The Washington Monument makes a point against an ominous sky.
When we left Cape Hatteras, Betty & I intended to spend a couple of days visiting the historic sights of Washington, D.C. On the way, we spent a night at a Flying J truck stop on Interstate 95, just north of Richmond, Virginia, and arrived around noon at Greenbelt Campground, in a national park on the outskirts of the nation’s capital. While not as close as the national park campground on
Betty knits at our site (#134, loop D) at Greenbelt Campground, on the outskirts of Washington, D.C.
the Potomac River I remember staying in when John F. Kennedy was President, it is still only 12 miles away from the city centre. Our plan was similar to other city visits. We would spend a day on a local bus/trolley tour that stops at all the significant points of interest. But then the weather forecast changed, and so did our plans.
Dark clouds roll past the Canadian Embassy (left), with the U.S. Capitol in the background. I visited the Embassy when it first opened, finding a sculpture by our neighbour across the Winnipeg street – Leo Mol – prominently displayed.
Last night’s forecast for Washington today was for high winds and potential flash flooding, stalling traffic in tunnels, underpasses and low-lying areas. The storm was moving in from the southwest, where it had already caused significant damage and some loss of life. Should we stay or should we go? Betty & I weighed our options, and came up with a Plan B.
We set our gps for 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., but this is the closest we could get by car.The streets around the White House are all barricaded now. Back in the day, we could drive by the front & back. I also toured inside the White House with my family when JFK was President.
Instead of committing to a bus tour, we decided to drive the Smart around the city, giving ourselves the opportunity to bail (figuratively – hopefully not literally – lol) if the weather changed for the worse. As it was, I’m not sure we didn’t take our life in our hands driving the chaotic streets of Washington, more so than battling a thunder storm. In any event, we lived to tell the tale. And as the rain began, we headed back to a happy puppy, high and dry in our home on wheels.
Sometimes life doesn’t turn out exactly as planned. There are always elements beyond our control. But today Betty & I were able to roll with it, and continue on down the road. Best wishes for the resiliency to successfully adapt in unexpected circumstances!
Cheers!
If the current President doesn’t want to stay in the White House, he can go to the old Post Office down the street.A more distant view of the old Post Office, which Donald Trump has converted to a hotel.A closer view of the U.S. Capitol.A closer view of the Washington Monument, at the other end of the National Mall from the Capitol building.Cherry blossoms were still blooming near the Lincoln Memorial.Graham could almost smell the cherry blossoms. (Betty says my nose should be cropped out of the pic. lol.)Massachusetts Ave, near Dupont Circle, is lined with 175 embassies & diplomatic missions. When other kids in my public school were saying they wanted to be firefighters when they grew up, I said I wanted to be a civil servant in the diplomatic corp, after meeting one at the campsite next to ours on the Potomac River.A closer view of the Canadian Embassy. Our ambassador for many years was Manitoba’s former premier, Gary Doer, a great guy!Downtown Washington architecture is a great mix of old and new. St. Patrick’s Catholic Church fits the former category.As does the Smithsonian Castle.Graeco-Roman columns are a common element of buildings throughout the capital region. These are found on the U.S. Archives building.A more distant view of the White House, showing its columns.Our gps helped guide us around Dupont Circle, and up and down many other busy Washington, D.C. streets, despite the dire weather predictions…
