have always enjoyed Miro's work so was glad to see this piece here.   

"Boob Wheel" by Loie Hollowell

There was also an exhibit by Laurie Anderson called "Four Talks" that took up an entire room which really intrigued me.

Afterwards, I figured I should find some lunch and so I headed to a food court at L'Enfant Plaza just south of the Mall.

Smithsonian Castle

And then I wandered through a few more gardens and walked the mall a bit as I waited for my Washington Monument tour time.

Washington Monument

Capitol

I had a 2:00 p.m. tour time for the Washington Monument so I headed up there about 30 minutes early and got in the 2 o'clock line.  While I waited I just enjoyed the sunshine and the people watching for a bit.  The monument is 555 feet and 5 1/8 inches high.  The observation level is at 500 feet.  The views are quite beautiful that high up.  And they seem to manage the crowds well so that it didn't feel too crowded up at the top and you could get time to see out of the windows each direction.  After viewing from the observation deck, they ask you to walk down one flight of stairs to the 490 feet level where there is a small museum and then you catch the elevator down from there.

It was windy!

View towards the Jefferson Memorial

View towards the World War II Memorial and Lincoln Memorial

View of the White House

View towards the Capitol

As I left the Washington Monument, I pulled up the website for the National Museum of African American History & Culture and snagged a 3:00 p.m. timed ticket and walked over there.  This museum is so well done and a moving and eye opening experience.  It is also so packed with information that you walk out of there knowing you couldn't read it all and you couldn't retain even a majority of what you did read.  So it is a museum to put back on my list to re-do on a future trip.

"Spiral" by Hank Willis Thomas - This is a quilt made of fabric from the US flag and decommissioned prison uniforms.

I read this quote on the bottom and had to read it again because it really made me pause to see it spoken aloud and then written out.  Sugar and rum were more important than human life.

The statue on the right is of Elizabeth Freeman (known as Mum Bett) who was one of the first to successfully sue for her freedom from slavery.  On the left is the poet, Phillis Wheatley.

Clara Brown, a pioneer

A train car with separate "Whites Only" and "Colored" Sections

"Whites Only" Restroom - notice the difference in this photo with the next

"Colored" Restroom

A look down at an exhibit about the signing of the Declaration of Independence and contradiction of the phrase "all men are created equal" with reality.

After that thought-provoking museum, I started the walk back to the hotel and stopped to have some really good Thai and Asian food at Zumo Thai.  And then I called it a day.  I'm trying to do DC at a slower pace.  I think you take in more that way and I really need some downtime as well.

As I reflected on the day, there was a more comfortable sense of solitude that didn't feel as isolating as I had experienced earlier in this trip.  I'm sure it helped that I was on familiar ground but I think it was more than that.  And maybe it started the night before as I sat on the cold stone and watched the sun set and the full moon rise.  I know this journey is changing me and teaching me.  Travel gives you perspective.  It tests your strengths and weakness as you problem solve in an unfamiliar place.  Solo travel forces you to really think about what you want and need and gives you the freedom to focus just on you.