I haven't done much travel in America. In fact, there are very common places and cities I have never seen. Travel is definitely one of my passions and perhaps I put all these American places on the back burner since I figured they would always be there. Therefore, I ventured off for places further away and collected passport stamps as a hobby. This was also true in college when I declared History as my major and signed up for all the classes covering foreign lands and distant conflicts. I later declared my minor as American Studies but never really went to any of the places I learned about.
But, this year, I am venturing off into America and seeing things that are incredible and even feeling a little patriot. My most recent trip was to Washington DC and I loved every moment of my visit. I arrived late one evening and was surprised by the intense heat and humidity. Grateful for my friend's air conditioning, I fell asleep hopeful for a weekend full of exploration.
The first place on my list to visit was the United States Holocaust Museum. I knew I would spend a lot of time there, so I decided to go while my friend was at work. The museum is not for the faint of heart, but tells such an important story. I spent so much time in each exhibit and found myself very choked up at the end walking through a hall of victim's pictures; I needed to sit down it was so overwhelming. There are many places to sit and reflect and a hall of remembrance where I lit a candle and watched an older woman, clearly upset, sit on a bench and weep. The most amazing part were the stories of survivors who spoke of the pain they went through but I did not catch a glimpse of bitterness or resentment. It is such a beautiful picture of resilience.
I was told by DC natives that after the Holocaust museum, I had to do something happy. So, I went outside and walked around the Smithsonian and up to the Washington Monument then followed the path to the World War II memorial, Vietnam Memorial and finally the Lincoln Memorial. I loved the ease of walking around and being able to see so much history. I sat on the steps of the Lincoln memorial and contemplated my day and offered gratitude for the opportunity to visit such a cool city and to my grandparents for coming to America so we could have such amazing freedoms. I don't think I really appreciated their story until that moment.
That night, we went to a Washington Nationals game and watched America's pastime wearing red, white and blue and rooted for the home team. I love visiting ballparks and this stadium was so much fun and they have great fans. It was such a fun experience and a really good game including home runs, extra innings and presidential puppets.
The next day, we headed to see a couple more museums and monuments. We stopped in the National Gallery of Art and I geeked out over Degas and the Dutch paintings. But the highlight of the day was the Library of Congress. I have forever loved books and this was heavenly for me. The building is amazing and I was envious of the researchers sitting below at reading desks among the glorious collection of books.
That night, we celebrated our friendship and birthdays, which are a month apart. We found a lovely wine bar with delicious food. It was so nice to sit for a while and talk to a friend who has become so dear to me. I miss having her in the same city as me, but am so happy that she lives in a great city where I can visit. We ended the evening dancing the night away accompanied by lots of laughter.
On my final day, we headed out for a late brunch and walk around the monuments on the Tidal Basin. The weather was cooler and there was a lovely breeze. I loved the Jefferson and FDR monuments. They each contributed so much as presidents and I think the monuments were beautiful and great tributes to these men. There are so many monuments and museums in Washington DC, I definitely need to return to see everything else. This trip has changed my view on American travel and I am excited to explore more domestically. I am grateful for the opportunity to see all the history and renew my sense of patriotism.
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