Washington 2013...II

Day two started out with a half-hour drive to Ft. Washington, Maryland to shoot "The Awakening" sculpture at the National Harbor. The artist, J. Seward Johnson also did the infamous Marilyn Monroe statue, which stood in Chicago for a year. The plan was to get there before the locals came out to ruin the shots. I got away with no people for the most part, but I couldn't run the kids off because they were having fun climbing the sculpture. The next stop was to the Sidwell Friends school, which is the school to two famous daughters. I also got shots of more cherry blossom trees. Not far was the Washington National Cathedral, which was also under construction but tours were still being held. The historic(for other reasons) Watergate Complex, which comprises retail stores, condos and the famous Watergate Hotel was my "treat of the day". In case you didn't know...the "goings on" at The Watergate Hotel led to the downfall of then President Richard M. Nixon. That was an interesting experience after being asked by a resident of the Complex, "What's so interesting about taking a picture of the building"? Really? As if she didn't know! Across the street was the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which I was honored to be standing in front of. There's also a cool fountain in the back of the building, which also has two quotes from John F. Kennedy on the wall. Plus, a great view of the Potomac River can be seen overlooking the barrier. Visiting the White House is always exciting! But because of the Boston bombing incident, the Pennsylvania side of the White House was closed. However, the other side was open. To me, that's the better side because that's the side where the President comes and goes, and you're bound to see any type of activity going on. Such was the case as we spotted the "First Dog" Bo, being walked on the grounds. The National Building Museum is America's premiere cultural institution dedicated to exploring and celebrating architecture, design, engineering, construction and urban planning. The inside of the building is awesome with giant marble columns and floors. I was too busy shooting outside, and the building was closed when I attempted to go inside to shoot. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial honors the more then 19,000 U.S. law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty throughout history! I only shot one side of it, but it's worth a visit. After shooting the Chinatown Gateway Arch, I ate at the Wok n Roll Restaurant which was formerly the Surratt Boarding House. This building is the place where conspirators plotted the kidnapping and eventual assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. After that, my day concluded with great opportunities for dusk and night photography...The Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial, Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument and Reflecting Pool, Korean War Veterans Memorial and concluding with going back to the Dr. King Memorial.