Us and thousands in Washington, D.C.
My dear wife Karen and I joined the tourist parade around the Tidal Basin and Reflecting Pool of Washington, D.C., Sunday. The Cherry Blossom Festival pulsed around the former, even though the East Coast’s tough winter had stunted the trees from yet reaching full bloom. Schedules of man must be made and kept no matter, so we and tens of thousands from so many nations paid our respects from monument to monument. That’s Karen in her Sweet Caroline red looking out over the Tidal Basin from the steps of the Jefferson Memorial.
We’re getting ready to fly back home to Syracuse.
I’ll pick the photos wisely, promise.
In my mind are themes that will share our three days in America’s capital with you all week, with many photographs and some words to help you along.
Have you ever visited Washington, D.C.? If you have, what were your favorite sites, and why? Have you ever seen and smelled cherry blossoms in bloom, and if so, where?
Mark Bialczak 
What’s NOT to love in DC? I never have managed to be there when the cherry blossoms were in bloom, though. 🙂
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Maybe that should be where we all meet one year, cherry blossom time in April, Rachel!
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Love DC. Karen must be really tough. Short sleeves when everyone else has on jackets! Must be the thick Syracuse blood.
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Yes, Cat, we were warm for sure while others seemed not as!
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Awesome pics and post Mark. I can recall visiting Washington a few times with my parents when i was young. We did the tourism thing including the Smithsonian and i loved it. I can recall standing under the huge dinosaurs and looking in the Mercury and Apollo capsules. A treasure trove for a kid. As an adult i was in and out of Washington a number of times, but only on business, never with a chance to revisit the sights. It is a beautiful city.
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It is historic in so many ways, Paul. The museums, the monuments … I’m glad you got a taste with your parents when you were young.
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I have enjoyed your post and the Reflecting Pool photo was fantastic, Mark! I like being there during cherry blossom time. My parents had friends who lived in Rockville, Maryland. They would take us at the best times of day or night to see the sights. My favorite time of going to Wash. D. C. was when I was a Senior in H.S. as a “First Class” Girl Scout. I was given the honor of being a ‘docent’ in the Senate. It was a quiet time, not many bills being worked on or debated about… Smiles!
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You have great memories, I’m sure, Docent Robin! That’s pretty spectacular, being able to work in the Senate like that while in high school. You are special, Robin!
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David has been to Washington numerous times. I have not but have always wanted to go. We’ll get there yet together. I haven’t smelled Cherry Blossoms either, but would love that as well. I really like this picture too Mark. I picked Karen out before I read it was she standing there. 🙂
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You know who she is already without me needing to point it out, MB Colleen. You and David need to get there together. It is so special of a place.
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It’s one of our many possibilities this summer. But I only have so much vacation….. 🙂
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That’s always a sticking point, doling out that vacation time, MBC. 😦
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Sigh….I know. I have talked with European cousins….who start jobs with 6 weeks of vacation. WHO in their right mind ever thought that the human condition was to remove one another from their families for the majority of their waking moments for “livelihood”. ????
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They do things better over there. Here it’s work, work, work, pretend to be off but really work … Oh, MBC … Sigh.
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Oh the “vacationers” I see who are taking work with them. Why? Why? Why? There are so many cultures who have a much better understanding of ‘living’ than many of our own MBM.
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Yes, it’s the not-so-great American Way, that part of it.
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How lovely! My daughter was there as well this weekend. She was celebrating her 19th birthday with friends and family that live in DC. Wonder if you were at the reflecting pool at the same time. 🙂 Glad you got away.
In 1958, my mother was studying in DC and was names Cherry Blossom Queen that year! I don’t know if this pic will come out here but this is a picture of her toasting at the celebration. She is on the right. 🙂
https://us-mg5.mail.yahoo.com/ya/download?mid=2%5f0%5f0%5f1%5f7905189%5fAMF2imIAABWbVSLrRwh%2fyFCmdos&m=YaDownload&pid=2.2&fid=Inbox&inline=1&appid=yahoomail
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I guess if you click the link it downloads it. I can email it to you, if that’s better. 🙂
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Please email it. The link wouldn’t let me in, Mrs. B. ❤
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I got “access denied” when I tried to see your mom at cherry blossom queen. Dang it, Mrs. B! What a great story! Hey, maybe my dear wife Karen and I saw your daughter this weekend. How neat. What timing. Happy Birthday Little B.
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i love d.c., especially in the spring. my oldest daughter was in college there for a couple of years so it gave us a reason to visit more often. once when i was there, the cherry trees were being cut down, and they could not figure out who the criminal was. they finally staked it out and found it was a family of beavers. once relocated, the problem was solved. i had to laugh when i saw your picture of mr. beaver holding the sign near the trees.)
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Your beaver crime spree tale is too much, Beth. Holy cow, chopping down the cherry trees! Which of the many D.C. colleges did your daughter go to, by the way? There are so many good ones down there.
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i know, it was really funny. they called in all kinds of security to see who the guilty parties were. ) oldest h went to george washington university for her last 2 years of school. she loved her time there. and her husband rode his bike to virginia everyday to study photography there.
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MDW Karen and I walked through the GW campus Sunday, Beth. It was very nice looking, the several buildings we saw on the main street. I admired it. Riding over the bridge to Virginia, what great exercise for your son-in-law’s educational routine!
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I was raised in the DC suburbs and at least once a month my friends and I would head into the city to the National Mall and visit the sights. I especially loved the Smithsonian Museum, but there was so much to see and do in the city. I have explored just about every inch of that city, and there’s a lot to love. My very first date with the woman who ended up being my wife was a picnic at the Jefferson Memorial, so that particular spot has a warm place in my heart. The last time I was there was for the Jon Stewart/Stephen Colbert Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear on the Mall in October 2010.
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I’m glad to hear you can hold so many fond memories of our capital from growing up there, Doobster. That’s fantastic, the first date with the woman who would become your wife at the Jefferson Memorial. Sweet location, that.
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Visited several times w/ my parents to visit my aunt and uncle–they lived in the Watergate! He worked for state dept. and my aunt worked for Library of Congress. Did all the touristy things then. As an adult, I used to go 2-3 times a year for work, no time for touristy things, at least until after hours! It’s a great city, with an immensely diverse population–and a large part of it focuses on the kind of political things that I’m into. If I didn’t live in Syracuse, I could definitely see living in D.C. But the incredibly horrendous traffic and the insanely sky-high housing costs make me glad I’m in the ‘Cuse. Gotta love to visit, tho!
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Yes, MDW Karen and I loved seeing the diversity, Phil. It was thrilling talking to people from so many nations in our three days down there. But expensive, yes. Very.
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Never been, but would love to see those cherry blossoms.
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They were just coming out, Dora. They will be something at full bloom, I can tell. 🙂
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I’ve never even been to The States but some day 🙂 And I’m obsessed with cherry blossoms! They are so beautiful.
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I hope you get over here someday, Janey. It’s so large, so much to see. And yes, the cherry blossoms are pretty sweet!
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Looking forward to your posts and photos showing my favorite city. The boys and I took one of those paddle boats seen in your photo and cruised out to the MLK Memorial. There is so much history in DC, it’s almost overwhelming. Aside from the monuments, memorials and the National Mall, one of my favorite stops was the U.S. Supreme Court. I took the tour and attended a presentation in the courtroom, just a few yards away from those nine chairs where the nation’s course is decided. Pretty heady stuff.
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I loved the whole thing, Jim. Every second. All the monuments got to me.
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I’m watching live w/ kelly & michael, in DC right now, interviewing the First Lady. I guess they followed you there. Never been. My uncle has been an attorney there for decades. I’d steer clear of political hubs. I can spot Karen without you pointing it out now. 🙂
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Yeah, she stands right out in the photo, Kerbey. You should get to our capital to visit your uncle. It’s inspiring!
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Leave my Texas to go visit my taxes?
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Since you put it that way … you bet, Kerbey!
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I live two hours south, work one hour south, and still don’t get there as often as I want to.
The trees, while pretty, are hurting me today with the pollen mess. Sore throat, itchy ears, runny eyes. Same every season 🙂
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Ouch. Hay fever season stinks in spring, Sheena. Sorry to hear it.
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Lucky you! Love visiting DC as well! Rented segways last time we were there because the walking we did was so exhausting. Really wanted to go in the National Archives Building to see all the documents, but the line was too long. Need another trip to see that and the White House – but I know we need advanced tickets for that.
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We only did outside visiting this time, Nancy. Next time we’ll go inside the building, getting tickets. I know what you mean, one trip is definitely not enough. Segway was smart, my friend. We walked so much!
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I have never been to DC Mark but am so glad that you and your lovely wife had a wonderful time. Hey, a question: What does DC stand for? I know, I know, I could google it, but I’m asking you. ❤
Diana xo
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It stands for District of Columbia, Diana. Yay, a question I could answer straight off. Thank you, my friend. 🙂
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You’re welcome – I feel so in-the-know now!
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I’ve been to DC several times, Mark. The visit that stands out most for me is the one where I stayed with my dear friend Jeanette, who was living there at the time. It’s the people we’re with who make experiences particularly sweet, don’t you think?
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Yes, Ann, we met two old friends this trip, which mnade it particularly sweet indeed. Agreed.
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I’ve been to DC twice, but never to spend a good, long time. I’d like a week in the Smithsonian, personally.
I am very familiar with cherry blossoms in bloom. When we lived in Ft Stewart, we had a memorial walk/path in which a cherry tree had been planted for each fallen soldier of the 3rd ID. There were too many. It was called The Warrior’s Walk. It was beautiful, but bittersweet.
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That is both beautiful and bittersweek, Joey. I can imagine that the trees here in D.C. are something to behold when in full bloom. Maybe another year for us.
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