Washington DC: Day 6
"Congress shall make no law..."
That's the beginning of perhaps the most important amendment to our great Constitution, the first one in the Bill of Rights which guarantees us freedoms that were truly radical for the time period and still unique to America today. The National Archives display that document, as well as the Declaration of Independence, all together known as the Charters of Freedom. Seeing them right there, seeing our governments beginnings and imagining a room of men fighting and arguing over the sacred words, is probably one of the most powerful images I can imagine. Today, as you've probably guessed, was yet another colonial history day (AKA: "Inspiration Day" haha, which are always my favorite!)
We started off with the infamous Ford's Theater, which was SO NEAT. It isn't the original (as it has collapsed and burned and been renovated and various other things since 1865) but the basic idea is the same as well as the Presidential box that Lincoln was shot in and Major Rathbone wrestled Booth in before his dramatic escape onto the stage and out the back door. Me and Elizabeth made sure to touch the door that led into the room as well as walk the path that Booth took to approach Lincoln. It was a strange feeling being in the balcony, just a few feet from yet another spot where the history of the nation changed forever. Its something I don't think I'll ever begin to fathom.
For lunch, we sat on the sidewalk of a Potbelly Sandwiches Restaurant and had the best entertainment a city has to offer - parallel parking. Now, you'd think nearly every city's drivers would be quite fantastic at this, but i suppose they all have their village idiots. Well, today we saw one of them in action. Some girl was parking a tiny Versa in a fairly large spot in front of an ADT van and low and behold....she bumps him! While he's in the van! I'm not certain I've ever seen a more bewildered look on someone's face hahaha. He gets out, looks, sees no damage and then gets back in his van. All the while, she's still trying to park this car. At some point, a man walks behind her to cross the street and she honks her horn and tells out the window at him, apparently not realizing the irony of the situation. Finally, she just gives up, gets out and walks off without paying the meter. Oh the entertainment people like that present...
Next on our list was Mount Vernon, Washington's home on the outskirts of the city. Id been there when I was 6 or so and for some reason all I remember is seeing the bed he died in (but I guess that's just cool even to a child). However, as an adult the entire farm made an impression on me. It's massive, beautiful, and sprawling. I dont quite see how he ever left that place as the view alone is enough to make anyone want to stay. The Potomac stretches out beneath the hill the house sits on, a great blue expanse with boats sailing around, as small as play toys. It's such a remarkable sight. The inside of the house is also incredible, as most of it is original. Probably one of the most impressive things I've seen on this trip as well was the key to the Bastillle in Paris! Ahhhh! That blows my mind that it was there! And such a perfect place for it be, for if not for Washington there may have been no American Revolution which means the French Revolution might not have happened either, so the Bastille would not have been stormed and the key wouldn't matter! God certainly has a plan and it's an incredible and complicated one. After the tour of the house (which was entirely too short and the tour guides seemed to discourage questions! Stupid government operations.) We ended up leaving and heading back into the city for dinner at my favorite place, Clydes in Chinatown.
The dinner was so nice, with a lively discussion of history subjects passed around several times. Thats been another wonderful aspect of this trip - having people around to talk about history and them actually being interested in it. It's such a refreshing experience and one I hope to recreate more often!
That's the beginning of perhaps the most important amendment to our great Constitution, the first one in the Bill of Rights which guarantees us freedoms that were truly radical for the time period and still unique to America today. The National Archives display that document, as well as the Declaration of Independence, all together known as the Charters of Freedom. Seeing them right there, seeing our governments beginnings and imagining a room of men fighting and arguing over the sacred words, is probably one of the most powerful images I can imagine. Today, as you've probably guessed, was yet another colonial history day (AKA: "Inspiration Day" haha, which are always my favorite!)
We started off with the infamous Ford's Theater, which was SO NEAT. It isn't the original (as it has collapsed and burned and been renovated and various other things since 1865) but the basic idea is the same as well as the Presidential box that Lincoln was shot in and Major Rathbone wrestled Booth in before his dramatic escape onto the stage and out the back door. Me and Elizabeth made sure to touch the door that led into the room as well as walk the path that Booth took to approach Lincoln. It was a strange feeling being in the balcony, just a few feet from yet another spot where the history of the nation changed forever. Its something I don't think I'll ever begin to fathom.
For lunch, we sat on the sidewalk of a Potbelly Sandwiches Restaurant and had the best entertainment a city has to offer - parallel parking. Now, you'd think nearly every city's drivers would be quite fantastic at this, but i suppose they all have their village idiots. Well, today we saw one of them in action. Some girl was parking a tiny Versa in a fairly large spot in front of an ADT van and low and behold....she bumps him! While he's in the van! I'm not certain I've ever seen a more bewildered look on someone's face hahaha. He gets out, looks, sees no damage and then gets back in his van. All the while, she's still trying to park this car. At some point, a man walks behind her to cross the street and she honks her horn and tells out the window at him, apparently not realizing the irony of the situation. Finally, she just gives up, gets out and walks off without paying the meter. Oh the entertainment people like that present...
Next on our list was Mount Vernon, Washington's home on the outskirts of the city. Id been there when I was 6 or so and for some reason all I remember is seeing the bed he died in (but I guess that's just cool even to a child). However, as an adult the entire farm made an impression on me. It's massive, beautiful, and sprawling. I dont quite see how he ever left that place as the view alone is enough to make anyone want to stay. The Potomac stretches out beneath the hill the house sits on, a great blue expanse with boats sailing around, as small as play toys. It's such a remarkable sight. The inside of the house is also incredible, as most of it is original. Probably one of the most impressive things I've seen on this trip as well was the key to the Bastillle in Paris! Ahhhh! That blows my mind that it was there! And such a perfect place for it be, for if not for Washington there may have been no American Revolution which means the French Revolution might not have happened either, so the Bastille would not have been stormed and the key wouldn't matter! God certainly has a plan and it's an incredible and complicated one. After the tour of the house (which was entirely too short and the tour guides seemed to discourage questions! Stupid government operations.) We ended up leaving and heading back into the city for dinner at my favorite place, Clydes in Chinatown.
The dinner was so nice, with a lively discussion of history subjects passed around several times. Thats been another wonderful aspect of this trip - having people around to talk about history and them actually being interested in it. It's such a refreshing experience and one I hope to recreate more often!
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