A Vacation with Inspiration

I enjoy the movie National Treasure for so many reasons.  One of them is a scene toward the beginning when there are sweeping panoramic scenes of Washington, D.C., around the National Mall, accompanied by epic music.  Those images remind me of a place of supreme significance.

And as anyone who's ever visited or lived there can attest, there is so much to experience in Washington, D.C., and its environs.  Thinking of this city reminds me of the adage attributed to Samuel Johnson: "The man who tires of London tires of life."  I think the same can be said for the capital city on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

I am glad that I've had the chance to go there several times for sightseeing, and to do so once again recently, and to experience it anew.

On a summerlike day, I departed Oak Park onboard the Blue Line to reach Chicago Union Station on the evening of Tuesday, May 23, 2023.  (Notably, May 23 was the day 6 years prior that I returned to Oak Park from a trip to the Pacific Northwest and from the storm chasing trip in 2011.)

Display at the gate for train #30, the eastbound Capitol Limited

By 6:40 PM CDT, I was in my seat onboard Amtrak train #30, the eastbound Capitol Limited as I felt the lurch signaling the start of the journey.  I've ridden this route many times the whole way to Washington, D.C., Union Station.  This time, I would do something a little bit different.

As the train traveled through Northwest Indiana, I thought about my connections there at Valparaiso University and so many people I've gotten to know.  I got myself into sleep mode around the time we reached Elkhart at 9:30 PM EDT.  (Please note that all times are EDT, unless otherwise stated.)  I got up at Toledo and Cleveland to walk around on the platform.

When the train reached Pittsburgh around 4:45 AM EDT the next day, Wednesday, May 24, I detrained.  I wandered around in downtown Pittsburgh to get a bite to eat as the daylight emerged before returning to the station.  After 7 AM, passengers lined up to board train #42, the eastbound Pennsylvanian.  It departed at 7:30.

I was delighted to board this train and ride through the length of Pennsylvania.  I enjoyed traveling through the Appalachian highlands in the western part of the state.  At Greensburg, I encountered a school field trip group, one of many I would see throughout this vacation. Near Altoona, the train traveled around the famous Altoona Curve.  Closer to Harrisburg, we traveled along the Susquehanna River.  I even saw a model of the Statue of Liberty.

Above is a view of the Altoona Curve looking in a northerly direction.  I then turned around to take the photo below, looking in a southerly direction.  Toward the center of the bottom photo are cars toward the back of the train.

Crossing the Susquehanna River as the train nears Harrisburg

Around 12:50, the train arrived at Harrisburg, and I disembarked.  After storing my luggage, I went to find lunch at the Downtown Deli, and I got a turkey sandwich.  It was such a splendid, sunny day, and I found a bench on the grounds of the Pennsylvania State Capitol to eat it.

Then I wandered south on State Street to the Susquehanna River, stopping inside the ornate Cathedral of St. Patrick.

Above is St. Patrick's Cathedral with the darker aqua/greenish dome, toward the left.  Toward the right is a lighter greenish/yellow dome of the state capitol.  Below is the interior of St. Patrick's Cathedral. 

View of the Susquehanna River at Kunkel Plaza, at the other end of State Street from the capitol

Shortly before 2 PM, I arrived inside the capitol, and walked around for a self-guided tour.  

I started by going to the House chamber, where the House was in session.  This might be one of the few times I've made a first-time visit to a state capitol when the legislature was in session.  I spent about 20 minutes in the gallery observing, with a debate on legislation related to railroads.

Then I visited the senate chamber, the supreme court, the senate library, the annex (with a museum display), and the house office building.  There were students on school field trips milling about.

Dome of the capitol

Inside the rotunda

Pennsylvania State Senate Library

Pennsylvania State Senate Chamber

Image of the Pennsylvania State House Chamber from a museum exhibit in the capitol's Eastern Wing annex

Here I am out in front of the east side of the Capitol. Someone nearby kindly stopped to get my photo.

By 3:30 or so, I headed back to the Harrisburg train station, a short walk east of the capitol.  Then I boarded the eastbound Keystone train #654, which departed at 4:22 PM, basically picking up where I left off with the Pennsylvanian, which follows the same route east of Harrisburg to New York City.

The Keystone Route is a corridor service with frequent runs between Harrisburg and New York City, with multiple stops, some which came less than 10 minutes apart.

A fellow passenger photographed me riding the Keystone train.

I rode for about 2 hours on the way to Philadelphia, riding along SEPTA tracks upon getting closer to Philadelphia.  The train arrived there around 6:15.  Upon detraining, I went straight to the SEPTA platform at the 30th Street Station to ride two stops east to the Jefferson Station and then walk to my hotel, the Days Inn by the Convention Center.  Once I got checked in, I got dinner, and then joined my faith-sharing group over Zoom.

The next morning, Thursday, May 25, around 8 AM, I had breakfast at the hotel, which was a pretty good continental breakfast selection.

By 9 AM, I had checked out, and after a quick stop at the nearby Trader Joe's, I walked east to Independence National Historical Park for my 10 AM tour at the Old Pennsylvania State House, Independence Hall.

This day was the third time I participated in a guided tour of the Old Pennsylvania State House, and this tour was special because, on May 25, 1787, the Constitutional Convention reached its quorum and began its business.  So I got to be in the room where it happened, along with fellow tourists and school students on a field trip.  The tour guide emphasized the sun artwork on the presider's chair in the chamber.

A fellow visitor got this photo of me in the room where the biggest events of USA history happened.

The tour guide holds up an enlarged copy of the sun on the back of the presider's chair.

Here I am posing outside Independence Hall in Independence Square, in a photo by a fellow visitor.

After the tour, I walked a couple blocks east to visit the Museum of the American Revolution.  My first Philadelphia visit happened a few months before it opened, so I was glad to finally have the chance to see this museum.  The main exhibit had content on the different stages of the American Revolution era, from the end of the Franco-British War in 1763, the build-up of protests, the outbreak of conflict, the vote on independence, the various campaigns organized by geographic area, and the post-Revolution years leading to the Constitution.  The displays were filled with actual artifacts, and there were other features like a Liberty Tree, and even the opportunity to take a whiff of British tea.  I was particularly drawn to a piece of the bridge in Concord where the Battle of Concord happened.

I took a break around 12:30 to meet with Kristian, who works at the museum. I had connected with her over e-mail a couple of years ago to support the museum's citizenship class.  On this day, I was glad to meet her in person.  After getting lunch from the museum's dining area, we found seats outside to enjoy the gorgeous weather.  During our conversation, Kristian asked me about my impressions of the museum and how I got interested in the citizenship class and the American Revolution era.  It was a great conversation reflecting on how I feel is an important part of the history of the USA because the foundations speak to who we have become today.

When we finished around 1 PM, I went back to the main exhibit, and then went to a screening of the museum's main film, featuring the Washington War Tent, the premier artifact in the museum.  It was a sight to behold at the end.  Once the presentation ended, I resumed viewing the main exhibit.

Model of a Liberty Tree

Copy of Phyllis Wheatley's poetry book

Visitors can smell the tea tossed overboard in the Boston Tea Party

A piece of wood from the bridge at Concord where the battle was fought

Ship display

Here I am posing in a model of the presider's chair in the Old Pennsylvania Statehouse, with the sun on the back. A fellow visitor photographed me.

Dishes to commemorate the new republic, contrasting with dishes at the start of the main exhibit that commemorated King George III

Above and below are flags on display at the stairs between the first and second floors.

About 3 PM, I finished the main exhibit and went to the special exhibit on the Forten Family, a prominent family of African-Americans, and their role in Philadelphia and the nation's history over the course of decades starting from the American Revolutionary era.  I was intrigued to see that a genealogy record in their family Bible noted the birth of someone in Oak Park in the 1990s.

A display evoking a room in the Forten Family home

After hearing so much about the museum and perusing its online offerings, I was so glad to finally have the opportunity to visit.  The exhibits are so well done, and full of great content to connect with the foundational time period.  And while the school groups brought lots of activity to the exhibit, I was glad to see that these students were at the museum to partake of its offerings.  At one point, at a display with the Declaration of Independence, there was a Roman Catholic school group, and the museum guide paused the tour narration as a priest with that group was telling his students how Roman Catholic Church teaching upholds the dignity of life from conception to natural death, and how the Declaration of Independence firmly states the utmost importance of the right to life.

By 4 PM, I had finished at the Museum and headed west a few blocks to St. John the Evangelist Parish, where I spent a few minutes in adoration.  From there, I returned to my hotel to retrieve my luggage.  And then I walked to the Suburban train station to board the SEPTA.  I'm grateful for a flight attendant I saw who helped me make my way there.

I arrived at the 30th Street Station by 5 o'clock and waited the next hour for my train south to Washington, D.C.  I had some snacks and read a little.

Shortly before 6 PM, I got in line and then went to the platform below the station to board Amtrak train #129.  

On this train information display board at the 30th Street Station, train #129 appears third from the bottom.

Train #129 arrives at the 30th Street Station.

It was just under a 2-hour ride south to Washington, D.C., at speeds well over 100 mph.  I listened to some podcasts and music on the ride.

At just about 8 PM, the train arrived at Washington Union Station.  I headed straight for the Metro Red Line station and made my way to the King Street Station Alexandria via the Red and Yellow Lines. It was especially breathtaking to see the view of the National Mall when the Yellow Line train crossed the Potomac River bridge, a view I would see numerous times throughout the coming week.

I made good timing in my Metro journey, arriving in Alexandria shortly before 9 o'clock.  Upon entering unit 207, I greeted Mom and Dad.  While having some dinner of meatloaf, I debriefed with them about my visit to the Museum of the American Revolution.

Here's the Club Wyndham Old Town Alexandria Hotel, looking from the north. My bedroom window is just above the tree by the green awning.

Here's the view from my bedroom window looking north toward the Metro and CSX tracks, where I saw trains pass constantly.

Door to our unit

The next day, Friday, May 26, was a day marked with the joy of Mom's birthday.  I started by attending 8 AM Mass at the Basilica of St. Mary.  Following breakfast, Mom, Dad, and I departed Alexandria for a visit to the Library of Congress, arriving shortly before 11 AM.  The Library of Congress is certainly impressive for its architectural design and also for the huge collection of materials it has as the world's largest library.  

We viewed some of the bigger spaces, like the reading room. 

Rotunda of the reading room

On the main floor of the reading room

We also visited a display of Thomas Jefferson's library, the core foundation of the Library of Congress collection.  

Information by the entrance of Thomas Jefferson's library display

Close-up of some books in Thomas Jefferson's library

Inside the display of Thomas Jefferson's library

I also saw an exhibit about George Gershwin.  

So far as I remember, here's George Gershwin's piano.

On a whim, Dad decided to get a Library of Congress card, and I tagged along.

Dad photographed me with my brand new Library of Congress library card outside.

Next, we walked along the south side of the Capitol Complex to visit the US Botanic Garden, which is a delightful space filled with a variety of plants in thematically-landscaped rooms.

Exterior of the southeast corner of US Botanic Garden grounds

The inside entry area of the US Botanic Garden

From there, around 1:30 or so, we had lunch at the dining area of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian.  I got a pork dish with green beans and pineapple fried rice.

Once we finished lunch, we returned to our hotel in Alexandria.  In the early evening, we headed out again, riding the Blue Line to Foggy Bottom and then walking west to the Georgetown Waterfront to have a special birthday dinner for Mom at Farmers Fishers Bakers.  I got honey pot chicken.  It was a splendid evening to eat alfresco right by the Potomac, feeling the water-laden breezes, as so many others were enjoying the evening.  

Our server took this family photo.  From left to right are Dad, Naomi, Eric, Mom, and me.

The view from near our table across the fountain toward the Potomac River

Upon returning to the hotel, Mom, Dad, and I gathered to celebrate Mom with her favorite dessert, cherry pie.

Mom is getting ready to enjoy her birthday cherry pie!

On Saturday, May 27, I started by attending 8:30 Mass with Dad at the Basilica of St. Mary.  After returning to the hotel for a quick breakfast, Mom and I went down to the Market Square by Alexandria City Hall for the weekly Farmers' Market--please see the photo below.  There were so many vendors thronging the square.  Besides produce, there were lots of baked goods.

We then went to a nearby Aldi for shopping, followed by lunch.  Shortly after 1:30, we departed for our afternoon outing to the Hillwood Estate in the northern part of Washington, D.C.  We picked up Naomi and Eric who joined us.  It was quite opulent.  There was so much on display inside the house, including jewels, clothing, paintings, fancy furniture, and Russian artwork.  And outside, the grounds were splendidly landscaped with lots of flowers, pathways, and even a Japanese garden with a small stream.  There was a greenhouse, too.  It all made for another nice outing.

One of the rooms inside the house

A display of religious items from Russia

Exterior of the house

 Landscaped garden

After we dropped off Naomi and Eric, we returned to Alexandria and soon had dinner.  Following dinner, I went for a bike ride to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and over to Maryland.

View of the sunset from the Maryland side looking toward Alexandria, with the tower of the George Washington National Masonic Memorial Temple appearing just to the left of the setting sun

The next morning on Sunday, May 28, Mom, Dad, and I celebrated the great Solemnity of Pentecost by walking over to St. Joseph Parish in Alexandria.  I was glad to be back there after Mom and I attended Mass there 4 years ago.  It was fitting to do so on Pentecost because the first time I encountered people from that parish were fellow pilgrims at World Youth Day in Panama.  God's presence was truly alive in those gathered there.

The altar at St. Joseph

On the way back, Mom and I ordered breakfast from Bob and Edith's.  I got pancakes.

After spending some time at the hotel, I headed out to the northern reaches of Washington, D.C., which involved a different effort since part of the Red Line was unavailable.  So at the Gallery Place-Chinatown Station, I boarded a Metrobus for the first time.  First, I made a brief visit to the National Shrine of St. John Paul II, to view part of the main exhibit on his life.

From there, I went to the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, which I always look forward to visiting when in the D.C. area.  I specifically went to attend the Solemn Vespers, which had been held every Sunday in Lent and Easter Seasons.  It was especially glorious to mark the end of the Easter Season on Pentecost by attending Vespers, since I had been watching the livestream all those weeks.  (The livestream video is still available for viewing here.  I sat right in front in a liturgically-appropriate red shirt.)

Here I am posing out front of the main entrance.  I thank the fellow visitor who photographed me.

After Vespers was over, I bought a few items at the gift shop, and then returned to Alexandria.  Upon my arrival, I joined my parents for a dinner of pork chops.

By 6:45, we were on our way to the National Memorial Day Concert. Each year, it's been so meaningful for me, along with Mom and Dad, to turn on WTTW-PBS in Chicagoland and join with millions in this moving tribute to our fallen heroes.  This year, we had the honor of being on the west lawn of the US Capitol to join thousands there attending live.

While we ended up in a spot blocked by trees that wasn't the most ideal, there was something inspiring about joining all the people attending the concert in-person to offer our tribute, especially when singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" toward the start of the concert and then to hear Taps sound out across the west lawn, along with all the standing ovations in honor of our military heroes.  Toward the end, one of the performers asked everyone to turn on their cell phone lights and wave them during the song "We Are One" performed by The War and Treaty.  It was so moving to sing "God Bless America" at the end of the concert when all the performers were on stage--a song that wasn't broadcast in its entirety on TV.  (You can go to the Capitol Concerts YouTube channel and scroll to view other videos from the concert.)

Here's the view from our spot right before the concert started.

Co-hosts Joe Mantegna and Gary Sinise speak at the podium toward the concert's end.

General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, speaks toward the concert's end, following the Armed Forces Medley.

Attendees hold up their phones with flashlights turned on during a song getting close to the very end of the concert.

All the performers gather to sing "God Bless America".

Feeling a special mood for Pentecost as we left, I stopped to get an ice cream cone from a truck just past the entrance.

The following day, Monday, May 29, I went to 9 AM Mass at the Basilica of St. Mary.  It was a double occasion for Memorial Day observed and the Feast of Mary, Mother of the Church.

I was back at St. Mary's later for a Memorial Day ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider of the American Revolution, in the cemetery of the Old Presbyterian Meetinghouse next door to St. Mary's.  The ceremony was led by local 4th degree Knights.

Here is the scene following the ceremony's conclusion. The tomb is right beside St. Mary's Basilica, the white building.

Close-up of the tomb

Following the ceremony, I returned to the hotel and enjoyed grilled food offerings from a cookout for staff and guests, which was a nice surprise.  Shortly after 1 PM, I departed for the National Mall.  I made a brief visit to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History to see the Star-Spangled Banner exhibit.

By 2:30, I met up with Mom, Dad, and Eric at the Washington Monument.  We then walked west to visit some of the memorials and monuments.  As we got closer to the Lincoln Memorial, there was a rain downpour and we got quite wet.  We kept walking to the Lincoln Memorial and then lingered inside for a few minutes to dry off.  

Wreaths at the World War II Memorial

Mom photographed me posing inside the Lincoln Memorial.

The rain didn't last long, and we continued walking, through the Korean War Veterans Memorial, all the way to the M.L. King Memorial.

I then headed up to the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, to celebrate this day's special Feast there.  When I returned to the hotel, there was pizza dinner ready there, from Andy's.

The next day, Tuesday, May 30, we three went to the National Zoo, riding the Red Line to get there.  It was a splendid day to walk around and see the animals, including the renowned pandas--although there was only one out in a viewing area and it was napping.

Elephants

The one panda that was out near the viewing windows

Bison

There's an armadillo near the center of the photo, on the floorspace.

O-Line for orangutans to cross on a wire that's above ground level

There are a couple of sea lions.

North American River Otter

By 1:30, we ended up at Nando's Peri-Peri for lunch, a short distance southeast of the zoo.

I then parted ways with Mom and Dad and walked about a mile to the Mexican Culture Institute.  The building was once the Mexican Embassy, and now hosts events.  It also has lots of splendid artwork and furnishings.

Exterior of the Mexican Culture Institute

Murals on the stairway leading up from the first floor

Artwork on the uppermost level with imagery for each of the states of Mexico

Artwork on the stairwell depicting important leaders, including Benito Juarez above Abraham Lincoln on the left side, and, on the right side, from top to bottom George Washington, Padre Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, and Símon Bolívar.

From there, I walked to the Columbia Heights Metro station, passing a school at dismissal time.  I rode the Metro to the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and spent some more time there in prayer.

Later, after dinner in our hotel unit, I boarded the Metro and rode it to Arlington Cemetery, where I got a Capital Bikeshare bike.  I rode it across the Potomac on the Arlington Bridge and then circumnavigated the Lincoln Memorial.  

Arlington Memorial Bridge, looking eastward toward the Lincoln Memorial

Sunset over the Potomac, looking toward Arlington, where the highrises are

I ended up down by Pentagon City where I returned my bike and then boarded the Metro for my return to the hotel.

The next day, Wednesday, May 31, I went to 8 AM Mass at St. Mary's.  Following Mass, I got a bikeshare bike nearby and then biked to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and over to Maryland, which seemed fitting for the Feast of the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth.

After breakfast back at the hotel, around 10:40, Mom, Dad, and I departed for the Udvar-Hazy Center Annex of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, which was about a 45-minute drive away in Chantilly, VA, by Dulles Airport.  The space is impressive and enormous, housing all manner of aircraft, especially military, and even the Discovery space shuttle.  As we walked in, a volunteer immediately greeted us, and upon hearing it was our first time at the museum, gave us a brief overview of what we could see there.  That was a good way to get our bearings.  Throughout our time there, we encountered very knowledgeable staff and volunteers.  Somehow the Discovery space shuttle seemed a bit smaller than I was expecting, but it was still impressive.  Among the military aircraft included the Enola Gay, which dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, and the Glamorous Glennis, which Chuck Yeager was flying when he broke the sound barrier.  

Spacesuit for a Space Shuttle astronaut

Space shuttle Discovery

Supersonic Concorde plane

Enola Gay

Glamorous Glennis

Toward the end of our visit, we went up to an observation tower to look around at the surrounding area, including Dulles Airport.

Looking northward toward Dulles, with the air traffic control tower appearing toward the right

View of the entryway of the museum and the observation tower, toward the right

Subsequently, we headed east toward Arlington.  We made a stop in Falls Church at a shopping center where I stopped at an Alamo Flags store, and then we got some food at a nearby Safeway.  From there, we went to the new condo of Eric, Naomi, and Weasley, for a brief visit.

Here I am with Weasley as he gnaws at his toy. I'm fairly certain Mom took this photo.

After returning to Alexandria, we went to dinner at Los Cuates.  I was glad to have a repeat dining experience there, since I enjoyed my meal there in March 2023, and I ordered it again: chicken and shrimp in saffron sauce along with mixed vegetables, white rice, and black beans.  Following dinner, I walked over to St. Mary's for a few minutes of adoration and then down by the waterfront before returning to the hotel and joining my faith-sharing group once again as May 2023 concluded.

To begin a new month, on the morning of Thursday, June 1, I went to 8 AM Mass at St. Mary's.  After breakfast back at the hotel, we three departed for our day's outing in downtown Washington, D.C.  We ended up first visiting what I feel is one of the city's best-kept secrets: the Tower of the Old Post Office Building, in a building that now houses a Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.  

The Old Post Office Tower at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel

After winding away around the building, we found the entrance to the tower, which was tucked away.  The observation level is at 390 feet above street level and has great views.

This view looks toward the north, and the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception appears in the distance toward the right.

Eastward view looking along Pennsylvania Avenue toward the US Capitol

Southward view looking toward the National Mall and the Potomac, with the Washington Monument toward the right

Southward view looking toward the National Mall

Westward view, and appearing to the left are the Washington Monument, the western part of the National Mall, and the Lincoln Memorial

Mom, Dad, and I pose in the observation area, in a photo taken by a fellow visitor.

After returning to street level, I made a quick visit to the nearby post office for stamps.  Then we went to join Eric at noon for lunch at a spot near his office, Tatte, a fast-casual place.  I got a turkey sandwich with avocado and other greens.

Following lunch, Eric returned to his office, and we three went to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.  Mom was interested in seeing the part of the presidential exhibit featuring Abraham Lincoln's hat, which was unavailable during our vacation last year.  I was eager to see it, too.  

Abraham Lincoln's hat from the day of his assassination

A chair George Washington had at Mount Vernon

Around 1:30, I departed from Mom and Dad in the presidential exhibit and walked to the Washington Monument for my 2:00 visit.  I was glad to have the chance to ascend again and see the views, to reinforce my memories from our first family vacation to Washington, D.C.  The weather was great and made for excellent views.

The Tidal Basin, in a view looking southwesterly

Westward view, looking toward the Lincoln Memorial

Northward view, including the White House, toward the center of the photo

Northeasterly view, with the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception appearing toward the left, off in the distance

Eastward view, looking toward the US Capitol

Here I am by one of the west-facing windows, in a photo taken by a fellow visitor.

Around 2:30 or so, I returned to ground level and headed for the National Archives, where there was a much shorter line to enter.  Once inside, I went to the rotunda to see the Charters of Freedom, followed by a stop at the ground-level exhibit with a 1297 copy of the Magna Carta.

Next, I went to the Native American Museum, where I spent a few minutes viewing an exhibit about how Native Americans have served in wars throughout US history (please see the photo below), which was in conjunction with the recent opening of the memorial for Native American veterans.

Subsequently, I went for a walk around the west side of the capitol over to the Senate side, and then went to Union Station to board the Metro and return to Alexandria.  After our dinner, I went for a bike ride down by the waterfront and ended up getting some ice cream at the Creamery as a way to cap off my final day, and evening, in the Washington, D.C., area.

The following morning, on Friday, June 2, I got packed up and had breakfast.  Shortly before 9 AM, we three departed in the family Subaru, headed north to the condo of Naomi, Eric, and Weasley for a short visit since they needed help with mounting a mirror.  We saw Weasley out for a walk with Naomi as we pulled away.  Mom and Dad dropped me off at the Rosslyn Metro station and we began our separate paths back.

I rode the Blue Line back to Alexandria.  

Eastward view of King Street from the King Street Station Platform

After retrieving my luggage from storage at the hotel, I walked about 2-3 blocks to the Alexandria Union Station and waited to board train #51, the westbound Cardinal.  

On this info board, the Cardinal train #51 appears second from the top.

I ate my lunch while waiting, a turkey sandwich from what was left in the refrigerator.  It arrived at 11:16 AM.  My friend Roy called me right before the train arrived, and once I was seated, we resumed our conversation as the train journeyed through the outlying reaches of the Virginia suburbs towards Manassas and beyond into farm fields.

Past Charlottesville, the train rose up into the Appalachian highlands.  And the ride got especially scenic once we reached West Virginia.  The June summery sun shone brightly as the train wove along the incredibly scenic corridor of the New River, and the daylight was still present when we reached Charleston.  And the bright light of the moon shone upon reaching Huntington when I stepped off for fresh air.

New River at Hinton, WV

New River between Prince and Thurmond, WV

New River past Prince, WV

New River between Prince and Charleston, WV

Charleston, WV, at the station stop there

Full moon over Huntington, WV

Train stopped at Huntington, WV

The next morning, on Saturday, June 3, after our lengthy layover at Indianapolis, where many people detrained and others took their place, there was an incredible sunrise over the fields of Indiana near Brownsburg in Hendricks County--please see the two photos below--as the train traveled toward Crawfordsville.

As we entered northwest Indiana, I recognized a few places that were familiar from getting to know the area during my ValpU years.  Then came the crossing into Illinois and through the southern suburbs and then the South Side of Chicago, as I overheard fellow passengers talk about their plans in Chicago, including a foursome planning to attend the Taylor Swift concert.  The train pulled into Union Station around 9:50, about 10 minutes early.  I excitedly remarked about my plans to be back onboard Amtrak later in the summer as I exited.  

The Cardinal's engine is near the center of the photo. To the left is the engine of the Lake Shore Limited train, and to the immediate right of the Cardinal is the engine of the Capitol Limited.

I bought a chicken biscuit sandwich at Chik-Fil-A before boarding the CTA Blue Line back to Oak Park.

Reflecting on Washington, D.C., it's rather incredible to think that so much speaking to the very nature of the USA is packed into one city.  It certainly draws from history, and also showcases how that history is lived out in our experience as Americans in the present day.  And thanks to the work of so many on staff at the various institutions there, we can access these treasures and share them together.  I am grateful for the opportunity I had to spend time with my family during this week, continuing what we have experienced for so many years together and to do it in such an amazing place.  I liked how we spent time walking around the National Mall on Monday.

It was wonderful to see so many school groups on field trips present.  I give their teachers and schools so much credit for all the effort they made in getting those students there so that this experience could be part of their formative years, especially considering that groups came from as far away as Florida, Ohio, and Sacramento, CA.  

The city of Washington is a microcosm of our democratic experience in this Republic, that we share this common heritage.  It makes for a great location to include other places that form part of the US experience, like the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, which continues to fill with me awe even 10 years after my first visit there.

Certainly, there were aspects of this trip that were repeat experiences, like visiting the National Archives, the Washington Monument, and the Star-Spangled Banner exhibit at the Smithsonian Museum of American History.  I am always eager to reconnect with these and other experiences in Washington, D.C., because I am connecting with the very essence of the USA itself, and also who I am as a US citizen.  

I am also glad that I connected with the essence of the USA in other ways during this trip, like when I was riding Amtrak, which included a new experience like riding from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia, and reconnecting with the Northeast Corridor and the Cardinal.  And Philadelphia has so much that speaks to the essence of the USA, and I gained whole new insights during my Museum of the American Revolution visit.  I'm also glad I had some new experiences during this vacation, like the Mexican Culture Institute, the National Zoo, and, of course, the Post Office Tower.

That tower provided me with another vantage point of the monumental aspects of Washington, D.C.  Every city has a skyline and I enjoy opportunities to view them from a good spot.  When I gaze out at the skyline of Washington, D.C., especially from the vantage point of the Potomac River near Arlington, or especially when crossing the Yellow Line Bridge over the Potomac, I see a piece of the USA that speaks to the whole.  And every time I see it, I am truly inspired.

One of those inspiring views of Washington, D.C., from the Mount Vernon Trail on Columbia Island.