The Concert Hall

Apologies for the terribly fuzzy picture – it was a six second exposure – but this gives you a (blurry) glimpse of the Concert Hall, the largest theater in the Kennedy Center. The hall seats 2,442 and the organ has 4,144 pipes.

You can see a better picture on the Kennedy Center’s virtual tour.

Hall of Nations

The Hall of Nations at the Kennedy Center. The flags of all the countries recognized by the US are hang in alphabetical order.

Kennedy Center

The Grand Foyer of the Kennedy Center, with JFK bust in the center. Every day at 6:00 there is a free concert on the Millenium Stage, seen at the end of the Foyer. Each of the chandeliers above weighs one ton!

Alexandria again

Another shot of Market Square in Old Town Alexandria.

Old Town Alexandria

Market Square and City Hall in Old Town Alexandria. You wouldn’t know it now, but this was once the site of the second largest slave market in the US (according, of course, to ever-true wikipedia). Now it is part of a beautiful neighborhood and has a farmer’s market each Saturday. More pictures to come …

Townhouses in Eastern Market

A charming street near Eastern Market. How long til I can afford a house there??

New Baseball Stadium

The Washington Nationals have a new stadium this year! Unfortunately it closely resembles a parking garage, but hey, it’s new.

Street scene

18th street, Adams Morgan, on Saturday afternoon.

The scene is quite different come nightfall – according to (as ever) wikipedia:

Adams Morgan also has become a thriving spot for night life, with a number of bars and clubs featuring live music. Over 90 establishments possess liquor licenses, putting it on level with other popular nightlife areas like Georgetown and Dupont Circle. Local stores along the 18th Street corridor were rapidly replaced with late-night establishments, leading to a moratorium on new liquor licenses by the Alcohol Beverage Control Board in 2000 after successful lobbying by resident groups. The moratorium was renewed in 2004, but eased to allow new restaurant licenses.

Union Station – front entrance

The front entrance of Union Station, in downtown DC. From the webpage:

At the time it was built, the Station covered more ground than any other building in the United States and was the largest train station in the world. The Station sits on the edge of an area once known as “Swampoodle,” an infamous shantytown located on the sewery remnants of Tiber Creek. The total area occupied by the Station and the terminal zone was originally about 200 acres and included 75 miles of tracks.

Stained glass 2

Also at the Washington National Cathedral.

The Washington National Cathedral

And here is the Cathedral from the outside.

Stained glass

A window at the Washington National Cathedral. Apparently there’s also a window dedicated to man’s trip to the moon, but I missed that one.

Smithstonian Castle

The Smithsonian Institution Building on the Washington Mall, which houses their offices and headquarters, as well as a visitors’ center. The building was completed in 1855.

Union Station

Snapped this one – quickly – as I ran for the MARC train on my way out of town this weekend!  Union Station is pretty neat because it is a beautiful building but also a functioning train station, with Amtrac trains leaving all the time.  I came in on the metro and then caught the commuter train up to the Baltimore airport – not the quickest way to go, but relatively cheap, which is nice. 

Union Station opened in 1907, and while train travel has decreased since WWII, Union Station is still a hub for shopping and tourism – about 20 million people visit the station each year.

Old beauty

Saint Patrick’s Parish, built around 1792, also near Metro Center and Chinatown.