I truthfully came to Washington without any expectations. Just like New York, this capital of the States was actually never on my bucket list, but the proximity to New York ensured me that we had to spend at least a day trip here. And all those world famous Smithsonian Museums, of course, I couldn’t say no to such opportunities. So after wrapping up in NYC, Adhi, Peter, May, and I headed south towards Washington D.C. Me, feeling excited but not so much, is apparently about to be so wrong.
Our luck regarding the weather apparently still persisted, as that day apparently had one of the most beautiful sunshine I’ve ever remembered in the entire year. The blue sky was flawlessly clear, not a single shroud of cloudiness spotted. Everything shone in its true colors as the sunray was falling gracefully above all means.
We only had one and a half day in D.C., so our tour was basically revolving around The National Mall. But that day trip turned out to be one thing I truly regret rightaway. After a short sightseeing walk around the White House, I knew already that this journey would suck… because we should’ve allocated more days here!
Yes, Washington turned out to be the gem of this whole The States trip. All those glorious yet classy buildings surrounding the National Mall, they’re just instantly becoming my muse. The sunset we witnessed on that day was undoubtedly the kind of perfect tangerine skies I’ve been wanting to witness in my entire life, peeping through the hilly green fields expanding from all corners of the monument complexes. And although I’ve never really been a fan of statues and monuments, apparently this city is taking them to another level where I’m suddenly transformed into a new history snob who simply could not get enough of exploring every corner that has been touched by such historical significance. I just loved Washington.
We spent the whole first day exploring the outdoorsy vibe of The National Mall, from the Capitol to the breathtaking Lincoln Memorial, just because the weather was too good to be ignored by going inside, and then we spent the following morning exploring the National Museum of African American History and Culture—which turned out to be the most emotionally-triggering museum Adhi and I have ever been—and the Smithsonian American Art Museum which surprisingly turned out to be waaay less overwhelming than MoMA, simply because the latter was just too intimidating and at times, confusing. Adhi and I also had the chance to meet our friend Vita who was pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in the University of Maryland, and had some American diner lunch in front of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. It was such a fine day with some real cool vibes going.
While I learned something new in NYC, I left from D.C. with some thoughts hanging too. It might be that where you least expect something, comes the greater good.