The streets of D.C.

The capital of the Empire is strangely quiet. None of the hustle and bustle of… say New York City. The streets are quiet, well organized. Traffic is gentle. I’d been to DC years before, in a previous life, didn’t recall much. But this time we were attending Daughter # 2’s graduation at the Elliot School of International Affairs, George Washington University. I expected more “action”, “movement” in a city that concentrates 40 to 60% of the world’s power? But no. Washington D.C. is like a large, quiet small town.

One of the greatest texts ever written. Most certainly inspired the French in 1789 for our Universal Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. The first article starts the same: All men are born and remain free and equal in rights… But the Americans beat us to it. (No doubt inspired by the French philosophers: Voltaire, Rousseau, Diderot, D’Alembert). Do read the text above. Jefferson memorial.

Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope. A line from “I have a dream”. Martin Luther King’s statue on the mall.

We cannot walk alone… A mural at a church on 14th St if I recall.

The Vietnam war memorial. So many young men! I’d seen photographs before, but never had I realized that the names on the wall are beneath the ground. See the lawn above. It’s been 40 years now since the end of the war. I remember in ’76, going to Grad school in the US. Some of my classmates were going to College under the veteran’s Act. There was one with whom I shared a common dislike of military helicopters. In my case it involved a night  helicopter flight  during joint airborne-infantry manoeuvres. Try a helicopter at night, with all doors open, holding on to your gear and armament. In our case, we were dropped 50 klicks away from the base. Hiked it back all night. I was infantry. Footborne. Not airborne. 😦 In my friend’s case, he was infantry too, and he disliked helicopters because he’d been pushed out the helicopter once, by his sergeant. In mid-air. Ten feet above ground. I nodded as he told me the story. My fifty klicks on foot plus all the gear and weaponry were small change in comparison.

Pennsylvania Avenue. Follow the road to the Centre of World Power.

Washington architecture at its best. Loved the brick houses and buildings. A true “small-town”:

As close as I could find to Street Art. Washington DC is a tidy city. George Washington University. I think it only covers 20 or 30 blocks, next to the World Bank, the IMF, and the WH. (White House)

Just another street of DC.

George Washington University Graduation. May 2015. Lots of women? Those are Millenials, born between 1980 and 2000. According to the Pew Research Center, 69% of Millenial women already are/plan to graduate from College. What is the percentage in Millenial men? 56%. 69 vs. 56%? Take over the world Ladies. And try to make a better job.

Liz Taylor watched over the guests at a beer garden. Beer was good. Congrats to all the graduates.

Text and Photos (c) BMO and Equinoxio.

Good to be back up. Y’all have a lovely week-end. 🙂