August 2-3, 2010
My friends and I (from the USVI) spending time in DC area along Sligo Creek
Destined for DC
Since I was a little kid, I knew that one day I would live in the DC area. My sister was the first in my family to move there when she enrolled at Columbia Union College* in Takoma Park, Maryland. Then my brother. I attended CUC about 10 years after that.
* A few years ago the name of my old school was changed to Washington Adventist University.
While my siblings were in college, my parents and I would visit Maryland. I loved Maryland. There was always something great to do in DC. And, Virginia has some wonderful nature trails. So, when it was time for me to go to college I didn’t even have to think about it.
My sister’s college graduation
I lived in Maryland for about 5 years, with the exception of the time I packed up all my stuff and moved to Walla Walla, Washington. That didn’t last long and I moved back to DC to finish my degrees at CUC. But, since I moved away I had only visited once and that was over 5 years ago.
my 6th grade graduation
Since Happy Apple
My first evening in Maryland I had dinner with Janel. I first met Janel in Happy Apple Day Care in St. Croix, where I grew up. I don’t actually remember meeting her. I’ve just always known her.
Unfortunately, I’ve lost many of the pictures that were taken of us together. Many of the photos I use of myself as a little kid, actually belong to my brother. My mother doesn’t really keep track of photos. Janel is somewhere in the picture above. You can find me easily since I was the tallest person in the class that year; even taller than the teacher.
Janel and I have not really kept in contact. We used to email each other regularly when I first moved to England. But our lives have both been busy. Janel earned a masters, works hard, and she got married last year.
It was great to see her again. But for some reason I forgot to get a picture with her. I don’t know how I managed that since I am the type of person to snap a photo of any and everything!
My tallest nephew. (My sister said that he has since gotten even taller!)
Museums for free!?
My Sister, Audrey, her kids, my mom, Mark, and I all went to sight see in DC. This was Mark’s first time in the area. We saw memorials, statues, and museums. Mark was surprise to see how many museums in DC were free. (almost all of them.)
Mark, my mom, and my sister’s 3 boys
After leaving DC, I was shocked that most museums in the world charge an entry fee. “Who would pay to see a museum?” I thought. Well, not Washingtonians. Not only are the museums free, but they are all very fabulous. I spent many a summer afternoon in them when I had no money and wanted some AC.
The tomb of the unknown soldier
Arlington
Our last stop on our tour was at Arlington Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. This is the place where 2 presidents, John F. Kennedy and William Howard Taft, are buried. The tour we were on gave us lots of information about some of the thousands of people buried at the cemetery, but it was too much too quickly.
JFK’s grave
When you stand in Arlington Cemetery you get an overall feeling of sadness. Most of the people there died while in their early 20’s. There are so many graves; too many graves. It’s so big, we needed to ride a bus to see it all.
Mark and his friend Jeff
DC is known for its Ethiopian food.
I was the one who requested it. I just could not leave DC without having some Ethiopian food. I love the stuff. You eat with your hands. There are no utensils; just pick up your food with a piece of bread. Sampling your neighbors’ food is encouraged… at least when I’m around.
How to get there:
You can enter my country by land, air, or sea. But I think flight would be your transportation method of choice.
I have no clue how to get a visa to the US or who needs one. Just assume that you need one if you are not American or Canadian and check with your local US embassy.
Phone:
- Use 911 for the police, fire department, or to get an ambulance
- Use 411 for information (This might cost money.)
Website:
Downloads:
Videos:
- Crash Course:
- CGP Grey:
- Mental Floss:
Books:
- American on Purpose: The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot
- Area 51
- The Autobiography of Malcolm X
- Dandelion Wine
- Girl in Translation
- The Hemingses of Monticello
- The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid
- The Lost Continent: Travels in Small Town America
- Notes from a Big Country
- One Summer: America, 1927
- Rolling Nowhere: Riding the Rails with America’s Hoboes
- Stealing Buddha’s Dinner
- That’s Not In My American History Book
- A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail
- The Water Is Wide
- Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland
Notes:
- It’s a big country. You’re going to need a car.
The FDR Memorial- 38°53’00.5″N 77°02’34.7″W
Orange and Blue Metro Line stops for the Smithsonian are closest to the Memorial, but it’s a good walk from the station.
Address:
1850 W. Basin Drive SW
Washington, DC 20037
Phone:
- 202-426-6841
Downloads
Cost:
- Free
- Most attractions in DC are free
Hours:
- Always available
Notes:
- Parking is available along Ohio Drive, SW, between the Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson Memorials. This is a great place to park when sightseeing in DC, because it’s free and there is a higher probability of finding a space here than anywhere else.
- The earlier you get here the better.
- The parking is technically only for 3 hours. We parked here all day and did not get a ticket, but there was a risk of getting a fine.
- The memorial was designed for people, dogs, and kids to play in the water. But then the water got really dirty and it also became a safety hazard, so it is no longer legal to play in the water.
The National Mall- 38°53’22.4″N 77°01’22.9″W
-By Metro:
- Federal Center SW (Orange and Blue Lines)
- Judiciary Square (Red Line)
- Archives/Navy Memorial (Green and Yellow Lines)
- L’Enfant Plaza (Green and Yellow Lines and Orange and Blue Lines)
- Smithsonian (Orange and Blue Lines)
- Federal Triangle (Orange and Blue Lines)
- Farragut West (Orange and Blue Lines)
- Foggy Bottom/GWU (Orange and Blue Lines)
Address:
From 1st Street NW to 14th Street NW, between Madison and Jefferson Drives, and from 14th Street NW to 23rd Street NW, between Independence and Constitution Avenues.
Phone:
- 202-426-6841
Downloads
Cost:
- Free
Hours:
- Always available
Notes:
- There are some free, public, parking available along Ohio Drive, SW, between the Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson Memorials.
- Metered parking on some DC streets is restricted to two hours.
- There are commercial garages downtown, north of the Mall.
- Sometimes it is easier to park at a metro station in Maryland or Virginia and take the metro to DC.
- This is a great place to celebrate 4th of July, the Cherry Blossom Festival, and many other events. One summer they did free outdoor movies. It was great!
- You can also park for free by the capitol building on weekends. It’s reverse parking only.
- 38°53’22.4″N 77°01’22.9″W
-By Metro:
- L’Enfant Plaza (Green and Yellow Lines and Orange and Blue Lines)
Address:
Smithsonian Museums
SI Building
Washington, DC 20013-7012
Phone:
- 202-633-1000
Downloads
Cost:
- Free. Yes. All of them are absolutely FREE!
Hours:
- About 10:00 – 17:30
- The time varies for museum to museum
Notes:
- The Smithsonian Institute is not one museum. I know people may refer to it as a museum, but it is actually a museum complex. The ones at the national mall are the:
- Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
- Freer Gallery of Art
- Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
- National Air and Space Museum
- National Museum of African American History and Culture
- National Museum of African Art
- National Museum of American History
- National Museum of the American Indian
- National Museum of Natural History
- Smithsonian Institution Building
There are more Smithsonian museums around DC and in New York and Virginia.
Arlington National Cemetery- 38°52’42.2″N 77°04’06.6″W
By Metro –
- Go to Arlington Cemetery Station on the blue line.
Address:
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington, Virginia 22211
Phone:
- (703) 607-8000
Cost:
- Free.
- There is a tour bus that cost 7USD.
Hours:
- Open everyday Apr – Sept: 8:00 – 19:00
- all other months closed at 17:00
Notes:
- The park is free.
- Paying the 7 bucks for the bus tour is well worth it. It’s a long walk up hill to see Kennedy, the unknown solider, and other graves.
Addis Ababa Restaurant
- 38°59’33.4″N 77°01’25.8″W
By Metro –
Silver Springs Station is the nearest subway station
Address:
8233 Fenton Street
Silver Spring, MD 20910-4503
Phone:
- (301) 589-1400
Hours:
- Open F-Sa 11am-2am;
- also open Sun
Notes:
- Metered parking.
- Free parking on weekends and after 18:00.
Map:
