On the buses

Me and the boating party, I should have worn
a shirt to complement the colours

Washington Cathedral

Georgetown 

I remembered to wear my hat today,
so my hair stopped flying around on the bus

Arlington Cemetery

A sleep in today as my first objective the Phillips Collection is only a few minutes walk away. The jewel in the crown of this art collection  is The Boating Party by Renoir. I arrive just as the doors are opening and there are half a dozen locals waiting and not a tourist in site. I hightail it to the top floor to see the painting and have the room to myself. As usual these long admired works are so much better in real life, so light and open when compared with dull postcards and books.

Now I hop on the trolly bus to explore other parts of Washington, first up is the Washington Cathedral. It’s massive (like everything else in Washington) my favourite bit is the space window. Michael Collins an astronaut and part of the Apollo 11 mission went to school next door and he donated a moon rock that forms part of a beautiful stained glass window designed by Rodney Winfield the window includes the sun, stars and orbiting planets.

Now its time to move down Embassy row and onto Georgetown, full of quaint little houses and lots of colour. Finally I get to see the Kennedy Centre a living memorial to President John F Kennedy. This is much better than an old statue it is a cultural centre where everyone can enjoy themselves with reasonably priced or free events.

The bus is stuck in traffic there is a bathtub derby and a protest today so some streets are blocked, but finally we make it back to change to the orange route. Then a few more blocked streets around Union Station and I am finally on my way to Arlington Cemetery.

Arlington Cemetery was set up to honour the military dead. It was created in the grounds of Robert E Lee’s home as an insult to him for fighting with the confederates in the American Civil War. I think that backfired on the man that made that decision, as it is now hallowed ground. I actually love cemeteries, not in a morbid way it’s just the fascinating stories behind the people that make up life. I visit all the main sites and then make the pilgrimage up the hill to Lee’s house. I learn a lot more about the family, the step son of George Washington who built and owned the house and even see the slave quarters.

On the way back down the hill a Blue Jay flutters in front of me on the path and many birds are calling from the trees. Surprisingly the birding is quite good here and a few people are running around with binoculars. I have had enough of buses and traffic for one day, its onto the metro and home for me.