Cherry Blossom Special - Washington, D.C.

Nothing heralds the arrival of spring in this Nation’s Capital as the blooming of the the Japanese Cherry trees. The famous trees, a gift from Japan in 1912, signal the coming of Spring with an explosion of life and color surrounding the Jefferson Memorial on the Tidal Basin in a sea of pink and white. The blooming of the cherry trees around the Tidal Basin in Washington , D.C. has come to symbolize the natural beauty of the nation's capital city. Millions of visitors from across the nation and around the world come to the Nations Capital to witness the spectacle, hoping that the trees will be at the peak of bloom for the 2006 National Cherry Blossom Festival, Washington , D.C. 's rite of spring. We undoubtedly were a definite part of the whole scenario in Washington ’s merry making festival!

The 2006 National Cherry Blossom Festival is scheduled for March 25-April 9. We made an early trip to Washington , DC to be a part of the blossoming season which lasts for only about 14 days. We could hit across quite a number of blossoms in this cold weather… As the blossoms need to have a warmer climate to show up in its fullest form, they were still not at their peak bloom. Exactly when the buds will open is not an easy question to answer, but the forecasts are made by the horticulturists and they are based upon the weather forecast, and close inspection to determine the stage of bud development.

We decided to leave early in the morning on Saturday …We started a little after 5 O’ clock in the morning. Washington , DC is exactly 230 miles away from Florham Park . It was a thorough four and half hours drive with a break in between to refresh. We reached the city at around 9.30 that morning viewing lots of cherry blossoms as we kept getting closer and closer to Washington ….checked in Courtyard by Marriott on the Connecticut Avenue, as we had already made a reservation there….

We then started off on foot along with the city tour maps and Metro maps …. We had a good and a quick bagels and omelets break fast at a very good breakfast café called Cosi…and then headed towards the Dupont Circle station for the subway to the Metro Center . The nation's capital is one of the easiest cities to navigate and a terrific city for touring, once you understand the basics. With one of the safest, cleanest and most efficient public transportation systems in the country serviced by Metrorail (subway) and Metrobus , Washington , DC's many attractions and neighborhoods are easily accessible. The subway stations, by themselves, were yet another marvel in a man’s numerous achievements… My goodness….The whole system is built in underneath with a good amount of precision in every aspect….like ticketing vending machines, information centers, guidelines, schedules etc. The escalator which took us deep inside was of an awesome length…it took nearly 5-6 min to get to the station underneath from the top on the escalator! And, from there also there was again a double-decker system of the rails…the metro trains running above and below that level! Train lines are named by colors: Red, yellow, blue, green, and orange. It was amazing to see all this going on so perfectly underneath from the ground level.

We reached the Metro Center took another subway to the Smithsonian station. Got down there and climbed up the hollow to the ground level to reach the National Mall area….and once up … there was a huge bustling crowd in the open ground and we could see almost all the attractions of the city from that point….like the US Capitol behind us, the Washington Monument in the front, the Lincoln Memorial beyond, the Smithsonian Castle beside us and many other good architectural buildings in the National Mall area. As the seat and symbol of democracy, Washington is a city of powerful history and epic political drama. Its enduring symbols – The White House, U.S. Capitol, museums of the Smithsonian Institution and monuments to the great American Presidents are the major attractions for the tourists all around the world.

One of the best ways to experience Washington is on foot, with wonderful pockets including the inspiring monuments, memorials, parks, Smithsonian museums and various other famous galleries and buildings found on the National Mall as well as the world-class theatres and splendid gardens, squares and circles throughout the District. We then walked towards the Washington Monument. There was this The 40th Annual Smithsonian Kite Festival going on and there were number of participants flying their best kites… Kites in different forms and brilliant colors…we could see them in the forms of the butterflies, the wasps, many Nemos, fish, birds, tiny aero planes all gliding in the sky…and it was so good to see the kites along with the monument standing upright in the sky. Located at the western end of the National Mall, this four-sided stone structure honors the "Father of his Country," General, Founding Father, and the first President of the United States , George Washington. At 555 feet 5 1/8 inches (169.29 meters) high, the Washington Monument towers over everything in Washington , DC and is one of the tallest masonry structures in the world. Fifty flags surround the base of the Washington Monument and symbolize the 50 states of the Union . Of all the Presidents of the United States , George Washington is the most celebrated. Washington Monument commemorates his legacy.
Then we moved on to the World war II Memorial, from there on hit the Reflecting Pool. What the Reflecting Pool reflects are the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial, which are positioned at either end of it. The pool is long -- a third of a mile -- and shallow, at about three feet. It is flanked by pedestrian paths.

We then walked towards the famous Lincoln Memorial. The Lincoln Memorial is a tribute to President Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States (who is known as ‘the Great Emancipator’) and also the nation he fought to preserve during the Civil War. The 19 foot tall statue of Lincoln exhibits his compassion, strength and determination and remains one of the popular places on the National Mall for expressions of freedom.
We then moved onto the Korean War Veterans Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. One of the more visited memorials in the park, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial honors those men and women who served in the Vietnam War. People come all over the world to view the black granite wall that holds 58,249 names of those killed and missing in action. ‘The Wall that Heals’ serves as a place for remembrance, reflection, grieving and closure. Let me make a frank submission here … In the history of mankind Wars itself are a great blunder. There are losses at the cost of men fighting for nations and sacrificing their lives…. Why should all this have happened…If you get in deep and look at it…you will realize that a country’s history should not talk and take pride in exhibiting itself in being involved in the destructive causes of waging wars and later building memorials in the honor of numerous sacrifices made by the unknown innocent people….A Nation has to grow with its integrity to gain power. Wars are just a curse of human intelligence…. War Does Not Always Decide Who Is Right But It Always Decides Who Is Left! Ok lets not get into the controversy of the Vietnam and the Korean Wars….

After the memorials at the National Mall we walked to the famous White House through the Ellipse. From far off, outside a fence we caught the glimpses of the White House, significant for its Federal architecture, as a symbol of the Presidency. It has been the home of every president of the United States since John Adams. We then walked…the whole Constitution Avenue towards the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum…. We could see the Washington Monument, US Capitol building all the time we walked backwards in the National Mall. The line to the Museum was very very long…We got to enter the museum after a 30 min wait in the line. The Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum maintains the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft in the world. It is also a vital center for research into the history, science, and technology of aviation and space flight, as well as planetary science and terrestrial geology and geophysics. It has hundreds of original, historic artifacts on display, including the Wright 1903 Flier; the Spirit of St. louis; the Apollo 11 command module Columbia; and a Lunar rock sample that visitors can touch. It was a good Science break….After spending say 3 hours inside we were out of the Museum at around 4 O’clock ….

We then walked to the Smithsonian Castle and from there on to the Tidal Basin, a popular destination as the cherry blossoms make their appearance around the Tidal Basin. The area is famous for its many beautiful Japanese cherry trees in bloom with the Jefferson Memorial in the background. It was a Walk in the Clouds experience! This easy 2.1 mile loop offers natural and cultural treasures. We walked around the complete loop stopping for pictures at the very pretty puffy white blossoms of the Yoshino, Kwanzan and Usuzumi cherry trees which seem to create a cloud like effect while you walk. Surrounded by these famed cherry trees, the pedestrian promenade which loops around the Basin can't be beat, with its sea of pink above and a sea of fallen blossoms underfoot.

We visited the famous Jefferson Memorial located at the south side of the Tidal Basin makes an excellent vantage point for panoramic views… Thomas Jefferson, the 3rd President of the United States is one of the greatest figures in the history of this nation. The author of the ‘Declaration of Independence’ was one of the founding fathers of the United States . President Franklin Delano Roosevelt felt that a person of such magnitude deserved a memorial, similar to the Lincoln memorial and the Washington monument. The Jefferson Memorial is a dome-shaped rotunda and Jefferson's 19-foot statue stands within, surrounded by some of his most inspirational writings and passages. We spent a lot of time here enjoying the beautiful scenario and the breeze of the waters at the Basin.

We walked out around the Tidal Basin and came across the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial…. a fourth presidential monument in the memory of the 32nd President. Located along the Cherry Tree Walk on the Western edge of the Tidal Basin , its shade trees, waterfalls, statuary, and quiet alcoves create the feeling of a secluded garden rather than an imposing structure. Unlike the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials which are compact, covered and focused on a single statue of each president, the FDR memorial is vast, uncovered, and focused on numerous statues, quotes, and waterfalls.

We then moved towards the Japanese Pagoda and the Japanese Lantern… It was already turning dark …We walked back…. Towards the Washington Monument and all the way towards the US Capitol Building to see it lit at night It was stately and gorgeous…We were dead tired…as we had walked the mad max in our lives I guess…The legs had already started singing terribly .... We must have walked straight 10 miles in the whole day…We then took back the same route by subway reached our destination to have a sumptuous dinner at California Pizza Kitchen…..and later went to the hotel and retired for the day. It was a very long day.
The next day …Sunday …all set we checked out from the hotel… went to Cosi for a quick breakfast…We passed the Embassy row (we saw our Indian embassy there) as we drove to visit the Washington National Cathedral….a huge and a marvelous architectural beauty. It was awesome…. The building abounds in architectural sculpture, wood carving, leaded glass, mosaics, artistic metal work, and many other works of art, including over 200 stained glass windows….We then came back to the Dupont circle, parked our car at a safe place. Later we took a subway to Arlington, Virginia to visit the Arlington National Cemetery where we walked to the President John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s grave site to pay our respects….We even saw the changing of the guard taking place at the Tomb of the Unknowns. We then visited the Iwo Jima Memorial….and returned back by subway to the Smithsonian station.

We visited the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.This museum is dedicated to understanding the natural world and our place in it. This museum is a favorite with kids, but has plenty to intrigue all ages. More than 81 million artifacts are displayed including specimens of animals and plants, animal and dinosaur skeletons, an enormous collection of natural gems and minerals, displays of early man, evolution of human being in the world… a long journey showing the evolution from invertebrates to vertebrates, an insect zoo, a live coral reef and much much more. The universe is constructed from a multitude of various materials. It is dynamic in form and shape due to a multitude of various processes and interactions between these materials. To the human, however, in his need to establish his place and purpose in the universe, the most important material is biological and the most important process is evolution, far it is only here that the human can learn to understand himself, an understanding that is vital to his survival. It’s a great place for preliminary education for the kids… It has simulations…audio and visual aids for each and every exhibit… auditoriums which film informative films for the kids. We saw families and lots of kids in all sizes enjoying the museum.

After the museum we walked towards the US capitol building spending little time at the reflecting pool over there and then walked to the National Gallery of Art ….quickly gave a look at the Sculpture and Painting section and then took a new DC circulator Bus which drove only two of us to the Smithsonian station to board a subway back to Square A ..the Dupont Circle . We then went to Chipotle packed ourselves two Burritos and around 6.30 in the evening started off to New Jersey …We had to pass through Baltimore , Maryland and Philadelphia , Pennsylvania to reach NJ….. We reached home at around 11.30… We hit the bed after a walkie weekend.

Happy living.

The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.

-Manasi

THE BIG APPLE TREAT!

I know, I did not seem to be online for quite sometime. Ok…Where was I?? Well…. Madam was in Manhattan, New York! I am just back from New York. Hmmm ….The story goes like this…. It all started on Thursday night when Rohit was back home saying that he could take a break on Friday and Monday for all the work which went on for 2 months straight. We were looking out for options and trying to decide something good for the weekend…. After lot of juggling online, looking out for options we managed to get a fair deal to New York at about 12 at night. We immediately booked the tickets for the 7 O’ clock flight… decided on starting from home at around 4.30 early morning as the airport is quite far off and we had to even return the existing car and book another one for us to move around in New York…Well…and reaching New York where to go?…. We had to take long directions from La Guardia terminal of New York to the downtown Manhattan and from there on to a cousin’s…etc….and by the time all this paper work was done it was already 3.00 in the morning… Rohit took a quick nap….I packed and made ourselves a single baggage…an easy carriage to pull…and I hardly slept that night. We reached the airport at 5 O’ clock in the morning…well before time….The flight took off at the right time….and we landed the La Guardia airport of New York at 8.45 AM.

Well from there…the first thing we did was to collect all the maps and brochures from the information center …We took a bus which crossed the Triborough bridge to the Uptown Manhattan and from there boarded a subway to the downtown Manhattan…Weather was good….A clear sky and sunshine… All we could see were the innumerable clusters of skyscrapers …buildings so tall that in order to get a view of the tip we might lean back and fall and still the tip would not be visible!! Each and every tall architectural structure trying to be taller than the other establishing its own supremacy and speaking loud of the achievements of the builders and creating its own niche in the architectural history with a unique design of its own. Manhattan was so crowded…. Full of people…of different nationalities….We could see so many Indians and Chinese people. We got down at the 42nd street of downtown Manhattan where in we caught the glimpses of Empire State building…We could see people walking both ways…crowded…and we were one among them walking too… we walked a lot……street after street…Getting around New York City is a breeze, thanks to buses, subways, taxis and countless feeder roads. There are also ferries, helicopters, bicycles, and frequent Amtrak and commuter rail service. Not to forget our feet….NYC is a walking city!…Its best seen on foot… One of New York City’s great assets is its walkability. Manhattan is mostly a grid system of uptown/downtown streets intersecting with cross town streets so its hard to get lost here. Most of the city is flat, perfect for strolling. Exploring it all from a walker’s pace, at eye level, is the best way to get a real feel for the city. Its the cheapest way to get around, and sometimes (depending on traffic and distance) it is the fastest. The crowded sidewalks, you’ll see people snacking, meeting long-lost friends, gossiping, taking business meetings via cell phone…..Met lots of people on the way ….explored the city on foot the first day…. Ate …drank… and just walked …till the Staten Island…. where there were ferries to go to the Statue of liberty ….we saw her standing far off in the midst of Liberty Island… We spent lots of time moving in downtown as the best of New York is still downtown. It’s the birth place of the nation. Its Wall Street, the South Street Seaport , Williamsburg bridge, Manhattan bridge, Brooklyn bridge…its surrounding rivers like Hudson, Harlem and East rivers ….its breath taking views of the harbor and Statue of Liberty. Its narrow winding streets and skyscraper canyons. Its parks, plazas and esplanades. Its museums concerts and out door sculptures. Its diverse shopping experience, superb dining and world- class hotels and eateries…. Best of all …its always a short walk from one great attraction to the next.

After we felt that we have walked enough ….we went to Avis… got ourselves a car as we wanted to reach our cousin’s place little early in the night….before we could miss out on the roads…. We took the car and Rohit drove from downtown Manhattan to the mid town Manhattan… Manhattan was just great in the evening twilight… Wonderful…The lights all getting lit up slowly and whole city seemed to rev up again with a great energy and enthusiasm…and the clear sky coming out with the stars… It was just great! We took the Lincoln tunnel to reach New Jersey…The Lincoln Tunnel provides a means of transportation from mid-town Manhattan to New Jersey underneath the Hudson River. We reached their place Piscataway before 8 O’ clock at night….They were waiting for us…We had an early dinner …. We also retired by 12 at night as we were tired too.

The next morning that’s on March 11th…. after having break fast … … all set …we drove town to the Metropark station …a 15 minutes drive from their place .We took tickets for a roundtrip for the NJ transit train from Metropark of New Jersey to New York…We reached NY in 30 minutes….That’s the best thing in New York….Cars are not a great means to go around the downtown Manhattan… as to get a car parking is next to impossible and even if you did…then it would cost you 50$ straight for an hour! We took a subway from the Penn Station to 42nd street…. Purchased the tickets for a two day hop-on and hop-off 2-day double decker bus tour….and then visited the first indoor place …Madame Tussauds Museum…In a city with millions of things to see and do, there is only one place where over 200 of the world's top celebrities provide you with an interactive experience of a lifetime showcasing lifelike wax figures. It features The Dalai Lama, Maya Angelou, John F. Kennedy, Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King, Jr., Buffalo Bill and Diana, Princess of Wales….trendsetters of the 20th century, featuring Mikhail Barishnikov, Babe Ruth, Janis Joplin, Charlie Chaplin, The Beatles, Marilyn Monroe, John Wayne, Bill Gates and Neil Armstrong…celebrities like Woody Allen, Bette Midler, Nicolas Cage, Hugh Grant, Oprah Winfrey, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and Donald Trump … the blushing Jennifer Lopez, Teri Hatcher, Madonna…with some of whom we posed too…

Later we boarded our open top bus “City Sights NY” for our city day tour…It was a great experience…the .double decker bus tours allow you to enjoy the best of Manhattan with unlimited hop-on, hop-off opportunities at over 50 stops throughout Manhattan…
The bus went around all the places of interest covering the famous buildings …the historical architectural structures…the parks…the museums…the city libraries…the tallest hotels and the world-class hotels, restaurant rows… where in we could see plethora of restaurants and cafes with cuisines of different countries…Chinese, Mexican, Portugal, Italian, Indian, American, Greek, Thai etc… Times Square, Empire State Building, Chrysler building, Trump building, United Nations, South Street Seaport, Financial District, Greenwich Village, SoHo, Little Italy, Chinatown, Site of the World Trade Center, Wall Street, Battery Park, South Street Seaport for the view of the man made wonderful bridges, Rockefeller Center, Fifth Avenue, Museum Mile, New York Historical Society, The Dakota, Lincoln Center, Time Warner Center, Central Park, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Apollo, Madison Square Garden, Macy's Herald Square….

We got down at the Empire State Building at the right time…the dusk…where in we hoped to catch the breath taking views of Manhattan and beyond in the day and the night both…and the twilight experience. New York's famous Empire State Building, a New York City Landmark and a National Historic Landmark, soars more than a quarter of a mile into the atmosphere above the heart of Manhattan. Its 1454 feet in height with 102 floors. The building was actually completed ahead of schedule, taking only one year and 45 days to build. All in all, the feeling and spirit of New York City is embodied in the Empire State Building. From the people who fell in love here, to the ones who have returned with their children and grandchildren, everyone recognizes the building not only as an awe-inspiring landmark which offers one of the most spectacular views on earth but an unequalled symbol of American ingenuity and Art Deco architecture…the Observatory on the 102nd floor offers panoramic views from within a glass enclosed pavilion and from the surrounding open-air promenade…Wow…wow…wow struck was I that I am short of words to describe this unique experience of my life time I can say! Let me mention here that every New Yorker still grieves at the loss of the World towers which happened to be the tallest building in New York. The one thing that you get to hear from any one is “ Unfortunately Empire State Building is the Tallest Building in New York now”. The beautiful lights that grace the top of The Empire State building are energy efficient as well as awe inspiring. In fact, as a Tourism attraction, the view from afar can be as exciting as the view from the top! Visitors and observers from near and far should not take the lighting of the Empire State Building for granted because there are always interesting and interactive events planned throughout the year. The Tower Lights just might surprise you with how often they change! March 10 - March 12, 2006 was Blue/Blue/White for Colon Cancer Awareness…that’s what we got to see!

Later in the evening we walked and then went to the China town….had good ethnic food …rushed to the Penn Station to catch out NJ transit just in time…only to reach home at 11.30 at night…. We spent some time chatting… and then retired for the day.

The next day …Sunday morning…March 12th looked all soggy from the window….It was raining!! We set out again…the same way…as the day before …reached New York… before 11. AM… we walked towards the Battery park…before that we hit the famous 3 1/2 ton bronze statue of a ‘Charging Bull’ near the New York Stock exchange in Financial District of NYC signifying the financial prominence and stability in the stock market. We began here in Battery Park on the tip of Manhattan at this circular fortress called Castle Clinton the ferry ride to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island…As it was cloudy and raining we could get the views of clouded skyline from the ferry. The ride was good …we reached the Liberty Island where the Statue stood tall and graceful ….taking the cold breeze…Next to the flag, it's America's most famous symbol for freedom - an icon for the immigrant, Liberty Enlightening the World as it is officially titled is familiarly just the Statue of Liberty. The Statue was actually a gift from the people of France. ‘Statue of Liberty’ standing 152 feet tall… she adorns the New York’s harbor standing for – Friendship, Liberty, Freedom and Peace….The Statue of Liberty has turned green, over the years, due to the effects of acid containing rain on its copper sheathing.….
The statue, made of copper sheets with an iron framework, depicts a woman escaping the chains of tyranny, which lie at her feet. Her right hand holds aloft a burning torch that represents liberty. Her left hand holds a tablet inscribed with the date "July 4, 1776" (in Roman numerals), the day the United States declared its independence from England. She is wearing flowing robes and the seven rays of her spiked crown symbolize the seven seas and continents.
Near the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor is Ellis Island. This island served as an immigrant station and a temporary shelter for people coming to the U.S. from other countries.

We finished our ferry ride….and hopped into our bus which took us again to the Times Square…Times Square, named after the one-time headquarters of The New York Times, is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan, New York City, which centers on 42nd Street and Broadway. The theaters of Broadway and the huge number of gaudy animated neon and television-style signage have long made it one of New York's iconic images, and a symbol of the intensely urban aspects of Manhattan. The density of illuminated signs in Times Square now rivals Las Vegas. A notable example of the signage is the NASDAQ sign at the NASDAQ Market Site. The exciting and vibrant nightlife in Times Square rivals any other part of New York City. Its an agora of exquisite shopping, dazzling animated signage, theatres, food and dining from every part of the world, wide variety of shops and stores, entertainment, fun, nightlife, people….list just goes on…

We visited the largest Mc Donald’s outlet in US for burgers….Hopped again into our bus for the Night tour experience to get a bird's eye view of the glitter of "the city that never sleeps!” To see New York when it sparkles is an experience in its own….The night tour marvels us with the ride on to the Manhattan Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge to reach and stop at the historic Brooklyn Fulton Ferry Landing for a photo opportunity and breathtaking views of the glittering necklace of the Manhattan skyline. The stop also allows you to indulge in an ice cream at the Brooklyn ice cream factory….Later there is a stop at The World Financial Center… where the site of the World Trade Center is gonna have an yet another historic marvel called “Freedom Towers” very soon. The blue prints, the information and the architectural models were exhibited in the place. We finished out tour….rushed to the Penn Station for our train…reached home at 11 at night…

I felt Detroit was miniature of Chicago….and now I don’t hesitate to point out that Chicago is a mini miniature of The Big Apple- New York…3 days in Manhattan weren’t just enough to feed our eyes and imagination. The whole city was so overwhelming with lots of vibrant energy, the dazzle and zest and enthusiasm of the people that it was just not sufficient to digest how the city oozes out oodles energy with an invincible oomph! A heritage of skyscraper history like no other city.

Next morning …got up early…took the directions for the airport and left at 8 O’ clock …the flight was at 12.50….we reached the airport at around 10.30…so rambled in the airport…Rohit kept dozing off wherever he got a chance…and …later the flight was delayed 2 hours…we reached Detroit at around 4.00 in the evening.

That’s what was New York for me in a nut shell…Lots more to write on… but lets give it a break now!!

If eyes were made for seeing, then Beauty is its own excuse for being.