Washington: throne of world power

13th August: Washington: throne of world power

Washington is more than the White House. It is the Smithsonian museums (twelve in all), the art galleries, the public transport system that is insufferably complex (particularly when it comes to fares payment), the unbearable humidity (20 ninety degree days in succession) and the paucity of restaurants (at least where we are). It is easy to whinge about Washington but it is equally easy to be impressed by the monumentalism of Washington, the scale of its mostly Greek columned buildings and what they house. Even its railway station is a monument of Acropolis proportions. The Chester Dale (let’s not forget his wife Maude too) collection (which cannot be loaned) at the National Gallery of Art is worth a visit to Washington alone. We’ve yet to find out what treasures are housed in the West wing of that gallery—that is how much there is to see! That is the problem with Washington: there is just too much to see, and most of it is free, which makes the pressure to see even more imperative. Washington is so spaced out, walking from museum to museum let alone around them, is putting a toll on our legs.

Americans with their enthusiasm and pride in their country flock to Washington in these long summer holidays and family groups, including families with twenty-somethings as well, are everywhere. The gowns of the first ladies is a great exhibit for us ladies as well as Julia Child’s kitchen, both in the Museum of American History. Colin found a lot there to interest him including early phonographs. He was also nearly arrested in the Library Congress, where his Swiss Army knife brought him to attention of the security guards, especially when he hid it under a bush, in the grounds of the Capitol building. If he had been caught on camera, as he had been by the Library of Congress cameras he would have been arrested and possibly deported or sent to Guantanomo Bay.

We also had some time out from the Smithsonian overload with a day out cruising down the Potomac River to George Washington’s very experimental farm and home at Mount Vernon. When the fish were running George Washington and his hands would catch 1.5 million fish to feed the family and their guests for the whole year round. This tour provided a fantastic insight into the great man as well as a vignette of early settlement and the defence systems along the river to protect the settlement from invasion.

At the time of writing, we are sitting on the spacious veranda of the Morrison Clark Historic Inn, which is heritage listed and has paid host to a number of first ladies in its time, including Jackie Kennedy whose photograph graces the lobby. Across from us in a small triangular park homeless people are settling in for the night around the base of a monument. Washington is the sort of place that constantly reminds you that it is the throne of power, but the powerless are also well in evidence.