4-10-10 Day in DC

So while I'm batchng it, I decided to spend a day poking around DC, seeing some things that seem minor but might be interesting. First I went to the Library of Congress, my most favorite building in all of DC. I went to see the Ricci map, 400 years old and going off display on Monday. The first map in Chinese to show America. I also reviewed the map and chart display. Then I spent a fair time just looking at the murals on the walls - so much to see in that building.

It was a wonderful day, cool but sunny. Next stop was the National Museum of Art. I walked through the Meyerhoff collection - very modern, very strange, included some by Rothko - just big patches of darkish colors. I did see a fantastic Dali of the Last Supper. The light in the picture is amazing and it is very mystical. Had lunch there.

Then off to one of those events you have to search the paper for - the Blessing of the Fleets at the Navy Memorial. This is when the fountains at the Memorial are turned on for the first time in a year. The "Waters of the world" are collected and mixed in four clear containers that are then poured int he four sections of the fountains and the fountains turned on. The Navy band was there, talking heads, midshipmen, and NROTC. A picture is included.

I hurried over to the Air and Space to see Hubble3D in the IMAX. A GREAT movie. Poked around the A&S a bit but it was a total ZOO, with thousands of people in it. Not the time to visit.

Finally off to the Museum of American Art to see the display of Timothy O'Sullivan's photos of the West after the Civil War. I then went to a talk (free again) by James McPherson, the author of Battle Cry of Freedom. He was talking about the first pictures of Civil War dead, taken at Antietam. He spent over an hour talking about the importance of Antietam to the outcome of the Civil War, mainly in that since the Confederacy had to withdraw, the Brits did not come in to call for a peace treaty between North and South.

A very full day - what I came back here for.