It was early morning in Budapest when I woke up preparing myself to fly to Bucharest, Romania to meet with my childhood friend who had lived there with her Romanian husband. I took the taxi from the hotel going to the airport and from there I fly out to Amsterdam then had a layover there for one hour then I will fly to Bucharest.
I arrived at Bucharest at 2315H after a long day flight and I was tired. My friend picked me up at the airport and then we headed to the hotel, checked in there and talked a lot before we wen to sleep.
The next morning we woke up, changed, and had a hearty breakfast at the lobby then we took the subway and went to the country's famous Parliament Building which is the second largest in the whole world. We went inside after obtaining an entrance ticket then browse the massive building on our own.
After we scoured the insides of the building we checked out the gardens and then we then transferred to another area of the city which is called the Old Town. It were the party scene is located and there were bars and restaurants aligned there where we looked for a place to eat.
We toured the city and went to all the beautiful places imaginable. Bucharest was stunning and was an underrated city. It was beautiful and I never expected it to be like that pretty. After that we went back to the hotel, packed my luggage and then we went to the train station to head to Constanta where my friend truly lives with her doting husband.
We arrived in Constanta at 1800H and was picked up by my friend's husband. The weather there was already cold and since it was already dark when we arrived we decided to stay at home and rest and check out the town in he morning.
I was very tired and had slept good because after meeting the husband's family last night I was drunk with drinking vodka with the husband's father and nephew. It was a very warm welcome indeed because the vodka had made me rendered and made me sleep without even remembering what happened.
What I only remember is the episode where I vomited inside the restroom and then told my friend that I am drunk and dizzy. I had a very bad headache last night plus I was very tired, could be from my jetlag.But it was fun and I am so grateful for the warm welcome.
Bucharest and Constanta had engraved an unforgettable memory for me that really had me realized that Romania was indeed beautiful and has it's own charm. Bastante!
Wednesday, August 14, 2019
Friday, June 21, 2019
Ambling Around Budapest
I arrived via bus from Bratislava at the central station in Budapest. It was a bright morning and I was tired from a long trip. Left Bratislava early in the morning and had slept in the bus for a long time but all in all the trip was smooth and uneventful. It was a relief that finally I had arrived at Budapest.
Don't know what to expect but whew my surprising wanderlust had brought and gave me a lot of things to learn and I am glad I did this travel. The bus terminal in Budapest was huge..... as in massive and it took me sometime to muster that I am already there. Hahaha. Still culture shocked. I felt that I am the only Asian there and people are staring at me like a prized doll. I felt delusional at that moment and I have to pinch myself to go back to reality that I am not dreaming.
I went out of the edifice and look for a waiting area for the taxi. I was pulling my luggage for a long time and kept roaming around the facility but I couldn't find any taxi station. I am also scared to asked around because of getting embarrass if nobody can understand me.
After several minutes of looking for the taxi station I finally found it at the mouth of the bridge nearby. I took one and gave to the driver the address for my hotel in the city center. The center was not that far from the bus terminal but it was a maze to look for my hotel for some of the streets were closed and if not some were only one-way, that's why the driver have to circle many times until he finally arrived at my hotel.
I alighted from the taxi and went into the hotel to check-in. After I checked-in, hurriedly went into my room take a much needed shower and took a quick nap. When I woke up at 1400H I changed then went downstairs at the reception, asked for the map and some good recommendations where to go. The guy at the reception was kind enough to give me some good advice. It was heartwarming that there are still good people in this planet.
I went out of the hotel trying not to imagine I have a compass, so for now I don't have any direction at all. I ambled to the other parallel street and walked through the alley until I saw a very busy main street at a distance. I was thinking of looking for for an adapter for my camera charger because apparently I left mine at the hotel in Vienna.
When I got out of the alley, I was surprised by the ornate building in front of me with a wide tarpaulin banner of the "Don Quixote" ballet show hanging just in front of the facade. The building was beautiful and stunning. I kept walking towards north still looking for the camera adaptor.
Along the way I also realized that I needed to change my dollars for the local currency to prevent any further problems later on. I found a money changer nearby so I went in to have my money changed. After changing money I was still on a mission to find the charger. At last, I found one after walking for several hours but it's worth it.
So, I'm all set to explore the city after fulfilling some of my few simple goals. The city was huge and I cannot wait to explore it. Walking on the cobbled stone pavements I can sense that the city was old and ancient but the ambiance was very happy and vibrant. The cool almost coming autumn winds was very intoxicating and I cannot deny the fact that the city was glazed with the holiday cheer and atmosphere. It was so imbibing.
The food stalls was very inviting, the christmas souvenir stores were full of holiday cheers, and the beautiful alleys adorned with flickering lights was just too festive and the city was very welcoming of the coming holiday season. I was so fascinated of the whole scenario and was just enjoying the atmosphere and ambiance around me.
I bought and tried some of the food, watched the whole surrounding, window shop but not buying, walk slowly to feel the whole place, keep everything into me to feel the way eastern europian feel the autmn season. I am just so happy that I was there. It was surreal.
The architecture, the smiling people, the food, the festivities, the tourists, and everything were all good. I just can't complain about it. Budapest had a mark in my heart and I can just imagine that I will come back again here in the future. I wish it would happen because I felt that I have not fully explored it yet to the fullest. Hopefully next time I can also explore the outskirts and make a side trip to another town. Crossing my fingers for it to happen, yeah.
Don't know what to expect but whew my surprising wanderlust had brought and gave me a lot of things to learn and I am glad I did this travel. The bus terminal in Budapest was huge..... as in massive and it took me sometime to muster that I am already there. Hahaha. Still culture shocked. I felt that I am the only Asian there and people are staring at me like a prized doll. I felt delusional at that moment and I have to pinch myself to go back to reality that I am not dreaming.
I went out of the edifice and look for a waiting area for the taxi. I was pulling my luggage for a long time and kept roaming around the facility but I couldn't find any taxi station. I am also scared to asked around because of getting embarrass if nobody can understand me.
After several minutes of looking for the taxi station I finally found it at the mouth of the bridge nearby. I took one and gave to the driver the address for my hotel in the city center. The center was not that far from the bus terminal but it was a maze to look for my hotel for some of the streets were closed and if not some were only one-way, that's why the driver have to circle many times until he finally arrived at my hotel.
I alighted from the taxi and went into the hotel to check-in. After I checked-in, hurriedly went into my room take a much needed shower and took a quick nap. When I woke up at 1400H I changed then went downstairs at the reception, asked for the map and some good recommendations where to go. The guy at the reception was kind enough to give me some good advice. It was heartwarming that there are still good people in this planet.
I went out of the hotel trying not to imagine I have a compass, so for now I don't have any direction at all. I ambled to the other parallel street and walked through the alley until I saw a very busy main street at a distance. I was thinking of looking for for an adapter for my camera charger because apparently I left mine at the hotel in Vienna.
When I got out of the alley, I was surprised by the ornate building in front of me with a wide tarpaulin banner of the "Don Quixote" ballet show hanging just in front of the facade. The building was beautiful and stunning. I kept walking towards north still looking for the camera adaptor.
Along the way I also realized that I needed to change my dollars for the local currency to prevent any further problems later on. I found a money changer nearby so I went in to have my money changed. After changing money I was still on a mission to find the charger. At last, I found one after walking for several hours but it's worth it.
So, I'm all set to explore the city after fulfilling some of my few simple goals. The city was huge and I cannot wait to explore it. Walking on the cobbled stone pavements I can sense that the city was old and ancient but the ambiance was very happy and vibrant. The cool almost coming autumn winds was very intoxicating and I cannot deny the fact that the city was glazed with the holiday cheer and atmosphere. It was so imbibing.
The food stalls was very inviting, the christmas souvenir stores were full of holiday cheers, and the beautiful alleys adorned with flickering lights was just too festive and the city was very welcoming of the coming holiday season. I was so fascinated of the whole scenario and was just enjoying the atmosphere and ambiance around me.
I bought and tried some of the food, watched the whole surrounding, window shop but not buying, walk slowly to feel the whole place, keep everything into me to feel the way eastern europian feel the autmn season. I am just so happy that I was there. It was surreal.
The architecture, the smiling people, the food, the festivities, the tourists, and everything were all good. I just can't complain about it. Budapest had a mark in my heart and I can just imagine that I will come back again here in the future. I wish it would happen because I felt that I have not fully explored it yet to the fullest. Hopefully next time I can also explore the outskirts and make a side trip to another town. Crossing my fingers for it to happen, yeah.
Trip To Washington DC
Today, I left LA for a quick vacation to Washington DC. Been burned out at work so I decided to book a ticket to DC and browse the city. This will be my first time in the city. I have no qualms about traveling but it was just unfortunate for me to be in the city because when I arrived it was raining hard. I cannot go out, walk, and enjoy the beautiful and awesome scenery so I decided to go indoors and enjoy some of the museums in the city.
The rain was quite finicky but in order for me to enjoy the city, I have to go out there and see what I can do. I decided to go to the Smithsonian Museum or Natural History and had hired an Uber car drop me off there. The rain was pouring hard so it's just apt for me to go indoors and see what the museum can offer me.
As I alighted in front of the museum I saw that line in front of the museum was quite few so I was so happy that I don't have to fall in line under a pouring rain, but alas, when I get inside the ground floor was almost full of people and revelers alike. It was a pandemonium there. I just saw a museum full of people lining up for tickets and lining up going to every room exhibits.
I was there already, so I cannot back out anymore because out side is still raining. So I patiently fell in line and bought a ticket to get in. It took me 20-minutes to get the tickets but I was not complaining. I have my own time and I'm not in a hurry. My only enemy is the closing time and the rain outside. I have to enjoy my time there so I have to browse all the floors and exhibit rooms.
The one that really fascinates me was the humongous elephant at the lobby. It looks like a mammoth elephant with an elongated ivory tusk. I took a lot of pictures of it for my own safe keeping. I took the stairs and went to all levels, saw some precious stones and also rocks from space, saw some skeletons of ocean and sea creatures, saw the history of evolution, watched some interesting and educational videos, etc.
There were a lot of children and families there enjoying the museum despite of the gloomy weather. The atmosphere inside was very intoxicating and I was in awe of the chaos and noise inside. I was watching all the chaos on the third floor and it was really funny and amusing at the same time. I was literally, in awe and exasperated. Quite accustomed to it eventually and it was fun.
I left at closing time and felt so fortunate that the rain had temporarily abated so I called for an Uber ride to drop me off at the Filipino Restaurant in another part of the city. The place opens at 5:00PM so it was just 10-minutes to opening time when I arrived there and it was raining on that part of DC. I alighted from the car and run to the restaurant and waited for few minutes until it opened.
I was the first in line and was so surprised that nobody was there yet. Literally, on a normal day the wait is long and last for 1-hour they say but today since it was raining there were nobody there. Now I realized that the rain was a blessing depending on the circumstances. I was lucky indeed. My decision to come there was not in vain. I was even thinking that maybe I can eat inside at 8:00PM because of the long line but I was wrong. God's wonders really works in many mysterious ways. I'm a very fateful (fatalistic) person, they say.
The restaurant was quaint and small but the food was so good. I ordered a five course taster's meal and enjoyed it while sipping some good cocktails. I was reminded of my childhood comfort foods and was very thankful that I decided to went there.
It was a very productive day (first day) in Washington DC. Not bad for my arrival. I couldn't forget it and it was memorable.
The rain was quite finicky but in order for me to enjoy the city, I have to go out there and see what I can do. I decided to go to the Smithsonian Museum or Natural History and had hired an Uber car drop me off there. The rain was pouring hard so it's just apt for me to go indoors and see what the museum can offer me.
As I alighted in front of the museum I saw that line in front of the museum was quite few so I was so happy that I don't have to fall in line under a pouring rain, but alas, when I get inside the ground floor was almost full of people and revelers alike. It was a pandemonium there. I just saw a museum full of people lining up for tickets and lining up going to every room exhibits.
I was there already, so I cannot back out anymore because out side is still raining. So I patiently fell in line and bought a ticket to get in. It took me 20-minutes to get the tickets but I was not complaining. I have my own time and I'm not in a hurry. My only enemy is the closing time and the rain outside. I have to enjoy my time there so I have to browse all the floors and exhibit rooms.
The one that really fascinates me was the humongous elephant at the lobby. It looks like a mammoth elephant with an elongated ivory tusk. I took a lot of pictures of it for my own safe keeping. I took the stairs and went to all levels, saw some precious stones and also rocks from space, saw some skeletons of ocean and sea creatures, saw the history of evolution, watched some interesting and educational videos, etc.
There were a lot of children and families there enjoying the museum despite of the gloomy weather. The atmosphere inside was very intoxicating and I was in awe of the chaos and noise inside. I was watching all the chaos on the third floor and it was really funny and amusing at the same time. I was literally, in awe and exasperated. Quite accustomed to it eventually and it was fun.
I left at closing time and felt so fortunate that the rain had temporarily abated so I called for an Uber ride to drop me off at the Filipino Restaurant in another part of the city. The place opens at 5:00PM so it was just 10-minutes to opening time when I arrived there and it was raining on that part of DC. I alighted from the car and run to the restaurant and waited for few minutes until it opened.
I was the first in line and was so surprised that nobody was there yet. Literally, on a normal day the wait is long and last for 1-hour they say but today since it was raining there were nobody there. Now I realized that the rain was a blessing depending on the circumstances. I was lucky indeed. My decision to come there was not in vain. I was even thinking that maybe I can eat inside at 8:00PM because of the long line but I was wrong. God's wonders really works in many mysterious ways. I'm a very fateful (fatalistic) person, they say.
The restaurant was quaint and small but the food was so good. I ordered a five course taster's meal and enjoyed it while sipping some good cocktails. I was reminded of my childhood comfort foods and was very thankful that I decided to went there.
It was a very productive day (first day) in Washington DC. Not bad for my arrival. I couldn't forget it and it was memorable.
Tuesday, April 2, 2019
2nd Day: Washington National Mall
3/22/19 Friday at 0700H: I woke up early in the morning at 0800H and the dorm was already vacated by the interns. They must have woke up early and go to work or school. I was the only one sleeping at that moment and all the bunk beds were all empty except mine. My back was kinda hurt a little bit, maybe from too much lying down. I remember getting to bed early last night because I was really tired from the long flight from Los Angeles and from the exhausting museum visit, plus I was kinda super drunk when I got back from my dinner at Bad Saint.
I slightly peeked at the window and saw that the sun had crept out quite a bit but the skies appeared extremely cloudy and overcast. So it's unpredictable if it will gonna rain or not today. I adamantly told myself to get up so that I can visit a lot of places today and enjoy the strolling the city while the sun is still out. I think I was blessed today because it was not raining.
I did not have any paramount agenda today but in my mind I want to see the Capitol Building. I programmed myself to see the Capitol Building first once I get to DC and I have to do it today. So I took a quick shower and then got dressed aptly for the windy weather. When I left the dorm it was really cold and windy outside despite of the little sunshine that had peeked through the sly clouds. DC weather was kinda finicky I guess. But oh well, I got to be out there and explore the city, enjoying what it can offer me today.
I excitedly called for an UBER ride to drop me off at the National Capitol Building which turned out into a little fiasco. Hehehe. Oh well, I was magically and wrongfully unloaded on a wrong building. Lol. It looks like a post office. Hahaha. But the neighborhood seemed like it's near the political area of the city so I ambled a little bit of a distance to the north and had observed people coming out from the subway which said Capitol Hill Building. Then from there, I know that it must be around here.
I followed a group of teen students who looked like excursionists from other states and just followed them secretly pretending that I know the place. Hahaha. With a slight walking going north I saw some huge buildings that resembled like a courthouse so I continued walking until I reached at a street corner of Independence Street and saw the Capitol Building from afar, telling me that "Hey, I'm here and don't go too far." Hahaha. My smile cannot be described and I could not contain it to myself when I saw the huge building from the street corner and I felt that my heart had just jumped out of my body. Hahaha.
Without using a map, I adventured to look for the Capitol Building and luckily I found it accidentally due to my determination and will to look for it no matter how and what it takes. I kept ambling towards the corner of Independence Street where the enormous Jefferson Library of Congress across the street stood steadfastly. I waited a little bit for the traffic to abate then crossed the street together with the boisterous teen excursionists. When I arrived at the other corner of the street I started to get a good view of the National Capitol Building. I was very happy to see this famous national political building as a bastion of the country's political power and with the beautiful Columbia Statue perched on top of its dome it was stunning to look at. What a very nice building to look at from my vantage point view.
I continued to amble towards the building and as I get nearer I can see how huge and beautiful it was. There were a lot of people crossing as well and were so happy and merry to just be there and enjoyed the courtyard and looking at the huge building. The front road was really wide and the building was massive. The right wing was on renovation right now. That's the reason why it is not open to the public at that moment. The wind was also strong at that moment and I cannot get a good selfie of the building because the wind was messing up my hair.
After there, I decided to look for the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. I know I was near the National Mall now so I decided to devote my whole day browsing the wide and enormous place. The area was huge and as I walked down the hill towards the huge park, I can see that the trees were still bare and not ready for spring yet.
The National Mall spans from the east where the Capitol Building is standing and also includes the Washington Monument, the War Memorial, the Tidal Basin, the Jefferson Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial, and the Lincoln Memorial. It was sandwiched between two parallel streets of Independence Street and Constitution Street. So from the Capitol Building I trailed going to the west and saw the Washington Memorial from afar. So I eagerly ambled towards it. The National Mall is a huge park which bigger that Central Park I guess. I don't know how many hectares it was but it was huge. And it has a lot of history, too.
As I ambled towards the Washington Monument I saw some nice buildings on my left and right side and the park was still bare because of the winter season that is almost ending. Trees were still bald and leafless and the lawns were still green with no blooms yet. The vast lawn was still empty and there were not much foliage seen yet around the park.
As I left the National Capitol Building area heading towards the famous "Pencil" monument I can see the new brass building on the right which is the National Museum of African American History and Culture. It looks like a gold building when the sun rays reflecting on it. It looks like a 3-storey building with very intricate brass walls on all sides. I saw a lot of people lining from the entrance so I kinda abandoned the idea of getting inside which I initially planned earlier. I just took a picture of it as I crossed the street and ambled towards the nearby Washington Monument.
After crossing the street, I saw the throngs of people flocking on some of the pink trees just in front of the monument and it dawned on me that they were the most sought cherry blossom trees. Those were the only trees that had blossomed fully that I saw because most of the trees that I saw along the trail were still budding and not yet ready to sprout out. I guess, in my excitement I came to DC very early to see the cherry blossoms which were not yet ready to come out. Haist.....
The imposing Washington Monument nearby stood majestically and was cordoned with some wire fence because I heard from the grapevine that it was closed for public access for the reason that it is not safe anymore to accommodate people to go up at the summit because of the cracks found on it's wall at the topmost portion of the monument, which will pause a lot of danger to the public. But it is still pretty to look at from my vantage point of view. I can imagine how imposing it would look at night with all those colorful lights playing along with it.
After taking a lot of perspective pictures of the "Pencil" I kept ambling towards the War Memorial Monument which was extremely symbolic to all the veterans of this country. I can see how nostalgic the place is. It was an open portico with a huge pool and fountain in the middle and had a canopy with columns forming a C-shape at both ends, depicting the two wars that the veterans went. On the right was the Atlantic War portico (aka World War I) and at the left the Pacific War portico (aka World War II). It was a poignant 15 minute moment of my stay there, reminiscing how the veterans had fought during both wars. I also saw a pillar for the Philippines on the Pacific War portico side. I had snapped a lot of pictures there.
After browsing the War Memorial site, I continued walking towards the famous Lincoln Memorial which can be seen inviting me at the distance. The Greek-like Mausoleum appeared very imposing and inviting from a distance and it had drawn me unconsciously as I walked towards it. It was really stunning to look at from my vantage point of view because it looks like it's just floating of the vertical rectangular pond or pool from where I stand. It keeps hypnotizing me as I walked near to it.
As I drew near it, it looked very very imposing and symbolic and it was a massive mausoleum I have ever seen in my life. I can see the statue of Lincoln silhouetted from a distance as I ambled near to it. There were a lot of people, locals and tourists, sitting at the stairs and standing inside the building looking at the massive Lincoln's statue. Of all the building I came across at the National Mall, this was the one most sought for by the tourists as evidenced by the amount of people crowding the hallway. The marble statue of Lincoln was sitting massively and seriously on his chair and appeared very dominant looking in his tacitness. It was really crowded inside but it's a given.
The stunning view from there was to look at the opposite side (from the inside) looking at the Washington Monument from afar between the long rectangular pond or pool which I passed earlier. The Capitol Building at the back of the Washington Monument added to the nice picturesque view of the National Mall. The walk was real cool from the Capitol Building towards the Lincoln Memorial Building. It looks like I've walked 4-5 miles but I'm not complaining. Good thing it wasn't raining that time and the sun had came out gloriously making my day complete and productive. But the cool wind had neutralized the warm heat of the noontime, I guess it was the best walk I've ever done in my life feasting my eyes to some of the beautiful architecture around the National Mall and it was the best thing I've ever done. I had a blast!
I stayed at the Lincoln Memorial Building for a tad 20 minutes enjoying the nice views I can see from that perspective and also observing the people around me spending time with their friends and families, taking pictures and selfies in a fascinating way, having conversations with other people, and browsing or enjoying the nice scenery from there. It was just a perfect moment to imbibe with the hype of the moment in the Capital, as well as not worrying anything about work but just to enjoy what the place has to offer. It was a great day indeed!
I slightly peeked at the window and saw that the sun had crept out quite a bit but the skies appeared extremely cloudy and overcast. So it's unpredictable if it will gonna rain or not today. I adamantly told myself to get up so that I can visit a lot of places today and enjoy the strolling the city while the sun is still out. I think I was blessed today because it was not raining.
I did not have any paramount agenda today but in my mind I want to see the Capitol Building. I programmed myself to see the Capitol Building first once I get to DC and I have to do it today. So I took a quick shower and then got dressed aptly for the windy weather. When I left the dorm it was really cold and windy outside despite of the little sunshine that had peeked through the sly clouds. DC weather was kinda finicky I guess. But oh well, I got to be out there and explore the city, enjoying what it can offer me today.
I excitedly called for an UBER ride to drop me off at the National Capitol Building which turned out into a little fiasco. Hehehe. Oh well, I was magically and wrongfully unloaded on a wrong building. Lol. It looks like a post office. Hahaha. But the neighborhood seemed like it's near the political area of the city so I ambled a little bit of a distance to the north and had observed people coming out from the subway which said Capitol Hill Building. Then from there, I know that it must be around here.
I followed a group of teen students who looked like excursionists from other states and just followed them secretly pretending that I know the place. Hahaha. With a slight walking going north I saw some huge buildings that resembled like a courthouse so I continued walking until I reached at a street corner of Independence Street and saw the Capitol Building from afar, telling me that "Hey, I'm here and don't go too far." Hahaha. My smile cannot be described and I could not contain it to myself when I saw the huge building from the street corner and I felt that my heart had just jumped out of my body. Hahaha.
Without using a map, I adventured to look for the Capitol Building and luckily I found it accidentally due to my determination and will to look for it no matter how and what it takes. I kept ambling towards the corner of Independence Street where the enormous Jefferson Library of Congress across the street stood steadfastly. I waited a little bit for the traffic to abate then crossed the street together with the boisterous teen excursionists. When I arrived at the other corner of the street I started to get a good view of the National Capitol Building. I was very happy to see this famous national political building as a bastion of the country's political power and with the beautiful Columbia Statue perched on top of its dome it was stunning to look at. What a very nice building to look at from my vantage point view.
I continued to amble towards the building and as I get nearer I can see how huge and beautiful it was. There were a lot of people crossing as well and were so happy and merry to just be there and enjoyed the courtyard and looking at the huge building. The front road was really wide and the building was massive. The right wing was on renovation right now. That's the reason why it is not open to the public at that moment. The wind was also strong at that moment and I cannot get a good selfie of the building because the wind was messing up my hair.
After there, I decided to look for the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. I know I was near the National Mall now so I decided to devote my whole day browsing the wide and enormous place. The area was huge and as I walked down the hill towards the huge park, I can see that the trees were still bare and not ready for spring yet.
The National Mall spans from the east where the Capitol Building is standing and also includes the Washington Monument, the War Memorial, the Tidal Basin, the Jefferson Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial, and the Lincoln Memorial. It was sandwiched between two parallel streets of Independence Street and Constitution Street. So from the Capitol Building I trailed going to the west and saw the Washington Memorial from afar. So I eagerly ambled towards it. The National Mall is a huge park which bigger that Central Park I guess. I don't know how many hectares it was but it was huge. And it has a lot of history, too.
As I ambled towards the Washington Monument I saw some nice buildings on my left and right side and the park was still bare because of the winter season that is almost ending. Trees were still bald and leafless and the lawns were still green with no blooms yet. The vast lawn was still empty and there were not much foliage seen yet around the park.
As I left the National Capitol Building area heading towards the famous "Pencil" monument I can see the new brass building on the right which is the National Museum of African American History and Culture. It looks like a gold building when the sun rays reflecting on it. It looks like a 3-storey building with very intricate brass walls on all sides. I saw a lot of people lining from the entrance so I kinda abandoned the idea of getting inside which I initially planned earlier. I just took a picture of it as I crossed the street and ambled towards the nearby Washington Monument.
After crossing the street, I saw the throngs of people flocking on some of the pink trees just in front of the monument and it dawned on me that they were the most sought cherry blossom trees. Those were the only trees that had blossomed fully that I saw because most of the trees that I saw along the trail were still budding and not yet ready to sprout out. I guess, in my excitement I came to DC very early to see the cherry blossoms which were not yet ready to come out. Haist.....
The imposing Washington Monument nearby stood majestically and was cordoned with some wire fence because I heard from the grapevine that it was closed for public access for the reason that it is not safe anymore to accommodate people to go up at the summit because of the cracks found on it's wall at the topmost portion of the monument, which will pause a lot of danger to the public. But it is still pretty to look at from my vantage point of view. I can imagine how imposing it would look at night with all those colorful lights playing along with it.
After taking a lot of perspective pictures of the "Pencil" I kept ambling towards the War Memorial Monument which was extremely symbolic to all the veterans of this country. I can see how nostalgic the place is. It was an open portico with a huge pool and fountain in the middle and had a canopy with columns forming a C-shape at both ends, depicting the two wars that the veterans went. On the right was the Atlantic War portico (aka World War I) and at the left the Pacific War portico (aka World War II). It was a poignant 15 minute moment of my stay there, reminiscing how the veterans had fought during both wars. I also saw a pillar for the Philippines on the Pacific War portico side. I had snapped a lot of pictures there.
After browsing the War Memorial site, I continued walking towards the famous Lincoln Memorial which can be seen inviting me at the distance. The Greek-like Mausoleum appeared very imposing and inviting from a distance and it had drawn me unconsciously as I walked towards it. It was really stunning to look at from my vantage point of view because it looks like it's just floating of the vertical rectangular pond or pool from where I stand. It keeps hypnotizing me as I walked near to it.
As I drew near it, it looked very very imposing and symbolic and it was a massive mausoleum I have ever seen in my life. I can see the statue of Lincoln silhouetted from a distance as I ambled near to it. There were a lot of people, locals and tourists, sitting at the stairs and standing inside the building looking at the massive Lincoln's statue. Of all the building I came across at the National Mall, this was the one most sought for by the tourists as evidenced by the amount of people crowding the hallway. The marble statue of Lincoln was sitting massively and seriously on his chair and appeared very dominant looking in his tacitness. It was really crowded inside but it's a given.
The stunning view from there was to look at the opposite side (from the inside) looking at the Washington Monument from afar between the long rectangular pond or pool which I passed earlier. The Capitol Building at the back of the Washington Monument added to the nice picturesque view of the National Mall. The walk was real cool from the Capitol Building towards the Lincoln Memorial Building. It looks like I've walked 4-5 miles but I'm not complaining. Good thing it wasn't raining that time and the sun had came out gloriously making my day complete and productive. But the cool wind had neutralized the warm heat of the noontime, I guess it was the best walk I've ever done in my life feasting my eyes to some of the beautiful architecture around the National Mall and it was the best thing I've ever done. I had a blast!
I stayed at the Lincoln Memorial Building for a tad 20 minutes enjoying the nice views I can see from that perspective and also observing the people around me spending time with their friends and families, taking pictures and selfies in a fascinating way, having conversations with other people, and browsing or enjoying the nice scenery from there. It was just a perfect moment to imbibe with the hype of the moment in the Capital, as well as not worrying anything about work but just to enjoy what the place has to offer. It was a great day indeed!
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