What readers liked to visit over the last year Should it be any surprise that the bashful adventurers visiting these pages have eclectic taste? Their reading habits show their interest—in learning, in history, in practical matters. The most popular posts of the past year spanned the globe, from South America, to Central, to North, from…
Tag: Washington
Benjamin Franklin for Any Age
Finding a Founding Father at the National Postal Museum U.S. Founding Father Benjamin Franklin offers something of interest to just about everyone. The younger set tends to be drawn to his kite-flying exploits, elders might explore his history with bifocals, and anyone in the workforce might appreciate his endeavors as perhaps one of the founder…
The Working Hilton
Knowing how sizeable the Washington Hilton is, how it is a lure both for tourists and business folk, I am reticent to stay there. Yes, it is ideally situated just north of Dupont Circle on Connecticut Avenue, perfect for getting a cab, walking to the Metro, or just hanging around the neighborhood at places like…
It’s Just a Sweet Art Installation
Beyond the Luncheon of the Boating Party at the Phillips Collection We can pretend all we want that our visit to the Phillips Collection is to appreciate the Rothko paintings, but we know as we climb the stairs, shuffle through the galleries, wonder if we really like the more contemporary additions to this museum that…
Disco D.C.
That Vegas Feeling in Washington’s Grand Dames Has anyone ever gone to the nation’s capital to experience the glitz? D.C. tends to be a staid and educational or work-related travel destination, one where a little history, a brush with power, and, increasingly, some good food, can be had. A quick visit to some monuments, a…
What to Order at Russia House
On a quick trip to the District of Columbia with the Brawny Sherpa and the most senior of our youthful adventurers, we opt for dinner at the Russia House both for its convenience — located in close proximity to the Washington Hilton, where we are staying for the weekend — and in the hope that we will…
Gawking at Ford’s Theatre
That Creepiness at the Crossroads of Tourism and Assassination Despite living in the District of Columbia for more than a decade, I always dodged visits to Ford’s Theatre, the site of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination by actor John Wilkes Booth. “Too many fourth-graders on a field trip,” I’d mutter, dismissing the long lines snaking outside the…
Wherever I Go, There’s Rochambeau
Recurring Characters in Historical Travels Revered as a hero in the American Revolution, the Comte de Rochambeau’s efforts helping the new country ward off the British are commemorated along the Washington-Rochambeau National Historic Trail—almost 700 miles extending from Massachusetts and Rhode Island south to Virginia. Plaques mark his presence at various points along his historic…
Learning about the Korean War in the District of Columbia
Armistice Declared in Panmunjom on July 27, 1953 The Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. was dedicated on July 27, 1995 Photo credit: M. Ciavardini The Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. brings warriors close to civilians. Seeing statues of soldiers and others in combat mode reminds viewers how frightening war is for…
Navigating as a Functional Illiterate
Signs Matter when Travelers Can’t Read or Speak a Language Finding my way around Moscow when I don’t speak Russian and can’t read the Cyrillic alphabet becomes a bit of a fun challenge. Navigating the subway system, I am careful to count how many stops until I get off since I won’t be able…