A Day in DC

August 20, 2016

A Day in DC

This morning we headed out to walk in some gardens but ran into this:

A screw in the tire!

I was wearing my favorite "I'm going to go for a walk in gardens" dress and had to go around looking for a willing mechanic till we found one willing to patch our leaky whistling tire. 32 PSI later and we were back on the road!

One thing I noticed about each mechanic shop is that they all had a BBQ outside:

BBQ and snow plow

They also had nice old cars

Finally we got to Glen Echo Park and discovered that it was more of an abandoned carnival park than a "walk and look at the flowers park".

I really wish that some rich association would fund Glen Echo to make it a real carnival park again. Some of my best childhood memories are riding dangerous aluminum bumper cars in Mexico City while smelling the cotton candy and popcorn in the distance.

Where people previously bought tickets for the movie theater. I think Cuddle Up is adorable and should be preserved.

We decided that the best place to walk would be the National Mall so headed down the street to downtown DC. I have one good luck thing that always follows me and it is good luck with parking. I get it every single time. And if I am in someone else's car they will be graced with the best spot as well. It can be anywhere: Costco (battlefield for parking), the mall, the National Mall (another battlefield) NYC, you name it my spot is waiting front and center for me. I thank my drop of Irish luck for that!

Food trucks on Constitution Ave

We went in to my favorite museum, the Gallery of Art to see the Dutch and German paintings. You can see more drama at an art gallery than watching TV. Forget the real housewives of anything, just go to a gallery and read the stories!

At times, the spectators are just as nice to watch as the paintings.

Fatty sleeping

Fatty waking

There were many paintings of Adam and Eve. This one was my favorite because of the cat.

"What shall we name him, my love? Shall we name him Octopus?" They decided on Octopus and while distracted by the cat, accidentally ate some fruit. It was all the cat's fault, even from the beginning of time!

This other dutch one looked tasty too, birds included. I think they would be nice cooked on a grill with the figs on the side. Yum.

Another cool painting was the one of Jesus being baptized. He is surrounded by 14 Saints.

They are mostly wounded and looking quite peaceful with knives and blood pouring from their bodies.

Older paintings look well, historic and similar. But if you take a closer look you can see creepy things like this one called "St. Lucy". Can you see her eyes?

Take a closer look: AH!

The story of St. Lucy is that she was a Christian martyr in teh 6th century. Her mother wanted her to marry a pagan and Lucy wanted to devote her life to Christ (which was illegal). Lucy's mom accepted breaking the engagement but the bridegroom was angry so turned Lucy into the authorities for her Christianity. She was arrested and taken to a brothel as a punishment. To stay a virgin, and discourage any rapist suitors, she gouged her own eyes out. Yeah....She was then bundled with wood to burn alive and didn't burn. Little is known of the rest of her life however when she finally died they discovered her with her eyes restored.

Another favorite painting is this one that I call "She made me do it!" It is really the rebukement of God on Adam and Eve. Will you just look at how the man blames the woman? So typical!

Adam points at Eve who points at the snake.

We walked out of the Dutch and German paintings and enjoyed the beautiful indoor gardens for a while.

Then headed to the French impressionist galleries. This one is one of my favorites. I know, I have a lot of favorites, but the Nat'l gallery of art does have some of the best paintings on this continent if not in the world!

This is the chef with Bentley. Hard at work imagining what to do next? Pasta con il pomodoro, vacuum the car, le potage de legumes, or is it time to submit the review? Bentley always by his side.

"Mannaggia, mannaggia, mannaggia, mannaggia..."

Back outside we passed the very politically neutral vendors selling T-shirts for both Hillary and Trump.

Right now the Natl. Mall grass is closed because the White House gardeners are growing and growing green beautiful grass for election season which will just be trampled on by the masses which will arrive to ruin it with the next president. Perhaps they should aim to grow vegetation elsewhere in DC where it could be put to better use and longer enjoyment.