turdacres

I like to think I’m a pretty level headed person, but I do have one little “issue.” You see, I can’t stop. When I’m out traveling, I can’t stop. Hungry, nope too bad, keep going. Tired, nope you can’t sit and have a rest. Keep going. Can I take a subway. No way man, keep on walking.

So, here I was, in DC for one day only. My big vaca. Sick on March break, no fun there, but now, for one day only–hang out in DC. Ack the pressure! Weekend warrior–Wednesday style!

Here’s how it went down. How many museums can i visit in one day? How far can I walk?

Leave hotel N and 17th. Walk down the street. Walk into and leave several coffee shops as I’m a bit hungry and thirsty. But no I don’t buy. I keep on walking.

check out that teeny boxwood!!

First stop. Renwick Gallery. This is my only real planned stop. I wanted to see the Japanese internment exhibition. I go in at 10:20. Interesting premise for an exhibit: stuff that folks made while they were interned during the war. A really interesting sad moment in history.  But alas, it didn’t really engage me the way  i’d hoped. There wasn’t enough context–it was just the stuff. And the stuff wasn’t really that remarkable. A bit disappointed. Check the rest of the museum–it’s been closed for a while I think. Part of it was being re-installed. Upstairs they had a strange permanent collection. Some crafts, some paintings. I didn’t really understand the premise.

first salon style of the day

Check out 10:45.

I keep walking down the street. Voila, the FDIC building appears. Oh it says there’s an exhibit. I should go in. I don’t know why but I’m compelled to go in. I think i’ve been in there before. Scary. Anyhow it was useful. Nice graphs of bank closures through history. I come away feeling confident that FDIC is protecting my investment!

11:01 I snapped this picture on my way out.

something nice about it

Onward. I head across the way to the Corcoran Gallery. Whew so many museums. I get a water and some chips from their disorganized cafe–I’m tired today. But by 11:20 I’ve seen a cool exhibit, and snapped this picture.

neat exhibit from wales

This traveling exhibit was worth seeing. Two sisters from Wales collected a bunch of French art! Also Turners. Some nice things in there. Annoying tour group stood in front of two nice cezannes for at least 5 minutes. Argh. When there are only a couple of rooms–people should MOVE along! Sheesh. Anyhow I whizzed in and out and back through the exhibit to see everything. Wandered through the rest of the place, got lost several times, saw some more salon style stuff–word of the day i guess. They had some nice things.

more salon style

I was thinking about art museums and what they think is important to share. Terms like Salon style, and Golden age are always explained and defined, for example. And then there was a section of American art. You know,

some grand landscapes

some heroic indians

la la la, got it seen it, need it, got it. I like the purple walls! Ok, so now it’s 11:32 and it’s time to move on. Time to go outside!

Wow it’s sunny out. And so pretty. Check it out.

red cross and cherry tree

Notice that the tree has a boo boo. Ok I keep walking. 11:52 I pass the WWII memorial and about a bazillion school tours. Yikes. It’s busy. Keep walking. I’m heading to the tidal basin. To see the cherry trees. With a LOT of other folks. It’s noon now.

pretty!

details

washington memorial

beautiful!

It takes me 30 minutes to walk around the basin. I head past the capitol, and then along the mall, until I reach the American Indian Museum, where I have decided that I really must stop and eat something. So I do, and then I see the exhibits. I liked the Metis section best. Bombardier! Cool!

notice the red river cereal!

I leave the museum at 2pm. I’m pretty zonked. But manage to keep on walking all the back to the hotel. Whew!