Monday night I had class after my internship which makes for a super long day, but our professor pushed back our midterm! Another week to procrastinate studying…
Tuesday night I had a seminar about students’ freedom of speech rights, especially in regards to journalism. It was really interesting and we talked about some interesting, ongoing freedom of speech cases. I hope that sometime while I am here I get the opportunity to go to the Supreme Court and watch the presentation of a case.
Wednesday night I went to a UGA reception at a nearby restaurant. It was a lot of fun, and I met a lot of really great UGA alumni who were excited to share advice and information about their current careers.
Friday night we went to Ben’s Chili Bowl. It is a DC legend, and the atmosphere reminded me of Atlanta’s famous stop, The Varsity. Obviously known for their chili, Ben’s specializes in all things chili. So I had a “Chili Half-Smoke” (smoked sausage on a bun covered in mustard, onions, and chili) and chili cheese fries.
Ben's Chili Bowl
Today I was determined to spend time exploring DC. A weather advisory was issued predicting 60 mph winds, but I was still determined. Good news: I did not blow away, and I had a great day seeing parts of DC that I have never been to before.
A few of us woke up early and went to the Washington National Cathedral. As we approached the cathedral, I was absolutely amazed by the magnitude and presence of this building. It was breathtaking. Construction of the National Cathedral began when the first stone was laid in 1907, but was not completed until 1990.
We were able to take an elevator to the observatory deck. There were great views of the architecture of the cathedral and DC. In the distance we could see the Washington Monument and the dome of the Capitol.
We took a tour of the National Cathedral. It was incredible to learn about the architecture and the history of this magnificent building. I was absolutely amazed. We had a very knowledgeable docent, and I would rank this tour as one of the very best I have ever taken. Our docent explained all of the elements of Gothic architecture. I loved certain aspects of the cathedral: the colors of light through the stained glass windows, the flying buttresses, the lighting, and the pointed arches.
beautiful lighting through stained glass windows
the long nave lined with state flags
the crypt
The history of this building was chilling. President Woodrow Wilson’s tomb is in the cathedral surrounded by iconography and symbols of his life. Stained glass windows display biblical stories, images of nature, and images of American history. One window is comprised of planets and space images to reflect the importance of science and exploration. There is an actual moon rock inlaid in the window (WOW!). Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his last Sunday sermon from the pulpit a week before he passed away. Reagan, Bush I, Bush II, and President Obama all had inaugural prayer services in the Cathedral. Several president’s funerals and memorial services were also held in the Cathedral. There were so many neat stories within the Cathedral. As our docent said, “history attracts more history.”
window with moon rock (black dot inside red circle)
tomb of Woodrow Wilson
A neat thing about the Cathedral was that every hour they have prayers for peace. So everyone in the Cathedral, including those on tours, take a minute, bow their heads, and pray.
After the Cathedral tour, we walked to lunch and tried not to blow away. We ate at Lebanese Taverna which was authentic Middle Eastern food. We shared hummus and flat bread. And we all had different kinds of platters which gave us a unique sampling of foods to “expand our palettes.” It was really delicious.
Our next stop was Woodrow Wilson’s house. Along the way we walked through embassy row trying to guess which countries they represented before we could read the signs. Wilson was the only president to live in DC after his presidency. He lived in the house from 1921 until his death in 1924. It was interesting to see many items from his time in office and learn about the way of living during the period.
Then we journeyed home stopping along the way for coffee and dessert.
No comments:
Post a Comment