Washington DC Synopsis
Several weeks ago the children and I had the opportunity to travel with Brian for the DrupalCon 2009 Conference in Washington DC. After seeing the vibe exhibited by all attendees, I would love to sit in on some of the great talks that will happen at the next conference. It also happens to be in Paris the next go ’round which is just a bonus in itself.
On this trip though, I had lots of time to sight-see with the children. We went to a science museum just blocks from our hotel and went on the traditional monument and White House walking tours. We walked all over the city and the children loved 
riding on the metro. Even though I did steer us onto the wrong route a couple of times, they were good sports and enjoyed the rides. We ate some really delicious Chinese food in Chinatown which made us miss the old Hunan even more. We also had some good Indian and Thai while we were there.
Besides the great food and sightseeing, the one memory I am left with, about our visit to the United States Captial, is that the people, whether they were visiting, working or lived there, were so friendly. Everywhere I went, I was struck by how everyday people offered their help with holding a door open, helping with directions or just a quick conversation on the metro.
We had pleasant interactions with many people who worked in restaurants, museums and even sidewalk snack wagons. Every business we went to had employees who were interested in showing us points of interest around the city. We had conversations with firefighters, metro employees and people just walking nearby or riding the same elevator. I was thoroughly impressed with the care employees and everyday people showed to their fellow man. I was expecting big city stereotypes but was pleasantly surprised with small-town kindness. It was extremely refreshing to experience this kind of consideration in such a big, diverse city. I am proud of the people I met there and proud to call Washington D.C., America’s Friendliest City.
To see a slide show of photos from out trip to DC, click on the photo below. If you prefer to browse my gallery at your own pace click here.
Aperture Nature Photography Workshops Contest
This Week in Photography is sponsoring a new contest (in addition to their bi-weekly assignments) where several amateur photographers will get the chance to go to four different US national parks (Olympic, Tetons, Yosemite and Yellowstone) and receive training and tips from professional photographers. They are holding four different contests and the first has only one week left for submissions. My dad went to Yosemite one summer on vacation and I would love to go not only for the beautiful scenery but also for the chance to receive instruction from some very talented artists. I have just put up a voting widget in my sidebar so vote for my photo if you think it is worth your vote and also check out the other submissions. There are a lot of really well made photographs submitted already so it looks as though a lot of people are as excited about this opportunity in the same way that I am.
UPDATE: Voting is now closed. Thank you to all who voted for my photo.
Filed under environment, photography, travel | Comment (0)The Craft of Colored Glass
Not only was my dad a photographer but he was a crafter as well. He enjoyed woodworking and stained glass. He made one large window piece in a bathroom and many transom pieces for two houses he owned in Florida. I remember being fascinated with the extraordinary colors and patterns which made up the glass he used. When I went with him on a trip to Europe we were both in awe of the amazing stained glass windows in the gothic cathedral Notre-Dame de Reims in Paris, France. My father also took classes to learn more about this art after he moved to North Carolina because he had planned on making many more during his retirement years. Also, a former co-worker of mine used to make small little sun-catcher stained glass pieces and she gave one to me as a christmas present.
Filed under crafts, family, photography, travel | Comment (0)Did I really try that?
About 15 or 16 years ago I went on a trip to Scotland with my dad and step-mother which was their third successful home exchange with a family across the Atlantic and was my second european trip with them. My step-mother has always been big into exploring and trying new things and being that we were in Scotland we just couldn’t be allowed to pass up the experience of trying the national dish, Haggis. If you have ever eaten at any local diner in the bible belt or shopped at a grocery store there, you might have noticed something curious called livermush. I would have to compare the taste of Haggis to something like livermush. I have never tasted livermush but Haggis, I would imagine, is very much like it; a very grainy and crumbly meat. Ah, well you get the gist. I don’t think my step-mother fully explained to me what Haggis actually was until after I had tried some but I remember not wanting seconds. Also, I think this at least one of the many reasons why I chose to be vegetarian throughout high school and beyond. Slashfood has an article here about the national dish of Scotland and while scouring for a picture of this unique "camping" food, I found this hilarious picture. I wonder if vegetarians actually devour this knowing they are noshing on something designed to mimic the very essence of food they loathe to ingest?
Filed under family, food, travel | Comment (0)
