Heading North - Washington, DC

Stop number three on our trip north was 580 miles to Washington, DC. We took two days because we don't like traveling that far in one day and we needed to do laundry. Driving I-95 is always an adventure and this trip was no different. Vehicles flying passed us at 90 mph followed by huge tie ups moving at a couple mph.  

We have been to DC many times and never tire of going there. There is always something new to see and do. We have stayed in different parts of the city over the years and this time stayed at the Zena Hotel on Thomas Circle. The hotel was interesting with the theme being all about women.

The woman's theme starts at check in. Nanc would have loved a couple pairs of these heels.

A wall of influential women.

Women protesting for rights. Unfortunately, this older picture of protest is still relevant today.  

RGB is truly missed.  This wall mural was made out of pegs.

It was super hot, 98°, so as we walked we searched out the shady side of the street. Here is a church on Thomas Circle. 

One of our favorite museums is the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. You never know what new exhibits they will have. This being the 50th anniversary of  Watergate, portraits of those who shamed themselves protecting a criminal president are appropriate.

Ironically, as I write this, 9/9/22  is the day Ford pardoned Nixon establishing the idea that presidents are held to a different standard than those who do their dirty work. I wonder who will be on the poster 50 years from today. History seems to be repeating itself.

The first four lady Supreme Court Justices. I guess they will be adding another woman soon.

The America's Presidents Gallery is always interesting. 

An interesting Rosa Parks statue is part of The Struggle for Justice exhibit. 

There were 42 portraits of 2700 submitted for The Outwin 2022: American Portraiture Today exhibit. All the artwork was done by artists during the Covid shutdown.  Cherry, drawn on a cherry box, was my favorite. You can go to this link to see all of them and vote for your favorite. 

Refugees Crossing the Border Wall in South Texas was also very current and powerful. The portrait museum is always a worthwhile stop.

An often missed great view of the city is the tower in the Old Post Office Building. Even though the building was remodeled into a hotel, the tower is still run by the park service. The name of the hotel has been changed to protect the guilty.

Looking into the atrium lobby of the hotel.

Looking down Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol.

The Potomac River, Washington Monument and African American Museum from the tower. 

The Smithsonian Castle on the mall.

The mall, US Capitol and Library of Congress. The lack of tall buildings gives DC some of the best city views in America.

Nanc soaking up some color and enjoying the shade on a hot day.

Another often overlooked stop is the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. The art here is usually off the beaten path and this exhibit by Laurie Anderson was no different. 

There were a couple rooms covered with messages about today's society. Strange but very interesting. 

On the top floor of the Hirshhorn various panels of mixed media artwork by Mark Bradford called Pickett's Charge. It is based on the Cyclorama painting in Gettysburg that depicts the final charge of that battle. This panel, Two Men, is soldiers in the battle.   

This is the High-Water Mark, the high point of the Confederate rebels in their quest to continue their economic system based on the enslavement of humans. The chaos of the work is a strong representation of what the battle must have been like for those who fought there. 

Another ongoing exhibit is Barbara Kruger's Belief+Doubt. There are many powerful words in this work.

As it says Whose?

At the rooftop bar at the Zena. As we always do, we had a great time in DC. It is a wonderful place with great restaurants, museums, monuments or just people watching.

While I still have one more post about our trip north we are finishing up our stay in WashPa and will be heading south this weekend.