The District

After a mildly excruciating networking hour (I barely made it through fifteen minutes), the conference adjourned for the day. I went for a walk, and checked out the city. Here’s where the conference was held (the intersection, not the building).

That street name sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

Here is a road with a building at the end of it.

I kept walking towards the White House, but the back entrance was mysteriously blocked off. Security looked antsy, and they were telling everyone to step back. Then I started hearing a unique siren off in the distance. It wasn’t like a fire truck, police car, or ambulance, but it was definitely loud.

Then this pulled up.

OMG! OMG! OMG!

I was pretty confident that I had just seen the president’s motorcade. At least until I heard the same siren sound coming from the opposite direction.

Out of curiosity, I pulled up the president’s surprisingly public schedule. He was moving from a meeting with Janet Napolitano to one with the Chinese Ambassador.

And here we are!

And to put it in context…

You know what I love about D.C.? You’re walking down the street, minding your own business, and out pops the headquarters of the IMF. Just sitting there.

And the Mexican Embassy...

…right next to Metropolitan Optical. Only in D.C. 

Actually, the Mexican Embassy is a pretty cool structure. It looks like it was build right next to, and on top of, two houses that were already there.

I kept walking and walking, and happened to come across the GWU Med School.

I looked for an A to paint red, but no luck. 

And the headquarters of the World Health Organization, a personal favorite.

As the sun started to set, I made my way to the Lincoln memorial.

There is definitely a warm, reverent feeling in that building that doesn’t come across on postcards. Or on pennies.

Currently, the view from the Lincoln Memorial is less than spectacular.

I mean, I know that we’re broke, but do we really need be Canada’s trashy neighbor that doesn’t fill our pool? 

I’ll be here all week, folks.

And one more Lincoln photo to justify the cost my camera.

Now, you could say that this is group of D.C. staffers playing softball on the National Mall, while the Sun sets behind them over the Lincoln Memorial. Or you could just say, “America, fuck yeah.” 

But maybe you should save that for this photo.

I certainly am proud to be an American.