It’s a bit hard for me to post to my blog, check my email, or do anything on the web right now, because my uncle’s computer is an old Pentium-90 with a 14.4 modem connected to AOL. I will return to my normal voluminous online self once I have acquired the income to purchase a laptop. Job and room first.
Yesterday I took my first real walk around Washington, DC. (Embarassing confession: I only found out this morning that it means “District of Columbia.” All this time I had thought the city was part of MD.) It was a joy to walk along real sidewalks, to cross at real intersections with real (working!) pedestrian lights, to see motorists actually obeying traffic rules and giving pedestrians right of way. How wonderful, to be able to breathe deeply even in the midst of an urban center, without choking on the fumes of smoke-belching buses and jeepneys! (Well, occasionally a noisy, beat-up, old pickup truck would drive by, and I would get a whiff of that ol’ Manila feeling, but not too often, thank goodness.)
The city is beautiful, and the sheer history of it permeates the air. Old buildings and colonial architecture abound, and I’ve seen several early structures and monuments along 16th Avenue, looking for all the world like miniature Parthenons or Notre Dames. (The local Masonic Lodge looks like it was imported from early Greece.)
Today, I’m checking out First Baptist. Anyone have feedback? Praise? Warnings? Church alternatives?
By the way, I’m living with my uncle and aunt right now, in a townhouse in the Addams Morgan area, and from my room, I have a great view of the Washington Monument and the Capitol Dome. We’re walking distance from the White House! Now how cool is that, eh?
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Welcome to the US! You should come by and visit us one day.. BTW, we are both job-hunting. The call center that I work for is permanently closing effective May 17th and is laying off almost 700 employees (me included). Nice, huh?
hahaha… and before i should washington, d.c., was in the state of washington… :P
nway, i was planning on enrolling in georgetown this fall.. it didn’t pan out, but the campus looked beautiful in the brochures… color me green with envy!
More on Washington, DC, did you know that all the buildings over there are no taller than the base of the Capitol dome (except for the Washington Monument)? Mainly due to symbolism, as the Capitol represents the people, and it should rise above everything else around it. Don’t you just love Democracy? There’s also a lamp on top of the dome visible from the outside. When it’s lit, it means that the Congress is in session. DC is such a wonderful place to be in. Make sure to that you get to watch MJ play!
Yeah, my Uncle told me about the height restriction on buildings. Cool.
Uh, who’s MJ? :D
THE greatest athlete–Michael Jordan. =) Retired once, but I didn’t see him play live, in person, when he was still playing. Came back, retired again, still didn’t see him play live. Now he’s back again for one season, seize the opportunity! He’s like a comet or a Leonid meteor shower… comes back from time to time, and still spectacular.
he’s an alum of my fine university :o)
I’m not much of a sports fan, you see. So… this “Jordan” guy plays basketball, right? ;D
I’m more interested in checking out the Star Trek exhibit at the Smithsoni-
NO, WAIT! JOB FIRST! JOB… FIRST…
i’ve been to the smithsonian museum a couple of years ago. except that i don’t remember much from it as it was just my second day at DC and we were all “jetlagged”. ^^,
and have you heard of the mall? this long strip of grass fronting the white house or some monument (i think– again, i don’t remember much). when i heard we were going to “the mall”, i thought we were going shopping. nyerk. :D
NOOO. YOU WILL GO TO THE STAR TREK EXHIBIT. YOU WILL SIGHTSEE, YOU WILL FROLIC, YOU WILL MEANDER, YOU WILL REALIZE THAT DC IS “DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA”…
Oh yeah, you know that already.
- MJ (Michael Jackson)
i can’t wait to see your future posts on your d.c. adventures! :)