Scary Coincidence

On tonight's PBS Newshour they shared what was known about the Navy Yard shooter. One was that he came to Washington from Texas on September 7, the same day I traveled to Washington. Then he checked into the Marriott Residence Inn Capitol, the same hotel I checked into that day. He was staying in the same hotel with me the whole 8 nights I was there. The Navy Yard is less than 2 miles away. I don't remember seeing either of the faces they have shown on TV and in the paper. Just weird to know that I slept in the same building with a soon-to-be notorious murderer.

Washington DC Book is Ready!

Just click to preview my 54 page book with 93 photos:    http://blur.by/18srRPP

White House & Museums Today

Saw it at night the first day, but it is better in the daylight!

Then did the American History & Natural History museums 

Plus National and Hirshhorn Sculpture Gardens

Those photos will be in the book!

As most days, my transportation was three-way

Took "The  Metro" train to White House then

Walked to other venues including lunch and

Rode a bike back to hotel

Getting around Washington is easy and fun!

Two Days of Reports

Yesterday was spent mostly at the National Gallery of Art which is two large buildings and wonderful! But I will not post a photo from there. I then went across the street and saw the Newseum and my favorite photo is this shot from their 6th floor deck looking down Pennsylvania at the capitol with the next door Canadian Embassy showing.

One of my favorite views of the capitol.

Today I met a new friend at the National Zoo, Pat is a docent who was on the Cuba trip with me. I got a tour and then she took me to lunch at a great little bistro nearby in or near the Adams Morgan neighborhood. I waited to see the Panda, but it was too hot for him to come out. This is a hot and humid city! Then I spent nearly an hour in the bird buildings and exhibits. I thought I had seen all of the hornbills, but found a new one today called the Wrinkled Hornbill. So that is the photo I chose to share:

Monuments Day

Lincoln Memorial seen through the World War II Memorial

 A beautiful day to see all of the monuments, though hot and humid.

Many photos for my online gallery and photo book.

I don't claim a favorite, though I might lean toward Lincoln's

Though the wall of names is powerful for Vietnam, I think Korean is more moving.

Roosevelt's is too much, though I really like all the waterfalls!

Tomorrow is art museums on the hottest day of the week in forecast.

A Turkish Friend Tonight

I ride a BikeShare bike over to the reflection pool in front of the capitol before sunset to see if I can get a good image of the Capitol. A college student from Istanbul, Turkey was doing the same thing. We spoke and he asked if I would take his picture in front of the capitol with his smart phone, which I did. Then I asked him to take my picture which is below. Then we talked at length. He is a mechanical engineering student who came to the states on a summer work program. He finished his job as a dishwasher at some conference center in upstate New York I think and he is sightseeing for a couple of weeks before going back to school in Istanbul. His name is something like Ahnish, but I did not ask how to spell it. I gave him my card and asked him to email me. Visiting with him was the highlight of the evening! Sorry I did not get his photo.

Capitol Tour +

I was one of 5,000 people herded around National Capitol today, though note that there are 17,000 per day in the peak month of May. It is a beautiful old building with too much security to easily enjoy, but glad I did it! That is my only guided tour for the week. I then saw the gorgeous Library of Congress and had lunch at the Eastern Market. It is a dining/shopping magnet for the young and hip, like our 12 South or East Nashville Five Points. I ate Cuban food today.

One of the many tour groups in the Capitol Rotunda

There was more excitement outside the capitol!

Demonstrators both for and against going after Assad

Reading Room, Library of Congress

I was "people-watching" through the window of

the Banana Cafe for lunch, but also intrigued by

this window across the street

Full Day After Church!

After lunch at a fantastic Mexican restaurant in the edge of China Town

I found this neat Chinese church steeple

(I know, why not Chinese food? My cultural preferences are showing!)

The Museum of American Art and Portrait Gallery.

A favorite of mine, "Cape Code Morning" by Edward Hopper

Yeah - you can make photos in this museum!

Then my early evening at Shakespeare Theater for

a silly comedy, "Potted Potter" - No photos allowed

But this view of another building from their 2nd floor lobby

Washington is a great mix of modern and historical architecture!

Worship at National Cathedral This Morning

Gorgeous building, simple rituals, lots of Scripture,

good short sermon, nice music, and my 1st Communion

in an Episcopal Church - good experience! 

At the White House the First Night

Where will I go from here?

Arrived in Washington, DC

Flew into Reagan this morning and took the Metro to near my hotel just 3 blocks off the Mall. Had late lunch at American Indian Museum, my first Smithsonian to visit. Tonight I'm on a night tour of the lighted monuments and landmarks. Might be my best photo op of the week. As the picture shows, it's American Tourism through and through, kind of a national or patriotic Disney World, but that's okay. I'll have fun!

DNA Family History

I have now seen the results of my DNA research as a part of National Geographic's Geno 2.0 Genographic Project. 

I have the DNA sequence for both the maternal and paternal side of my family and maps showing how my line traveled out of Africa through the Middle East and Asia to Europe for one and through Mediterranean to Europe. Interesting and slightly different for several branches of both sequences.

I am 2.7% Neanderthal, 45% Northern European, 35% Mediterranean, and 18% Southwest Asian. My primary population reference is British and secondary German.

Beyond getting a glimpse of my ancestry over thousands of years, I'm participating in a National Geographic research project. "The Genographic Project is an ambitious attempt to help answer fundamental questions about where we originated and how we came to populate the earth. Our team, led by renowned population geneticist Dr. Spencer Wells has created a revolutionary new platform for studying deep ancestry to lead us on this journey." In the bigger picture they are creating a genetic history of the whole human race and each person who participates adds to the research. Part of what I paid for the results goes to help them take swabs of DNA from villages and cities around the world to make their research more valid.

It is fun to see it and participate in a larger research, but of course does not at this time help me with specific names in my genealogy, though by being online with it, I might someday make a contact that helps.