Lancaster: I’m a bit disappointed with Lancaster. My fault – I’d built it up in my head, and unless it was like in the movie “Witness” it was never going to live up to expectations. For a start – I didn’t see Harrison Ford! (Just joking) But realistically, it is just people living their lives – not acts in a circus. I saw some buggies but they shared the road with cars and bikes and buses. We drove around and looked at the houses – some had their washing hanging on rope lines – rows of the pinafores and dresses. And at night, candles in the windows and no electric lights. But the Amish people live in the midst of normal middle America. We went to a “typical” Amish dinner – but not run by Amish people. Anyway, we had electricity!! And a visit to a “working farm”, again not Amish run. Interesting though. I bought some patchwork from Amish ladies at the market. But I’d have loved to have more contact – to see how they really live. I took very few photos, as it seemed somewhat disrespectful.
Washington DC: When we arrived we were dropped on in Madison Avenue, outside the Art Gallery. Which is part of the Smithsonian Institute. This comprises a series of Museums and Galleries – all walking distance from each other. There wasn’t time to visit everything, so first I went around the corner to the Holocaust Museum, then on to the American Indian Museum (both of which were wonderful – in obviously different ways). Then a quick trip into the Natural History Museum. The people that went to the Space Museum were rapt with that. Unfortunately not time to see everything. At night we did a “Washington by Night” tour. This included a trip to the Kennedy Centre (right next door to the Watergate Hotel), and the Lincoln Memorial, the Korean War Memorial and the Iwo Jima Memorial. The Lincoln Memorial is all lit up, and a continual video of Martin Luther King and his “I have a dream: was playing. The Korean memorial consists of numerous statues of soldiers in a field. You walk among them, but it’s lit so that you only see the ones near you, and the others loom into view as you walk. Quite eerie. The Iwo Jima memorial is amazing – a statue of the famous photo of soldiers putting the American flag on a hill. But as you walk around the statue something strange happens – it looks like it’s moving and the flag is raised. I’ve said it before – their memorials are brilliant. Pity they needed so many of them, though.
Arlington Cemetery is rightly known as the resting place of John F Kennedy and his brother Robert Kennedy. Their graves are quite moving – John’s is obvious with the eternal flame (and with Jackie’s nearby) but Robert’s is just a simple plaque. Around John’s are words from his inauguration speech. Very moving. I hadn’t realized that any ex-soldier is entitled to be buried there – there are apparently an average of 24 burials a day, including those that have died in Iraq. We were then taken on to the Lincoln memorial, this time by day. . Congress, the White House (with its snipers on the roof) and the War memorials to the Vietnam War. The Vietnam memorial consists of a black granite wall, with the names of every American soldier who died there. You walk down and along it, almost as if you are in a cave. It’s beautiful. The Americans might involve themselves in far too many wars, but they sure know how to do memorials. Each one different, each one beautiful. I’m surprised how much I like Washington with its dignified sturdy buildings, wide avenues and stunning monuments. I’d love to return here for a more leisurely visit.
I had a very emotional moment today, outside the Capitol. There have been many protesters in Washington about the Iraq War. In front of the Capitol there were three protesters holding up a banner saying “Funding the War is Killing the Troops”. One giving the Peace sign. After I’d photographed them I returned the peace sign, and all of a sudden, as I turned away, I thought I was going to burst into tears.
And then suddenly it was over! We drove to Philadelphia this morning – saw the Liberty Bell and wandered around the old part of town. Then back to New York – via Newark Airport. Suddenly half the bus was getting out and grabbing bags and yelling goodbye. All the ones that were going on to Rio and a few others. It was so sudden and the bus seemed empty. The strangest end to a trip I’ve ever known. Then we were back at the Ramada and everyone disappeared into the black hole of the hotel. I’m now in a room on the 22nd floor – it has two windows. One looks out into other skyscrapers and the other down to the Hudson River. Alone again and tired. A good night’s sleep will fix thaat. No doubt.
