How can you not enjoy strolling the National Mall in Washington, DC DC, on a sunny day when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom?
Image – from personal collection – © 2008 – Jon Rochetti
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The cherry blossoms are in full bloom in Washington, DC. Despite recent cold weather and rain, the trees are showing their all their beauty.
And the cold hasn’t stopped people from bundling up in winter clothes and lining up to rent a paddle boat on the Tidal Basin either.
So far this Spring, the high temperatures have been sticking between 45 and 55 degrees, a near 30 degree drop from the balmy temps last year, when highs cracked 80 degrees and made for comfortable touring.
This weekend, the temps should reach highs into the 60s, with Sunday being the only …read more
It’s again time for the annual Smithsonian Kite Festival on the grounds of the Washington Monument in Washington, DC.
This year’s theme is Brushstrokes in the Sky, featuring the history and craftsmanship of Asian kites.
The first kites were invented by the Chinese around 800 BC. Early kitemakers used them for all types of purposes, including measuring the wind, measuring distances, and communication. The Chinese military started to effectively use them for communications and signaling soon thereafter.
Kites first appeared in Europe in the 1600s and was mostly limited to a children’s play activity.
In the U.S. colonies in June of 1750, …read more
The fastest anyone has climbed the 897 steps to the top of the Washington Monument is 6 minutes, 42 seconds. But it’s probably best to just take the 70-second elevator ride up 550 feet to the top.
But if you have your heart set on walking it, walk-down tours are twice offered daily based on the availability of National Park Rangers, at 10:30 a.m. and Noon.
Built in honor of the first U.S. President and for his leadership in American independence, the Washington Monument opened in 1884. But its history of construction was anything but smooth. The project took two 8-year phases of actual construction …read more
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