Washington, DC: Part II, The Mall | Eastern North Carolina Now

Pictorial Expose’ of One of the World's Most Important Cities

    Every trip of mine to Washington, DC, for a conference, involves me taking a measure of my time, often limited, to visit the southern sector of Washington, DC. On these short visits to the United States of America's national capital, I try to visit one or two of the exhibits, museums, or a national point of interest. As is my usual practice, I exit the Metro (Washington, DC's subway) into the Mall designed by Pierre L'Enfant at the request of President George Washington in the initial planning of truly remarkable city.

    From the mall, I choose a direction, usually leading to the museum or point of interest that I will visit. However, before I make my way to that destination, I soaked in the ambience of that vast opening amongst the great plenty of some of the world's most unique museums - the Smithsonians.

    The National Mall is 300 feet in breadth, bordered by four rows of American elm on the north and south boundaries of this open park. The mall is approximately 9,000 feet in length running from the Capitol Building to the Washington Monument. At any given time, one can stroll the mall, see the modern architecture mingled the Greek Revival, and choose; which to visit, while dodging the soccer match, the American football, the frisbees whizzing by your head or those individuals concentrating on the flight of their kite. Truly in a nation where it is the Peoples' Government, truly it is the Peoples' park.

    On this short Sunday afternoon visit before I become busied by the conference, I have so little free time so I elect to shoot pictures, visit the National Gallery of Art and shoot more pictures. Below you will see a number of the pictures. If they interest you; soon you will be able to order the much larger file at relatively inexpensive prices dependent upon your desire for exclusivity from betterphotographynow.com.
    The Smithsonian Museum headquarters is Washington, DC's one brick castle: above.
Looking east from the south side of the National Mall at the Capitol: above. Ice skaters in late February in front of the National Archives (The Library of Congress) from the north side of the National Mall: below.     photos by Stan Deatherage

    And, back to the Smithsonians, on this visit, I decided to stroll through the National Gallery of Art (western section) about an hour and half before they closed. It is truly gorgeous building of Greek Revival architecture, with ton's of carved marble columns, handsome rotunda, naturally lit, with light sensitive plants amongst the sitting areas, with sculptured lined halls leading east, and alternately west to garden courts. From these hallways, doorways open to a number of the galleries, with some of the most precious works of art in repository.

    I always enjoy the National Gallery of Art. When I have so little time as I did on this visit, I always choose this Smithsonian and visit the visiting exhibits. While it is always exhilarating to see the newer works on exhibit, there is, however; a rather nice collection on permanent exhibit of works by Vincent van Gogh and fellow impressionists; Claude Monet, Edouard Manet. So little time, so much art, and then they close.

A handsome carriage ride with the National Mall in the background from the steps of the National Gallery of Art: above. The U.S. Capitol from the steps of the National Gallery of Art: below.     photos by Stan Deatherage

With the sun low in this Winter's sky, a golden glow up the U.S. Capitol: above. That same golden glow upon the pool in front of the Capitol and the U.S. Grant Memorial: below.     photos by Stan Deatherage