Day 14 Washington

Well today was another great day, no thanks to me! I’m not aware of anything that I did to injure my back but I woke up in the middle of the night with my back in spasm! It’s only ever happened once before and it went away as quickly as it appeared so I am counting on that again this time! We approached the day cautiously but decided to head back into the city and see how it went! Old pros now on the Washington Metro we decided that the next place we would like to explore was the Museum of American History so we headed straight there. This Smithsonian exhibit covered Transportation and Technology, American Ideals and American Wars and Politics. Another entire day and we saw most of a second museum!

We began with a study of the African American story. The displays compared and contrasted the events surrounding slavery with the civil rights movements. The displays were an interesting mix of artifacts such as Lincoln’s waistcoat, and the Greensboro stools and counter of the 1960 Woolworth’s sit-in, with quotes and tales of life during those very tumultuous times. I’m not foolish enough to believe that in some forms, discrimination doesn’t still exist. I have huge trouble though wrapping my head around the realities of slavery and segregation as widely held principles and practices. As I wandered the displays with a very diverse audience, I found myself wondering about whether we were all experiencing this in the same way. I suspected we were not! I felt a significant guilt for my white privilege. I think this is all the more significant since some of these events were so recent. In one interactive display, visitors who had participated in the march on Washington were invited to offer personal reflections. These were vetted and their stories woven into the fabric of the experience. Reading those personal stories made it all the more real. Watching as people stopped to write those stories tested my self-control in not rushing up to them and asking them about it!

 Lincoln's Waistcoat

 The hat!

 The Greensboro, NC lunch counter.

From the march on Washington.

Moving on from there we needed something a little lighter and opted for the Warner Bros. Theater of random “stuff” – everything from Miss Piggy to Archie Bunker’s chair, revealing The Smithsonian as much a time capsule as a museum. 

 Newfoundlanders get a shout out since they bought rum from the Americans to help them get their country started - thoughtful and generous those Newfoundlanders!

 

Miss Piggy!

 

Archie Bunker's chair - very lumpy!

 

We bought a ruby slipper for our Christmas Tree - Ceci will love it!

Random!

They have a display, one of the few where pictures are not allowed, telling the story of the flag. The actual Star Spangled Banner, sewn by Mary Pickersgill, was spread out behind glass and it was huge – 30feet X 42feet!

Moving on to the displays of the advent and evolution of transportation, electricity and machinery, David was in nerd heaven! There were more widgets and engines and turbine and pumps and generators and ...well you get the idea. My eyes crossed by the fourth or fifth step so I amused myself watching David’s captivation! It was momentarily interesting during the cruising section, I must admit! 

 

A Conestoga Wagon - curved so that the load would settle the middle and not fall out either end as they travelled over hill and dale!

Surprisingly in the same area we came upon a food exhibition that we first thought to skip. Don’t get me wrong, we are BIG food lovers, we just didn’t think a museum about it was necessary! Surprisingly we both really enjoyed this one. Julia Child’s kitchen was here. She literally walked out and left it to the Smithsonian. They then took it piece by piece and moved it to its current location. The bananas and tomatoes were replaced with plastic fruit and the floor had to be re-created. Otherwise it’s exactly as she left it! I was shocked at how small it was!

This one is for you Liz - In 1971 a Dallas restaurant owner noticed that ordinary blenders did not deliver a consistent mix for frozen margaritas. Inspired by the 7-Eleven Slurpee machine, he and a friend tinkered with a soft-serve ice-cream machine to make margarita “slush”. Now there is an important invention!

I had no idea that I had Julia Child's to thank when I enjoy wine with dinner!



Finally (the display we originally came to see!) was the American Presidency and First Ladies exhibit. Relativity small, by Smithsonian standards, we were able to follow the Presidency from George Washington to Obama. Most interesting was the prevailing thought that this job was both a great privilege and a huge sacrifice! I suspect that it’s very true. Watching snipers on the roof of the White House yesterday I was struck by the thought that it couldn’t be much of a family life! There were interesting thoughts on video feed, from Presidents who lived far beyond their terms of office (Carter, Clinton, etc.), on life after being the President. They all agreed that their time in office allowed them the opportunity to get to the “real work” when they left the Oval Office. They were aware they had managed to do good things because doors were opened to them because they had been President. Interestingly they also noted that they couldn’t have ever done some of those same things as President. An interesting dichotomy!  

 

George Washington's mess kit.

Although it is not an expectation (in fact there are no expectations of the First Lady!), traditionally, following the inaugural ball, gowns are donated to the Smithsonian. Appears a somewhat frivolous thing to me (Sorry Mary-Kate!) but the gowns do provide an historic voyage of their own. It was also pretty clear that Nancy Regan was a petite little thing and others...not so much!

The Price of Freedom display covered every conflict the US has engaged in. The most interesting, in my estimation, was the Vietnam exhibit – partially because I remember it, and partially because it is one of the only conflict records that we have not yet seen in our travels here. I was also interested to observe the perspective of the display, given the controversy surrounding it to begin with! The Smithsonian appears to be most interested in cataloguing and recording the facts. While every piece of media is in danger of telling a single story, the Smithsonian has been fair in its recording of history. 

 At the time, the conflict in Vietnam was called the television war since it was the first time in history people could actually follow along in their own livingrooms. The video display here mvery cleverly made to re-create that.

A Hugy

Wandering back down the Mall, this time toward the Washington Monument, I am really starting to notice the spasm in my back. Steps are starting to become an issue and I can either walk or take a deep breath, but not both! This is so disappointing since the day is perfect for walking and exploring the outdoor monuments that litter Washington. The stairs are also a bit of an issue since we had hoped to visit Honest Abe today! David is wisely suggesting that we head back to the subway. I am stubbornly insisting we try to go just a little further!

Arriving at the foot of the Washington Monument we read a sign that says if we line up 1-2 hours before the ticket office at the base opens, when they do open we will be issued free ticked that will allow us to ascend 555 feet to the top at some point during that day. Back issues aside, I will check it out from down here thank you! Apparently, for any future trips, tickets can also be secured on line but for now we’re good!

The Reflecting Pool really is that and reflects the obelisk as it points toward the Lincoln Monument at the other end of the park. The Memorial Park is lovely, in fact, I think nicer than The National Mall. The walkways are tree lined and everything is, in true Washington fashion, very clean and well cared for. With the Washington Monument on the east end and the Lincoln Monument on the west, the WWII Memorial, Korean Memorial and the Vietnam Memorial flank the corners. The Lincoln Memorial is my favorite! I am disappointed that I can’t climb the stairs but remind myself that I should be thankful they have an elevator! And oh the things we haven’t seen!! The bridge across the Potomac to Arlington Cemetery, Einstein Memorial, Jefferson and Roosevelt Memorials and the Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial are all just steps away but I can’t take any more steps! My back is now in full spasm (I hate it when he’s right!) and we have eight blocks to get to the subway. 

 First view of the Lincoln Memorial - my favourite!

 The beautiful path around the memorials.

 Honest Abe himself!

 Abraham Lincoln's view of the Washington Monument.

Entrance to the Vietnam Memorial.

The trip back iwas terrible and I wasn’t sure David would be able to get me up into the truck! Think I am down for a bit. I’m trying not to let my ‘what ifs’ run away with me and remember even if this were the end of the holiday – it has been wonderful.

I have promised that we will take it easy tomorrow and I will rest. We have dinner reservations tomorrow evening with my old friend Marianne Hendrickse and her husband Victor. Please God after a day of rest we can keep the date and I will be starting to get better!