A nephew of mine, Linus, is studying Political Science at Stanford University and took an internship this semester at the Capitol Hill for a district congressman. I took the opportunity to visit him and the nation's capital for the first time.
DC was a neat city, with grid-like streets, garden townhouses and chic apartment high rises all around. But I was most impressed by its bunker-like metro subway system: the deep-tunneled subway stations that took minutes to descend to, its "brutalist" rock walls and dome-like ceilings, wide open platforms, bright illumination, and clean cars.
On my solo walk through the National Mall, I saw many high schoolers in groups — on their civic course field trips, I supposed. Another human phenomenon scene I encountered was the presence of an assortment of police forces: DC's own Metropolitan Police, US Capitol Police, Homeland Security, DEA... and the ever present National Guards.
Linus took us to the office of the congressman he interned for, Jim Costa, representing parts of Fresno/Tulare Counties in central California. Then I thought while I was here why not visit my own congressman, Mike Levin of Orange/San Diego counties. Neither of them were present (the congress was in recess) but the staff were all welcoming and allowed us to roam the congressmen's private offices, except Levin's wouldn't allow photo taking.
DC was a neat city, with grid-like streets, garden townhouses and chic apartment high rises all around. But I was most impressed by its bunker-like metro subway system: the deep-tunneled subway stations that took minutes to descend to, its "brutalist" rock walls and dome-like ceilings, wide open platforms, bright illumination, and clean cars.
On my solo walk through the National Mall, I saw many high schoolers in groups — on their civic course field trips, I supposed. Another human phenomenon scene I encountered was the presence of an assortment of police forces: DC's own Metropolitan Police, US Capitol Police, Homeland Security, DEA... and the ever present National Guards.
The vibe around the fountains in the mall was laid-back, peaceful, and familial. I saw birds and ducks, mother and child partaking in the sun, air and water, free dousing on all.
The vibe around the fountains in the mall was laid-back, peaceful, and familial. I saw birds and ducks, mother and child partaking in the sun, air and water, free dousing on all.
Out of the many Smithsonian's on the National Mall row, the Air & Space Museum was the one I spent most time with, mainly because I was following an in-house tour guide that took us from the Wright Brothers (1903) to the Apollo moon landing (1969) in a two-hour show-and-tell. From lifting a wooden glider off the ground for a few seconds to landing on the moon hundreds of thousands of miles away in space and back, a feat we humans accomplished in just one short 66 year span, truly AMAZING!
Out of the many Smithsonian's on the National Mall row, the Air & Space Museum was the one I spent most time with, mainly because I was following an in-house tour guide that took us from the Wright Brothers (1903) to the Apollo moon landing (1969) in a two-hour show-and-tell. From lifting a wooden glider off the ground for a few seconds to landing on the moon hundreds of thousands of miles away in space and back, a feat we humans accomplished in just one short 66 year span, truly AMAZING!
Linus took us to the office of the congressman he interned for, Jim Costa, representing parts of Fresno/Tulare Counties in central California. Then I thought while I was here why not visit my own congressman, Mike Levin of Orange/San Diego counties. Neither of them were present (the congress was in recess) but the staff were all welcoming and allowed us to roam the congressmen's private offices, except Levin's wouldn't allow photo taking.
At the National Statues Hall at the Capitol building I saw one dedicated to the "Governor of the State of Franklin" and wondered where the heck is this State of Franklin that I had never heard of. It turned out that was an area at the northwestern corner of the State of North Carolina that was donated to the Federal government after the War of Independence to help pay off the debt it incurred during the war, which triggered the region's own independent state movement that lasted a little over four years before it eventually got incorporated into the Southwest Territory that later became the State of Tennessee.
At the National Statues Hall at the Capitol building I saw one dedicated to the "Governor of the State of Franklin" and wondered where the heck is this State of Franklin that I had never heard of. It turned out that was an area at the northwestern corner of the State of North Carolina that was donated to the Federal government after the War of Independence to help pay off the debt it incurred during the war, which triggered the region's own independent state movement that lasted a little over four years before it eventually got incorporated into the Southwest Territory that later became the State of Tennessee.
Inside the Lincoln Memorial, inscribed on the north side wall was President Lincoln's second inauguration speech made just a few months before the end of the Civil War in 1865. A pithy sentence near the end of the speech caught my attention: "Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk..." What was this "two hundred and fifty years" about? Had it got anything to do with the coming 250th anniversary of the United States? Well, no. It was referring to the uncompensated labor extorted by the white Southern slave owners since the day the first slave ship arrived in America in 1619. (Subtracting 1865 by 1619, we've got 246, Lincoln rounded it up to 250.)
Inside the Lincoln Memorial, inscribed on the north side wall was President Lincoln's second inauguration speech made just a few months before the end of the Civil War in 1865. A pithy sentence near the end of the speech caught my attention: "Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk..." What was this "two hundred and fifty years" about? Had it got anything to do with the coming 250th anniversary of the United States? Well, no. It was referring to the uncompensated labor extorted by the white Southern slave owners since the day the first slave ship arrived in America in 1619. (Subtracting 1865 by 1619, we've got 246, Lincoln rounded it up to 250.)
"Stanford in Washington" was the "dormitory" I stayed at during my visit. It's a four story apartment building that housed 20+ students and faculty members and occasional guests like myself. It had a kitchen, a dining hall, an entertainment room, and conference rooms large and small, for lectures and for casual sit-in. A cozy, peppy environment for study and fun. Made me wish I were a student again!
"Stanford in Washington" was the "dormitory" I stayed at during my visit. It's a four story apartment building that housed 20+ students and faculty members and occasional guests like myself. It had a kitchen, a dining hall, an entertainment room, and conference rooms large and small, for lectures and for casual sit-in. A cozy, peppy environment for study and fun. Made me wish I were a student again!
God bless these young people of the next generation. America has its flaws, but still is a land of opportunities no other countries can provide, and a resilient society that has the ability to self-correct and come back stronger!
Go get them Linus!
Go get them Linus!
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