Washington DC - And we marvelled at some Vague and Mysterious emotion

Washington DC

And we marvelled at some Vague and Mysterious emotion

Despite the fact that I'm sure many of you would probably think that all of the posts about Chapel Hill are 'travel writing', I feel there's some distance between writing about this quintessential American campus-university and the adventures that I'm just setting off on to other parts of the US. Tomorrow we're setting off to DC, the capital of the United States, home of the President and where more rain falls than in the 'Rainy City' of Seattle. 

I'm pretty excited - albeit a little bit nervous since my Milton and Melancholia essay is due the hour that we leave and I'm no where near done - but that's besides the point. By the time I arrive in DC I'm sure Il Penseroso will be far far far from my thoughts. I definitely feel like I need this break though. Recently, with midterms and essays and more midterms and more essays and then presentations heaped up on top and that's before we even consider the compulsory classes - it's been a culture shock period. I even wrote a miserable little blog entry that I didn't dare post because it would have terrified people into probably not wanting to do Study Abroad. The fact is, these last few weeks have been terrifyingly reminiscent of the IB - those long, aching months where your soul was lost in paper and ink and now the blinking cursor of a word document. I do believe that still stands, even with the crest of this wave about to break. However, and this is the reason I never put up that wretched, self-pitying post before: this is also such a challenge, so different and so utterly amazing that it cannot truly be a comparison to that most-hated of times. Where your sense of self was devoured by the Baccalaureate Leviathon, here it's more about re-examining the way you think. I think back home I was beginning to take it for granted that there was a life beyond my apartment, but now I'm appreciating it more.


I still miss the freedom of Edinburgh. But I'm also finally comfortable enough here to start branching out. I just wish I had the safety nets I've built up back home here. I really miss discussing ideas with people who are in the same boat rather than trying to bounce off poor Andrea who really probably doesn't care about why Milton uses the word 'darkling' or why Simone de Beauvoir was compelled to write The Second Sex. But one day at a time, things are becoming easier. Still, I can't wait for the break to come so I can walk through a city and feel that bustle of too many people and breath in its air and become a non-entity in a crowd rather than sticking out like the sore-British thumb on Franklin.


Day One - Taco Bell

Oh my god MANIC day. We've just arrived in the hostel, I'm listening to Hall&Oates and I'm not sure this is best first impression to make of a Washington. The first part of this I wrote in the car - but I think I want to quickly note my impressions of this place. 

I feel exhausted. The hostel is a strange, dingy sort of place. Wrinkling my nose and trying not to scowl, I toed off my shoes whilst the others checked in ahead of me. You're not allowed shoes inside the building except flip flops for the showers. It smells funny though and not just from the damp shoes. Inside I can hear the familiar countdown of 24 that I associate still with Sunday mornings as my dad runs on the treadmill downstairs and turns the volume up so loud that I might as well be watching it with him. There are two men on the sofa, older than I expected them to be. I associate hostels with Choir tour and lots of young people our age. The room is dark, that smell is still in the air and there's 'stuff' just everywhere - linen, towels, chairs, pillows. There's a vague organisation to it, shelves predominated by sheets, tables by piles of dirty slips.  We heard one man saying very loudly that a girl I hadn't previously noticed shouldn't ever lie to herself because:

"If you lie to yourself, you're going straight to hell."

There was something oddly reminiscent of Marmeladov from 'Crime and Punishment' about him.

We're all a bit bedraggled and grumpy because of the journey, which really wasn't so bad, but me and Andrea haven't really been sleeping so well (my fault entirely). Something about that and the darkness of the evening and the continual rain has clouded itself over me and I'm finding it hard to see a shred of anything nice about this place. It's only for three nights - I suppose that's a positive. We were given a tour - the bathrooms are clean and nice and much brighter than the rest of the rooms and the kitchen is airy if a little gloomy. Our room, where I'm now perched, is just plain peculiar - the beds are typical iron-bar bunk beds, the windows all have the shutter blinds pulled, there is one light that flickers like a camera flash and one steady, yellow light. there are filing cabinets that line the wall by my bed and a creep door that leads to nowhere in a corner, completely cut off by our bunks. I think I'd rather have paid the extra $16 a night at the other place but I then I'm not here as long as Alex and Andrea.

That's who I'm here with by the way - the hilarious, hyperactive Alex and my wonderful roomie. It was Alex's idea really - although I always did have Washington on my list to come - and it was so much fun travelling down here with them. We managed to get a lift with Jess and her dad from Chapel Hill, which was pretty perfect since it meant that with a little bit of planning we were all in the car by 1230 and in DC by 530pm. The ride was awesome. At first of course it was small talk and we were a little careful about what we discussed because you can never tell how liberal someone's parents are here. But Jess' dad turned out to be brilliant and so charming. He even joined in somewhat when we blasted Taylor Swift and belted out tuneless harmonies alongside her (or Jess, Andrea and I did). 

We also had a moment when we past Quantico and I couldn't help but be incredibly excited!! Quantico!! It's where the FBI Academy is for those who don't know and driving through just reconfirmed my desire to visit - if it's allowed. I've heard it is... but maybe you have to be American??? 

After that we saw a Taco Bell and of course we went. Andrea and Jess have been talking American fast food for the last half an hour and everything sounds so tasty, albeit like a heart attack. So we stopped at the station, filled up with petrol and skipped over to finally (I say finally because Andrea's been lauding taco bell for a while now) taste the burritos of this renowned joint. It was an experience - I'm not sure if I'd seek it out ever again but then I've pretty much forgotten the taste of it already. It filled the hole though and definitely beat the nasty Rams sandwich I'd stowed in my bag before we left. It was pretty good fun though and I've now ticked off another Americanism that I wanted to experience. 

When we arrived it was raining again. We left in the rain, drove in the dim daylight of Virginia and then re-entered the downpour in DC. I've shed my oversized clammy jumper and slipped into my chiffon shirt because we're planning on going out in a bit and now I'm just procrastinating whilst the others do stuff (I probably ought to be doing something too). I'll let you know about tonight tomorrow though - I'm tired. Snooooze time. 

  

Andrea and Alex beneath The Washington Post

So this is last night. 

As you can see, it had just about stopped raining but it was beautiful the way the light glanced up off the road  from the puddles of the pavement.

You can just about see the figures of Andrea and Alex in that one. 

I relished the fact that we were back in a city though. 

Did you know that there's a height restriction on all buildings in DC? In 1899 the Height of Buildings Act meant that no building could be over 34m tall. Apparently that's because they feared that the European aesthetic would be dwarfed and destroyed by the Skyscraper that was just beginning to emerge at the time in NYC and place. This means that as a city, it's spread outwards rather than upwards and the skyline is much lower than most cities. It's an odd atmosphere because of that law, or at least, it's odd in my oh-so-experienced opinion, because the streets are so much wider than those of London or Edinburgh, yet not even the business district towers above the rest of the city. As we wondered the shimmering streets, it gave me a weird sense of familiarity and defamiliarity.  I did enjoy exploring at night though. I hope we'll see some of the monuments that way too.  I suppose we shall if we're not too tired.

It wasn't too late a night - we just explored a few bars and such. It's much more of a stickler here with the drinking age because Andrea's not 21 so we had to pick and choose where we went. But I can now tell you that:

1. Harry and Harriets Bar and Family Restaurent is awesome - great atmosphere and amazing character. BUT if you're like me don't bother trying to eat there, just enjoy their vodka cokes (horrendously strong) because they cook everything in peanut oil like Chik-Fil-A. Tres annoying - I was looking forward to that calamari too. 

2. The Green Turtle isn't fun - it's incredibly expensive ($8 beers?!) and they're kind of rude. No recommendation there unless you really really like TV - in which case they have an HDTV in every booth so you don't have to try talking to your date there if it becomes too awkward. 

3. Don't try to get into Rocket Bar without and I.D. It may not be obvious but their bouncer is canny. 

Day Two - I need CLOTHES?!

It's freezing. Oh my god it is COLD. We woke up pretty earlier, had a cup of tea, all I really wanted to do was catch up on sleep but that doesn't look like it's going to happen here. And now we're back and we've been out for nearly 12hours and I swear my toes have frozen off. 

When we woke up the sky was really blue and since we were used to the Carolina Blue Days of UNC we expected that it would start of chilly and end up sweltering. We dressed accordingly. 

Bare legged and cardigan clad, we stepped out into the bright light of a DC Day and began the amble across to The Mall. At this point there was a lot of 'ooing and ahing' as we passed interesting buildings, saw sunshine dancing off glass hotels, noticed the bird-cage in a 'historic hotel' and found our way first to the FBI Building. It's an imposing building, bland but in that cruel, soulless way that styles many 1960s designs. It has two key parts, one higher than the other due to the height restrictions on the city and is made of a unique type of cement. All around it are these ugly plant pots that aren't actually decorative but subtly act to stop people driving cars into the building up to it with any ease. Compared to the other buildings it was pretty ugly but imposing. I was thrilled and took a few photos much to Alex's amusement. 

After wondering round we went to the International Spy Museum on Rebecca's suggestion. It was fascinating. Of course it was. They had so much information from the realities to the fictive. I suppose we have to take it all with a pinch of salt because it's giving a face to the secret service. Whilst it's likely all true, I dare say there's so much more to it and my curiosity was peaked rather than assuaged.    

Walking from the Museum was when the cold began to hit - it was the wind that was so chill and I definitely let my inner winy child loose. The Mall is awe inspiring though. A long strip of grass stretching from the Capital to the Washington Memorial, down to the Pools of Reflection (currently the swamp of confusion) and up to the Jefferson Memorial. It was at this point that I'll mention the fact that the cold wind, the cool feeling that Dostoevsky describes so well as that 'vague and mysterious emotion' first hit. I love it when you look at something, both eerily familiar and unfamiliar and lose all words - because it's magnificent and beyond language and yet lifeless and flat because it's imprinted on your mind rather than understood. 

I chased some birds. We went to the Holocaust Museum. That same feeling crept up on me then but for other reasons - it wasn't magnificent what you saw, although it was amazing how they'd created a memorial to that horrific time with so much care. The little leaflets that you're given with the name of a victim, the story that the course of the permanent exhibits weave for you... it's stunning and terrible. By the end both Andrea and I couldn't help but feel the sting of tears as we watched the final film that told the personal story of survivors. At times you couldn't even help but wonder if it would have been easier to be one of those sent to the gas chambers rather than go through the harrowing experiences that these people did. But you also see the greatest desire of all: to live, triumph in them and the fact that they went on to do so much, to marry, have families, hold jobs... it was heart-wrenchingly bitter-sweet. 

On a lighter note we went to Hooters for a late lunch/early dinner.

After that it was time to go back to the hostel, eye some interesting sculptures, admire the view one more time before dashing back to warm up. 

It really was freezing.

Once back we made plans and ended up back in Down Town for another few drinks before we crashed out in the dorms around 1am.

One thing I'll say though is that they really need to improve on their wine lists.Chardonnay just isn't pleasant.

OOPS. I totally forgot to mention that we also went to the WHITE HOUSE - it was sometime between the Mall and Hooters. You couldn't really see it properly which was a real shame but here's the photo I do have:

It's really pretty though. So much reminds me of Haileybury in Washington though - and parts of New Town but mainly Haileybury and Central London. A lot of it is very much like what you see when you walk around Hyde Park and Kensington.

Day Three - Eight Miles and FINALLY a decent glass of wine. 

Today we walked. And walked. And walked. Actually we walked about 8miles according to google maps. pretty impressive huh?

We did ALL the monuments - walking from Capitol Hill down the Mall, past Washington Monument, round past the Holocaust Museum, over the bridge, up to the Jefferson Memorial, along the Tidal Basin to see FDR's Memorial, cut across the embankment to see MLK and the WWII memorials then up the side of the Reflecting Pools (which are currently mere mud and sludge in a vaguely rectangular shape - perhaps a metaphor for the current state of things?) and then finally to the Lincoln Memorial where we sat down for the first time in what seemed an exceptionally long time. But having decided to keep going we then when up to the Albert Einstein Memorial, walked along Constitution Avenue past the Vietnam Veternas Memorial and the 56 Signer's of the Declaration of Independence Memorial, limped up Virginia Avenue towards Foggy Bottom where we ambled until we could amble no more and took refuge in a Starbucks whilst we tried to figure out where to go for an early dinner.

 And whilst on this rather epic journey we stopped by the Newseum ($15 entry as students meant we didn't actually go in which was rather disappointing), The Air and Space Museum (don't bother with the simulators they're boring and expensive - go to the awesome imax experience where you feel like you're floating in space) and Andrea climbed a tree.

Anyway, so here are some photos that highlight  this trek around the strangely symmetrical city. 

Romantic? I just like the bird in the left corner.

Can you try and imagine how huge the Capitol actually is?

Haileybury Chapel moment - just paint it green.

Andrea looking out over the pretty pool towards Capitol

Feeling small yet?

Washington Monument from another angle

WWII Monument

Thomas Jefferson

Lincoln Memorial - doesn't he look important?

Washington Monument from inside Lincoln Memorial.

FDR and his wee dog and us.

Out of the Mountain of Despair: a Stone of Hope

Lincoln from across the Basin

The Quagmire that isn't Reflecting and Washing Memorial
 again.

 When we finally DID have dinner it was an Italian place called Bertuccis. It was marvellous. The food was delicious and the portions weren't over the top like so many places that we've been. But best of all was the glass of Pinot that I ordered. It was the first glass of wine I'd had in so long that didn't taste of piss or Chardonnay. As you can imagine I was pretty content. After that we decided to go straight into Lindy's Red Lion - a pub. In the middle of DC. It wasn't too loud like a bar, it didn't just serve beer like He's Not - it was a PUB. So for all those Brits wandering the continent of America - there IS a proper pub even if its miles away and that's reassuring. It definitely made me pine less for Drouthy's (at least for a little bit). The bar tender was such a gent too and was so chatty - even trying to set me and Andrea up with two guys who were there to drink... Jaeger Bombs. I couldn't take them seriously after that.


All in all (because that was my last night in DC!!!) I've had a great time. I'm now on the megabus back to Durham and then to RDU to PICK UP MY SISTER eeeeeeee!!!!
I think I'm going to make a pros and cons post and put that up so that you guys don't have to read all this stuff again BUT to those of you who have made it through to then end - I Love You and Thank You for Reading.

Je serai poète et toi poésie, 
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