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Exploring the American Wilderness and Other Adventures

Creative chaos, new places, wild beauty, and spontaneous adventures

Washington DC

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Wild Wanderer May 25, 2023

After four days in Charleston, South Carolina (find that here), Lolo, Last But Not Last, and I went to Washington DC to meet up with Thing One and spend a week there before Lolo had to return to Goose Creek, South Carolina to complete six more months of school at the Navy Nuclear Power Training Command.

After such an awful Airbnb experience in Charleston, I braced myself for what this next one would be like. It was beautiful. It was one of those classic city row homes and was owned and managed by a military veteran with incredible style. It had three bedrooms with king and queen beds, a kitchen, a washer, a dryer, and it was close to the Metro.

The rear entrance
The main room – all the bedrooms were decorated in similar styles to this room.
Yes, please

Oyster Oyster

As soon as we had settled upon DC being the location we would travel for his leave, Lolo began the hunt for an incredible Mother’s Day dinner. Oyster Oyster is what he had settled upon. We had never eaten at a Michelin Star restaurant before, and they are also a James Beard Foundation Nominee for 2023. It may not seem like a big deal, but both Lolo and Thing One are incredible cooks and have aspirations of having their own restaurants someday, so it was special for us. Lolo had prearranged a wine and meal pairing, so there was no menu or decisions to be made. They are a vegan restaurant and happily accommodated me being gluten-free. “Oyster Oyster is a restaurant rooted in sustainability.” They only seat 20 people at a time, they source their ingredients “from individuals who believe in organic and regenerative farming practices,” and they use every part of every ingredient.

Restaurant front
Marigold butter, made from Marigolds and flower seeds, and gluten-free bread. This was the best thing I have ever put in my mouth…sorry, Barbarian Scientist.
At the end, they gave us the menu of what they served us. The menu is printed with natural dye and made on paper from flower seeds – I could plant this and flowers will grow!
Last But Not Last, Lolo, and Thing One

US Navy Memorial

United States Navy Memorial was the first place we visited in DC. It was the dream of the designer of DC for there to be a memorial to honor the Navy, but it took 200 more years for it to happen. It includes the memorial plaza and visitor center, and absolutely no recognition of the nuclear program in the Navy. The area up the steps behind the photo of Lolo is home to the largest map in the world, called the “Granite Sea.” The visitor center is open to the public without reservations. It is set up to follow the timeline of the Navy, with, in my opinion, the most important part: the Navy Log. “The Navy Log is the nation’s largest publicly available archive of Sea Service personnel. Established as a tribute to those who have served and a permanent repository of stories of Service. The Log covers the entire history of the Navy from 1775 to present and tells the story of our Sea Service veterans, preserving naval heritage for generations to come.”

US Capitol

I was successful in getting tickets to tour the United States Capitol. We never toured the Capitol when we lived here because the boys were young, and I think it would have been ridiculous to hope they could behave well enough and appreciate the experience. The Capitol is BUSY. They manage tours by separating visitors into groups and equipping each person with a headset so the tour guide can speak directly into your ear. It is a great system. You begin in the Emancipation Hall, where you are overlooked by the Statue of Freedom, which is the tallest statue in DC, and no statue can ever be built to be taller.

Their audio system for tours is so clever that although you can hear the bustle from all these people around you, you hear your tour guide’s voice the best. This is the Rotunda, and it houses many incredible paintings and statues.
Constantino Brumidi painted “The Apotheosis of Washington” inside the Capitol Dome in 1865.
The Peace Monument honors sailors’ lives lost during the Civil War.
Ulysses S. Grant Memorial
Last but Not Last, Thing One, Lolo

Chinatown

US Botanical Gardens

Near the US Capitol, the US Botanic Garden is the oldest operating garden in North America. Established in 1820, it is a place of observation, enjoyment, and study. It is open to the public, and you do not need reservations to attend.

Ford’s Theater

You DO need timed entry tickets to tour Ford’s Theater, and it is tightly managed by the National Park Service. It is a reverent place, and I think it may be especially for us after coming here right after touring so many important Civil War historical sites in the South. The tour consists of a ranger-led talk, a play on the stage, a self-guided walk through the attached museum, and then a tour of the house across the street from the theater, where he died.

Last But Not Last, Thing One, Lolo
The theater
That is where President Lincoln and his wife were sitting when he was shot.
This tower of books is entirely about President Lincoln.
1.5 miles away from where President Lincoln was assassinated is his memorial.

Tidal Basin Paddle Boats

This was the dumbest thing ever, and of course, it was my idea. Aadenson joined us, as his family left early, and we went to paddle the Tidal Basin. It was stupidly difficult. Despite its difficulty, it gave another perspective on the Washington Monument. But mostly… dumb. I do not recommend this. After we paddled for an hour, we used Lime Scooters, which I had never done before. It turned out to be one of my favorite things about the trip!

Aadenson and Lolo
Washington Monument
Jefferson Memorial
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial
Tidal Basin Bridge

Old Town Trolly Tour & Arlington National Cemetary Tour

Rated the best sightseeing tour and anticipating that the boys would be tired and appreciate a day of not walking so much, I had booked a tour with Old Town Trolly Tours. It was expensive, and honestly, because we have spent so much time in DC before, it was not worth it for us. Passengers can get off the trolly at any of the designated stops on the route and then get back on one of the next ones at their scheduled times. The tour guide speaks to you throughout the entire ride, hoping to make sure you do not miss anything. They really do have a good system set up for those who might be unfamiliar with the city.

WW2 Memorial with the Lincoln Memorial in the background
Union Station Plaza
General Meade Statue

You do not have to do your Arlington Cemetary tour the same day you do the trolly tour in the city. Because the boys and I have only been to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the past, this tour was great because the tour guide makes sure to point out a lot of things throughout the cemetery that you might otherwise miss because there is so much.

I did not realize this until I was editing photos, but the dark headstone to the right of Thurgood Marshall’s is the headstone to Admiral Rickover, who, you may recall from my last post, is the “father of the nuclear Navy.”
John F. Kennedy and his family are buried here, with the Eternal Flame to memorialize the assassinated president.
Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial

The story of Arlington is the story of America being petty from birth. It was built on a high point that overlooks Washington, DC. Robert E. Lee had come to be a resident by marrying one of George Washington’s descendants, Mary Custis, who owned the property. He had declined to lead the US Army and chose to lead the Confederates. The US was mad about this, and also because they knew they wanted the use of this property with its expansive and strategic view over the Potomac River and the city. So, the government did what they still do: they bankrupted Mary Custis and then take the property. That was not enough, though. This was not the Arlington Cemetary yet. So many people were dying in the Civil War that they were running out of places to bury the dead. The Army not only decided to start burying people in Arlington but also to bury them so close to the mansion that superstition and tradition would determine it unlivable, and therefore the Lees would not return for it. The Lees never lived there again after knowing what the government did to their property. He successfully sued the Army for illegally confiscating the property and was awarded the equivalent of today’s $4 million. Today, it is a memorial to honor the legacy of American history, including slavery and freedom, as well as Lee’s work to promote peace after the war.

The Morning Room, where Mary Custis Lee spent much of her time learning, managing the house, and entertaining herself. This is where she was when she learned the US would be seizing her property.
As punishment for fighting for the Confederacy, Lee, like all other Confederates, lost his rights as a US Citizen. To regain those rights, Lee submitted a request for a presidential pardon two months after his surrender. His request was denied, and he died without his rights restored. Still, his action inspired thousands to follow his lead – the first real step toward reunification. Using Lee’s desk, pictured, President Gerald Ford officially pardoned Lee in 1975.
Pierre L’Enfant’s grave. He was the city planner for DC. He had died in poverty and was originally buried on a farm. In honor of his contributions to the Capitol, he was exhumed and buried at Arlington House, overlooking the city. From his grave, you can see all the traditional landmarks of DC.

And I was right that the boys would be tired and appreciate a day of not walking, but what they really would appreciate was a day of no stimulation at all. I had the right target in mind but missed it entirely. This resulted in boys who wanted to spend time with one another and me and not wanting to disappoint anyone getting overwhelmed and frustrated, and then people had hurt feelings. Being a mom is fucking hard. You try so hard, and even 20 years later find yourself falling on your face.

Drag Show

BB and I became friends 878 years ago when our children were Cub Scouts in New Jersey. We have stayed in contact and friends over the years through social media. When I had asked if she might come to see me if I was in DC, she and her partner gave an enthusiastic “Hell yes!” We met for tequila, I mean, tacos. No, I mean tequila. But there were tacos involved. And other stuff. We were on 18th Street NE, and it was adorable. It was a moving party. There were people selling things off their front porches, little kids running around, clubs with their seating extended into the road, and all the beautiful chaos you can imagine. They had gotten us tickets to see the smallest drag show in the world, which would be BB’s first drag show, and I was excited. After the drag show, we hopped around to different clubs and finished our night exploring another first: hookah! I never would have imagined myself doing that, but it was really fun. It smelled delicious, and everyone there was so kind and happy. It was a much-needed night of mind-altering joy.

Pictured are the six (yes, 6!) audience members and the three artists. Tina Turner just died yesterday, and I wonder how the performer who plays Tina Turner is feeling.

Washington Monument

The boys and I have been up to the Washington Monument several times as we were growing up, but I still wanted to go again. Unfortunately, the timed ticket system makes it difficult to secure admission, and I was only able to get two tickets to the top. Lolo and Aadenson were who used the tickets because Aadenson had never been to the top before.

National Archives

National Archives is another difficult-to-get timed ticket entry location, but I had reserved them early enough that I was able to get tickets for all of us. This might have been my favorite place. Every corner of this place is heavily guarded and monitored, and photos are prohibited, so you will have to go yourself to witness some of the incredible things located there. One of the first things you see is the original Magna Carta. The original police fingerprint card of Rosa Parks is on display. And then, of course, the Rotunda of the National Archives is the home to these documents: the Bill of Rights, the US Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence.

Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon is another place the boys and I had not been to while we lived here. It is a for-fee ticketed location. I took a lot of photos here, and it is all so beautiful it was hard to choose only a few. Visitors get a tour of the mansion and then touring the grounds is self-guided. President Washington was supposedly much more into managing his home and property than he was into the government, and this is where he returned to live out his life after he retired. He profited (on the backs of slaves) by producing tobacco and wheat. There are many acres of “fruit gardens” as well, including orchards. The Washingtons do not have a history of treating their 300 slaves well, with documentation proving he was brutal and worked them relentlessly. It is heartbreaking to know he is celebrated for pursuing his own status and wealth when he could not have any success without the forced labor of the enslaved.

President Washington’s mansion
Bastille Key
President Washington’s Tomb – the casket you see clearly is his, while the one to the left is Martha Washington.
Unmarked graves of President Washington’s slaves
Rocks left behind to honor ancestors who were slaves of George Washington and then buried like trash.
Mount Vernon is still a working farm.
This pissed me off. When you pull up the board behind each ration, it begins with “President Washington provided…” Like…fuck you. He provided people who he decided he OWNED with the minimum he could manage so they could perform forced labor to create his wealth. Yeah, fuck you.

Hard Rock Cafe

While we were growing up, one of the things we did while traveling was go to the various Hard Rock Cafes located in the major cities we visited. I would buy a pin from each one. I will have to dig out that collection and take a photo of the pins. This is a location we had already been to, but it was still fun for me to go with the boys as adults.

Museum of Natural History

Unknown person and history.
You get one guess why this made the cut to the page.

National Gallery of Art and Sculpture Garden

Plus Tax: Shopping Bag Society, Rag Man Series, by John Outterbridge
Paradise for a Tourist Brochure, by Freddy Rodriguez. I loved this because it is an art that the boys learned at summer camp one year, and I ended up with a bunch of versions of this made by little boys.
Graft, by Roxy Paine
If TrailKat were a flower, I decided she would be an Ornamental Allium: In formal landscapes, they inject a note of humor, while in informal ones they’re electrifying. And each year as their numbers grow, they form new, unexpected color combinations with other flowers in the garden.

National Museum of African American History & Culture

The People’s Uprising, Justice for Breonna Taylor, From the series #1960Now, by Sheila Pree Bright
African-American Flag, by David Hammons: Marcus Garvey designed the African American flag, which looked like the Italian flag except that it is red, black, and green. But it is so abstract, so pure, that the masses were frightened by it. I made my flag because I felt they needed one like the US flag but with black stars instead of white ones.
Luther Vandross’s handwritten lyrics

US Holocaust Memorial Museum

The Holocaust Museum is incredible. It is free, but you cannot enter without a timed entry ticket, which is not always easy to get. You begin with a small talk from one of the staff, and then you get an identification card, like a passport, that provides you with information about an actual person who lived during the Holocaust. The intent is you keep them in mind and consider their personal experience while you explore the museum. Then, you are put into an elevator to go to the fourth floor. That is where the museum begins.

“All I can remember was the patch of sky that was my only connection to freedom, to life.” -Estelle Laughlin, Holocaust Survivor. This art piece is called One Thousand and Seventy-Eight Blue Skies, by Anton Kusters. It displays a photo of the sky from every location used as a concentration camp.
In this room, there is an eternal flame, with this inscription below: Here lies earth gathered from death camps, concentration camps, sites of mass execution, and ghettos in Nazi-occupied Europe, and from cemeteries of US soldiers who fought and died to defeat Nazi Germany.
The original main door of the chief hospital (the Wolff Hospital), located on Lagiewnicka Street, in the heart of the Lodz ghetto.
Warsaw Ghetto Wall: 11′ tall and wrapped in barbed wire to prevent the people forced to live in the ghettos from leaving.
A Shtetl: The photos in this tower were taken between the years 1890 and 1941 in Eishishok, a small town near Vilna, in what is now Lithuania.
This wall lists every name of the people who helped the Jews, and the list grows as historians learn more.
In addition to appropriating the valuables, clothing, and hair of gassed victims, the SS also claimed their gold teeth, crowns, and fillings. These were later melted down and sent to Reichsbank, Germany’s central bank. In the crematorium building at Majdanek, a squad of prisoners had to remove gold from corpses. this special table was used for this purpose, designed with a hole for draining blood.
Arbeit Macht Frei (“Work Will Make You Free”): This is a shadow on the wall of the arch that was on display from the main gate to Auschwitz.
Tarnow Cemetary Gate, from a location where the Nazis mass murdered 10,000 Jewish children and elderly.
View of the mimeograph room in the Palace of Justice at Nuremberg, 1948.

National Air and Space Museum

Air
Space.

International Spy Museum

The International Spy Museum is not part of the Smithsonian, and if you have the energy to care, it is pretty cool. We did not have the energy to care and kind of zipped through the last half. It begins with you receiving a personal ID card you use throughout the museum. You are a spy, and you have a mission. It requires you to stop (and patiently wait for the 50 people in front of you) and log in to the system at each area to solve problems and get closer to completing your mission. The museum has many interesting things on display, including actual materials used by spies and even pop culture items like James Bond’s car.

“The Ghost Army:” This phony tank is one example of the decoys that Allied forces used to trick the German military into thinking there were reinforcements where there were not or that there were more than they thought. It is so crazy to think that it worked!

And that is a wrap on my vacation to the East Coast. Four days were spent in Charleston, and seven were in Washington DC. It was exhausting, and I like to think I would be wiser about how I managed time and the endless opportunities, but I doubt I actually would. I always feel this pressure to make the most out of every experience, and it presses down on me and around me like I am in a waffle iron. I do not even like waffles. What does it mean to make the most out of every experience, anyway?

One Response

  1. Canmore, Alberta, Canada - One Trail After Another says:
    May 31, 2023 at 7:16 pm

    […] for the last 3 weeks. I wrote about visiting Charleston, South Carolina here, and Washington DC here. This last week I spent visiting Canada, which only gets more incredible each time I […]

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