Ciao!

There and back again

09.12.2005

I (essentially) took a two-week vacation from everything. The first bit was extremely hectic — w/ job-hunting at a political science conference — but the rest of it was a whirlwind tour of the mid-Atlantic, visiting family (hers & mine). To be fair, the first bit was pretty relaxing as well.

Here's a small sample of travel pictures (at my Flickr) from the past two weeks.

We drove from Chicago straight through to Washington DC on Monday, dashing through turnpikes & interstates across six states, stopping only for food & fuel. And. After a long drive. We arrived, weary and exhausted, in Arlington VA — where K8's relatives fed us & put us up for a few nights.

Tuesday: Dropped off other people's luggage, then headed of (cameras in hand) to see the monuments along the Washington Mall. We started w/ a visit to the National Archives, where we lined up to walk though the "Charters of Freedom" exhibition — which includes the Declaration of Independence.

The place was a chapel, a shrine dedicated to a few scraps of paper that outlined a set of basic, fundamental rights. A sight to see. In other countries, some abstract & mystical "patria" is publicly deified — here, by sharp contrast, it was a set of ideas (no less abstract or idealized, of course), but a set of ideas believed to be universal: that all people have a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I've often wondered at that last little bit. Some argue it means "property" (Locke formulated his three rights as "life, liberty, property"). But Jefferson wrote it as "pursuit of happiness". Ponder that a moment. We're a nation founded (in part) on a right to pursue our own happiness. Amazing.

Then a long walk in reverse order. Stopping at the Jefferson Memorial, around the tidal basin to the FDR Memorial, then across the under-construction park to the Lincoln Memorial. Then a slow walk through the war memorials (which are better appreciated at night).

From there, off to a family dinner to meet a dozen relatives.

Wednesday: Took advantage of my last "free" day to visit (free!) museums. We first stopped at Julia's Empanadas. Not quite the Bolivian salteñas we expected, but delicious nevertheless.

We started at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum (my pick). Then off to the Museum of the American Indian (her pick). Both were great. I loved watching the 1930s planes, the Apollo capsule, and all that. And NAMI was one of the most beautifully designed museums I've ever seen. Free museums where you can spend an entire day of edutainment — that's where it's at.

Finished up the day w/ dinner in Alexandria's Old Town, blocks away from George Washington's church.

Thursday: Conference interviews most of the morning & afternoon. But the evening involved an early dinner w/ grandparents (K8's) at The Cosmos Club. Founded 1878, the club includes Nobel & Pulitzer winners, and the founders of the National Geographic Society. Members (and guests) only, tie required, the kind of place where the menu has no price listings (because if you have to ask, you can't afford it).

Friday: More conference interviews. Followed by a trip out to the Hill's Hawk 'n' Dove. Referenced in West Wing episodes, it's a bar where (allegedly) Capitol Hill staffers & lobbyists gather for pints & arguments. Sadly, we saw no movers and/or shakers. But a night walk around the Mall — for night photographs of the backlight monuments & memorials.

Saturday: The last of the conference interviews. And a brisk trip up I-95 to Wilmington (another family BBQ), where we also met up w/ Andy & Saloumeh. Followed by a good night's sleep & the first chance to sleep in. I should also point out that Wilmington, seen in late summer (or early autumn) is actually rather lovely. Meaning: I rescind my first impression of Andy's new hometown.

Sunday: A long leisurely day w/ walks along the Brandywine River, followed by a day trip out to Historic New Castle (the first county in the first state) w/ dinner at the 1724 Jessop's Tavern.

Labor Day: Our last day in Delaware began w/ a small labor day BBQ w/ Andy & Saloumeh in Brandywine Park, were we failed to fly a kite but did succeed in lighting the charcoal. Then off to Philadelphia for a walking tour of some city highlights. And, yes, I did have my picture taken in a Rocky pose on the steps of the Art Museum. From there, we stopped for a quick bite at Eulogy Belgian Tavern (w/ an extensive premium beer menu, including Kalamazoo's Bell's). Then back to Wilmington for the last night before starting the trek back towards home.

Tuesday: A short drive out to Gettysburg, for a walk along Seminary Ridge. Wow. It's amazing how preserved the battlefield is. I think K8 secretly enjoyed my descriptions (from hazy memory) of what happened where/when/how across that stretch of the field. We missed the electronic map exhibit, but saw most of the museum exhibits — scheduled to be extensively overhauled (they look forward to eliminating the parking lot to restore more green space). From there, we drove off towards West Virginia, along the Cumberland Pike (where General Bufford first engaged Confederate troops as they advanced towards town).

Wednesday: A short, relaxing day in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. The state park was established 1776, and was previously visited (for its thermal/healing properties) by George Washington in 1748 (it's part of the Washington Heritage Trail). My first experience in a Roman bath, followed by a thorough massage, followed by 8 hours in a car.

Thursday: Back in Kalamazoo, and much-needed sleeping in. Took a short home vacation to rest up from my travel vacation. But the long weekend went well, overall. A shopping trip, a potluck w/ friends, reading in Bronson Park, a political science departmental picnic.

And w/ that, I'm ready for a new week, catching up on email, blogs, Bolivia news. And optimistic about upcoming job applications.

Posted by Miguel at 03:17 PM

Comments

Posted by: Melli at September 13, 2005 09:00 AM

Posted by: Miguel (MABB) at September 13, 2005 04:34 PM