.All Trips / D.C. / North America / Southeastern USA

Washington’s National Cathedral

22 Washington 501 National Cathedral

The idea of a National Church was first mentioned by the great General and first American President, George Washington, but this dream did not begin to take fruition for more than a century.  Like all great projects, it takes time and lots of money to make the dream a reality.  Today the completed church plays an important role in its nation’s history having hosted many national days of prayer and several presidential funerals.

The National Cathedral is a beautiful NeoGothic church situated on the highest point in the District of Columbia.  It’s built in the style of the great European cathedrals and has a tall central tower (30 stories high), 231 beautiful stained-glass windows (one of which has a moon rock …

Read More

Tagged , , ,

“Pic of the Week”. May 24, 2013. Memorial Day tribute

2013-21-May 24a

“Freedom isn’t free”.  Not sure who coined that saying but it has resonated with me for some time.  Those of us fortunate enough to live in the world’s democracies know that our freedoms come with a high price, and a debt of gratitude to the men and women in our military who make them possible.

The world has thousands of war monuments and in no place are these monuments more varied than in Washington D.C.  My favorite war memorial in D.C. is the Vietnam Memorial, beautiful in its simplicity, with over 50,000 names inscribed on its smooth polished granite surfaces.  Each name has a life’s story and someone’s grief associated with it, and every time you visit this monument …

Read More

Karl on | Comments Off on “Pic of the Week”. May 24, 2013. Memorial Day tribute

“Pic of the Week”. May 10, 2013. Stained glass reflection, National Cathedral, Washington D.C.

2013-003-January 18

I enjoy visiting cathedrals during my travels.  The architecture, beautiful art, attention to fine detail and soft lighting were designed to be a feast for the eye, the mind, and the soul.  When I enter a thousand year old church I try to put myself in the mind of the peasants for whom it was built — poor people who would have been awed by the size and grandeur of a church and by the large windows that lite it.

Stained glass windows are special not just for the colorful and interesting designs and stories they convey, but also for the beauty of the light transmitted through them and how it’s reflected on the walls and floors of the church.  This …

Read More

Karl on | Comments Off on “Pic of the Week”. May 10, 2013. Stained glass reflection, National Cathedral, Washington D.C.

“Pic of the Week”. February 15, 2013. Sunset, National Mall, Washington D.C.

2013-007-February 15

Washington, D.C. is a fascinating place to visit with millions of things to see and do.  You can’t possibly experience it all in one visit, or two, or ever.  From the vast treasures of the Smithsonian to its historic monuments, you’ll never have a dull moment in D.C. (unless you end up talking to politicians or lobbyists).

This photo was taken as we were beginning an evening tour of the city to enjoy the lights on such sites as the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials.  As we were starting the tour the bus drove in front of the Capitol Building, between it and its Reflecting Pool.   This photo was quickly snapped from a slowly rolling bus and captures the Ulysses S. Grant statue …

Read More

Karl on | Comments Off on “Pic of the Week”. February 15, 2013. Sunset, National Mall, Washington D.C.
.All Trips / D.C. / North America / Southeastern USA

Washington D.C. — Our National Treasures

Washington D.C

I am not a fan of politics or most politicians.  For years the political mess I’d see in Washington D.C. literally kept me from wanting to visit the city — perhaps for fear some of the mess would rub off on me.  Still, as a patriotic citizen I felt compelled to visit our National Capitol someday and see its well-known landmarks — highlighted so often on television and in films such asNational Treasure.  When a major medical meeting I wanted to attend held its annual conference in D.C. it finally seemed an appropriate time for a visit.  And I’m glad we finally went.

Washington D.C. is a great and world class city that’s well worth a visit (or two).  I can’t think of any city in …

Read More

Tagged , ,