Live Life. Life is Short. Life is an Adventure.

Diary: January 2007 Orlando.

9 Players committed to putting their money where it counts in a high stakes Texas Holdem No Limit game. (Starbuck, Michelangelo,Frenchie,Crazy Man,The Wolf,World Series,The German,Harley & Son of Harley & Kangaroo).

So after about 4-5 hours, we ended up with Starbuck and The German splitting the winnings. I was most unfortunate, in what was the last hand of the night, being beaten by a community card to give Starbuck three of a kind, beating my higher pair.

I did have my revenge on World Series that topped me previously, seeing him ejected just before me.

The clear funniest part of the night, there were a few, was two all in’s in the very first hand, resulting in Frenchie, gone after the first hand, beaten by Crazy Man sporting dealt pocket aces. (Somebody must have rigged that).

From USA Today - Tuesday Jan 30, 2007 article “Vista’s not for everyone, so get the scoop before upgrading.”

Microsoft announced the release of Windows Vista today. The remaining part of the paragraph was just as funny. Here is the full paragraph.

Installing Vista can be difficult. Installing an operating system is like giving your PC a heart transplant, says David Millman, CEO of computer support firm Rescuecom. It’s tricky enough that most people shouldn’t try it, he says. He recommends that consumers who want Vista buy a new PC with the operating system already installed.

I’ve created an initial series of Postcards from my Washington DC Night Photos. Most of these photos you may have already seen in various forms and posts. Now you can view proof images all in one place. And that place is Here!. I’ve had most people that look at them printed go, there are nice postcards, before I tell them I took the photos, to which most people go “How did you do that”. The answer is “Trade secret”.

Diary: 26^th January 2007 - Month 3

Tonight I got to cross off the NY List of things to do another point with a visit to the Symphony. A very lovely evening at NY Philharmonic held at the Lincoln Center in Manhattan, New York.

The evening consisted of three uniquely different pieces. First a piano solo by Gerhard Oppitz, an extremely accomplished German pianist with a great bio. I also read that he is a qualified Airbus pilot which is an impressive past time. The second piece, authored by Verdi was surprising more upbeat then the description entailed. Discussion of Macbeth, dark music and witches I don’t think did justice to a piece that moved along at some pace during passages. The third piece, by a relatively new artist from the 1900s, started in quite some fanfare with blazing trumpets. A quick look at the program again confirmed my original impression of a music with a Roman Empire/Games type theme. You can checkout the website for more Performance Details.

Thanks for a lovely evening B. (a.k.a. frozen Popsicle and NY parker extraordinare.)

It seems so long ago now as I write this.

About the Show

As I had trouble accessing the online schedule at NY Philharmonic website (in fact you can’t search easily on older presentations), I’ve copied from the website some of the details for the performance.

ABOUT THE MUSIC
	GIUSEPPE MARTUCCI (1856-1909) Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat (1884-85) Guiseppe Martucci was the son of a trumpeter in a military band, but his own instrument was the piano. From his beginnings as a prodigy he grew into a fine pianist, conductor, teacher, and composer, admired by the likes of Liszt, Anton Rubinstein, and Toscanini. One of his greatest achievements was to conduct the Italian premiere of Wagner’s opera Tristan und Isolde. Interesting in the context of these concerts is the fact that one of Martucci’s composition students was Ottorini Respighi, whose Feste romane is also on the program. Martucci himself premiered his Second Piano Concerto in Naples in 1886. A composition of monumental proportions and technical challenges, it saw many performances, including one conducted by Toscanini, with the composer as soloist in 1899. During rehearsal the great maestro said: “I shall be surprised if he can cope with all the problems he has set himself.” But his fears were ill-founded; Martucci performed the work brilliantly. Nearly 100 years ago, Gustav Mahler conducted the concerto in his last concert ever- at Carnegie Hall in February, 1911. GUISEPPE VERDI (1813-1901) Ballet Music from the opera Macbeth (1847) Verdi’s Macbeth was criticized for not properly representing Shakespeare’s drama—something that was a source of great irritation to the composer, who thought so highly of the play. “This tragedy is one of the greatest creations of man,” Verdi wrote to his librettist, Francesco Piave, “If we can’t make something great out of it, let us at least try and do something out of the ordinary.” To get the dramatic action the way he wanted, Verdi provided the scenario to Piave, focusing it mainly on Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and the witches. In 1865 the composer revised the opera to include a ballet—de rigueur for anyone who had aspirations of producing an opera in Paris. The members of the infamous Jockey Club who attended the ballet called the shots: they wanted to see their favorite dancers on stage—and backstage after the performance as well. The ballet music appears in Act III, at Macbeth’s second encounter with the “weird sisters” from whom he is seeking assurances about his career opportunities. Verdi’s dark music successfully conjures the supernatural in this mini-Witches Sabbath. OTTORINO RESPIGHI (1879-1936) Feste romane (Roman Festivals) (1926-1928) Though a Bolognese, Respighi settled in Rome and paid homage to his adopted city with his most well-known work, a set of tone poems entitled Roman Triptych: The Fountains of Rome, The Pines of Rome, and Roman Festivals. Feste romane is comprised of four movements. The first of these, entitled “Circuses,” a stentorian brass fanfare takes us to Ancient Rome and the Circus Maximus, where man met beast in bloody battle. In “Jubilee,” pilgrims make their way to the Holy City, and their hymns of praise are accompanied by the sound of ringing bells. “L’Ottobrata” is an October festival synonymous with whirlwinds of dancing and serenading. And in “Epiphany” we enter one of Rome’s piazzas, where throngs of revelers gather to celebrate the impending feast of the Epiphany. An astonishing array of percussion instruments drives this gaudy Roman portrait home.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
	RICCARDO MUTI, conductor, born in 1941 in Naples, Italy A conductor of stellar credentials, Riccardo Muti traces his musical roots to his physician-father’s encouragement and lessons in piano and voice. He recalls that at the age of seven, “violin in hand, in short pants, white socks, the shoes from my First Communion, and a little white shirt with lace collar,” he gave his first performance before a large choir of seminarians at the Molfetta Seminary, where, as a little boy, he accompanied his father on medical rounds. Among his later teachers he counts the renowned film composer Nino Rota and conductor Franco Ferrara. His professional associations have included the famed Maggio Musicale of Florence, annual appearances at the Salzburg Festival, the Berlin and London Philharmonic, his illustrious music directorship of the Philadelphia Orchestra from 1980 to 1992, and until recently, artistic leadership of La Scala. Starting this season and through 2008/2009 he will conduct four weeks of concerts at the Philharmonic. “New York is a city where I have always worked very well; there is a great understanding with the musicians and I feel that the public is close to me,” said Muti. “One of the world’s most vivid conductors” Wall Street Journal “Muti stands out as one of those rare conductors who can make an orchestra surpass itself.” Financial Times GERHARD OPPITZ, piano, born in 1953 in Frauenau, Germany Born in a small village in Bavaria, Gerhard Oppitz started his piano lessons when he was just five years old and gave his first public concert at age 11. The signal event of his musical career occurred in 1973 when he met the legendary pianist Wilhelm Kempff—soon to become his guide, mentor, and eventual friend—from whom he received coaching in the Beethoven sonatas and concertos. Later it would be Kempff’s wish that Oppitz should carry on his mentor’s master classes in Positano, Italy—in which he himself had once participated, after Kempff’s death. In 1977, he became the first German to win the prestigious Artur Rubenstein Competition in Tel Aviv, Israel. Performances of complete cycles of piano music are his stock in trade—eg.: Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier, Mozart’s and Beethoven’s complete Piano Sonatas, Schubert’s complete solo piano works (in 11 evenings!), and the entire canon of his favorite composer, Brahms. He has performed it 19 times throughout the world (requiring five evenings each). Still, Gerhard Oppitz restricts the number of concerts to around 80 a year to have enough time for his other great passion: flying. Though licensed to pilot an Airbus, he doesn’t; but he does like to fly himself to his concert engagements. What does he value most in an audience? “Quiet and concentration; that’s the greatest sign of approval of all.”

Diary: 23^th January 2007 - Month 2

Following a week in Washington DC for work I’m now in Montreal. What a life! Finally snow on the ground, and also snowing at night, yet to see this in New York. And it’s also colder, averaging a maximum around -15C, and with the wind chill a lot colder, but it’s so cool.

Still some amazing buildings and history, but I’m a little more lazy this weekend in both my research and description. Also, being within a built up area, I don’t have the luxury of open space with my photos. It really made me appreciate Washington DC as a photographers ideal location.

I saw some interesting things. One of my photos will show somebody ice skating, but pushing a pram and child around the rink! Another has a horse and carriage, and the horse with a blanket. That’s expected, but he also had ear muffs. Some of the coffee mug images in the gift shop were classic. If only I drank coffee! I saw an ice sculpture being created live, with chainsaw in hand.

I got to catch up with an old friend from Brisbane, who is now living in Montreal. I also got to experience Poutine, a national dish here in French Quebec State. Michael likened it to having a kebab at 2am in the morning after a night drinking, so it didn’t sound that appealing, but on Sunday I got to experience it without the night of drinking at a cafe that had a menu with at least 15 varieties for Poutine. It wasn’t that bad, but I could definitely feel the fat hardening my arteries.
I guess I should mention that I was here for the weekend, I did manage to get in 2 days work before having to head back to NY for work on Wednesday.

Diary: Friday 19^th January 2007 - Month 3

After the high of a week at Washington DC, it’s almost ended in a complete thud.

Recent news that I’m not prepared to share online has taken the edge off such a wonderful trip to date. I’m very lucky that my job entails travel, and I was able to come here earlier, spending a weekend (at my own expense) exploring this city. I could easily have considered this a possible home base at some time in the future, but now there is a significant minus.

I haven’t written about any flying horror stories in a while, but this one is a good one.Today following training I headed to the Airport with Tobias, a fellow MySQL employee. We left a little later the expected 3:15pm, (wanting to leave at 3pm) as my flight was 5pm.

We didn’t arrive at the airport until 4pm, that was the first serious concern. Ok, so I head to my departing airline checkin counter, this being Air Canada. The line is empty, my original thought was great, but then we I got to the counter and said I was going to Montreal I was told I had to line up in the United line next door (and it was long). So I headed over there, to a United respresentative checking to ensure you were in the International Line, not the Domestic Line. I inquired about making my flight as I was late (now 4:05pm). He was basically useless, stating he didn’t have any access to a computer. He of course provided no help in suggesting I talk to somebody else that may be able to help. So reluctently I join the queue. It was moving reasonably well, however there were at least 20 people in front of me. As I approached I was able to speak to another United Representative directing people and I asked if I would be able to make my 5pm flight given there were no boards around to indicate any details regarding the flight. She hesitated a moment, then asked for my passport and headed off to a counter. A few minutes later, I’m given a pre-boarding pass and asked to wait at a counter to check my bag. She then informed me I was lucky, I only had 2 more minutes. Great, well but the counter attendent was serving another couple. Tick, tick, tick. Finally, then he left and went to the next counter serving another person checking in a bag. What the? Tick, Tick, Tick. He comes back (more like 3 or 4 minutes later) and asks for my destination. He checks the printed luggage tags and doesn’t find my tag. Luckily the previous attendent that got this moving turned up and re-iterated that I was in the system. So now I’ve got my luggage tag, but I now have to take my checked in bag to a screening area. No line, but there would have be 100+ pieces of luggage infront of several scanners. My bag is taken, I stand for a moment watching it’s fate (Side note: Montreal today is like 15-20C better then the past few days, but still at least -5C, so I want my bag with all my warm gear to arrive with me). So just one tick later, I see my bag placed on the scanner belt. I move on to observe the other side and an officer with a suitcase open looking at in great detail. He picks up a book and starts flicking through pages. This would take some time per bag. Is my bag fated?

I move on towards the security checkpoint to which there is another long line, hundreds of people. This is my first opportunity to see my boarding pass, which is only a pre-boarding pass with no seat allocation. I was told I’d get it at the gate. No! The dreaded ‘SSSS’ is printed on by boarding pass.

Now, I’ve had this before so here is my intepretation of this.
This is indicator to specify I’ve been singled out for special treatment at the security checkpoint. I’ve been “profiled”. That’s my word, but let me explain why. To date, the “SSSS” has provided greater delays with a higher probability of missing a flight and greater and detailed security checking. Ok, so you think “profiling” is a hash word. Well, when all the people in the line a men aged say 30-45 and are all travelling alone, I deem this a degree of “profiling”. It’s obvious that my information has been screened prior to the boarding pass and by some organisation other then the airline. So where has my information been, and what is the criteria? As with previous times, I strike up a conversation with a person around me because the lack of information provided here annoys me. He had not realised this indicator before, but he had been singled out in the higher security line for previous flights. When I’d described my previous observations, he tended to agree that he had seen a lot of men but obviously had never taken the time to investigate the situation or surroundings more.

To my surpise joining the line later are an older couple and then just as I’m at the front of the line a single lady and younger child. So my original theory is not longer absolute, however the proportion is still significant and worthy of note.

The security checking has definitely increased. At this time I’m rather reserved that the probabilities of making my flight are lessening, however I’m not feeling as concerned about it as I have in the past. This security check included the usual removals for bags, metal, laptop, shoes, but also included a device (I should have grabbed the name to google), that you entered and it blew air on you from head to toe. A 15 second wait then you are allowed to exit and go through the metal detector. Then off to the booth. There are 4 or 5 in open space and I have two officer that then proceed to analyse all my carry on luggage. They take numerous swabs on things like the outside of my laptop, inside my laptop, a detailed look at my keyboard (it stood out), my cell phone. The swabs are all checked there at the booth for chemical analysis, I’m assuming mainly for explosives. I’d love to ask, but you don’t want to jinks yourself. I almost did as the older lady doing the analysis says, we share something in common my last name is “Bradford”. So a short discussion of family history ensued and it helped me to pass the time. Tick, tick, tick. This would have been at least 10 mins while the disassembled my bag. Now my bag is full, two cameras (my SLR and my compact), camera lens, battery chargers (2x), power cable, camera cable, MP3 player, more cables and batteries, noise cancelling headphones and more stuff just in my small pocket. I think you get the picture. I had a book and again I observe the detailed flicking though the pages. I’m handed my wallet. It was in my bag pocket asI had money, id, credit card in my jean pocket I didn’t need it. Obviously the officer saw money and probably as a policy gave it to me to ensure that nothing could be said at a later time. On two occasions, first with my camera, and then with my bag, I’m given the open pieces to repack, as their first attempts failed to make it all fit.

Ok, I’m out, told to head left and down the escalators. It’s now around 4:40pm, so luck is not on my side. Two ladies run past, seeking to make a gate and plane. As I head up to Gate A, I see that we have to enter a carriage, which has a countdown leaving time (on entry, 2m 45s). Lone behold the previous two running past were now stuck with no where to go but wait.

At this time I realise hope is nearing zero. We finally get on the way and are driving around. It’s 4:48pm when I call my other MySQL collegue Brian G, who is staying in Washington DC tonight heading home tomorrow. I get his voicemail but my message is, “likelihood at this time of making my plane which on the boards showed an on-time departure of 5pm is nil. I call when I get to the gate and perhaps we can catch up later, if I have to stay in Washington tonight”. Off the carriage, two ladies again off and running. My brisk walk now at Gate A heading towards A1 and of course I am at A8 and I have to walk the entire length of the concourse. Getting to gate A1 I check the board, with 5 or 6 flights listed for this gate alone, no Montreal and nobody around at the desk either. I look around and spot what appears to be staff, heading closer I find Door 3 at Gate A1 and two flights listed, the first being Montreal. I could have so easily have missed this. A line of 15+ people so I ask the last person are you waiting for Montreal, no the answer. I move forward and ask again to which I’m told, just go to the front. So at the front, it’s not exactly order. I ask, I’m told by somebody to be pushy, so I ask again about Montreal to the staff person.

There are a number of people obviously waiting to obviously get on this plane, and having paid quite a fare for this flight I’m rather disgusted that my seat was not guarenteed. The staff person was about to take my pre-boarding details I’ve got out, but looks at somebodies else. I check with a few others in the line and they are all waiting to get on the Montreal flight (the gate door remember had two flights, the second was 5:15pm). At this time somebody comes in from the tarmac and proceeds to tell the staff person there are 3 seats remaining. At this time they start reading out a name, on person hands in a ticket and heads off, then they call out my name, and one more. So the long and short is, I’m the second last person on the plan, and I literally made it by 30 seconds. (Side note: I’ve never yet missed a flight, was this the closest, but on two occasions I’ve actually had a plane wait for me and possibly others, the first a connecting flight from Brisbane to Sydney to Hawaii was cancelled and I had to take a later flight and I remember getting on the Hawaii flight and it was door closed and departure. The second was only a few years ago in Frankfurt, where my flight from Alamty was like 2 hours late and I was connecting to New York. In this case the airline staff actually had my name and was waiting for me, again I had to head from one end of the airport to another and while walking to the gate I was actually asked for by name.)

So, I’m now walking on the tarmac towards the plane and I spot my bag just arriving, and about to be put on the plane. Seems I may just get out of this experience. Of course, I’m asked when on the plane for my seat number which I don’t have so I just sit at the first empty site. A few minutes later, the door is closed.

The plane is an Embraer 170. Seating ~ 60 economy + 6 first/business class people. Ample leg room. The interesting part is the in seat information card the front cover states following the expected info. “Final assembly of this aircaft was completed in Brazil”. It just stood out as weird.

What was disappointing at this time was to note that there were at least three empty seats on the plane. That’s poor customer service. At least I’m on the plane and to my next destination, and confident my bag is with me. The flight, customs, collecting luggage, getting local Canadian currency and taxi to my hotel in the city are all uneventful and quite smooth.

Diary: Sat 13^th January 2007 - Month 3

As I mentioned in the earlier Washington DC - Day 1, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial was one of my most memorable places, not only photographically, but also architecturally and also in the words of Thomas Jefferson.

From the memorial website:

“The words of Thomas Jefferson, some written more than 200 years ago, have shaped American ideals. Today, many of these impressive, stirring words adorn the interior walls of his memorial. The Thomas Jefferson Memorial stands as a symbol of liberty and endures as a site for reflection and inspiration for all citizens of the United States and the world.”

Thomas Jefferson was the Third President of the United States of America. He was also the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, and some of his words are presented on the walls of this memorial. There are references that Jefferson has been misquoted in his memorial. So in reading The Declaration of Independence, I found that only the second photo (see below) is quoted from this document. I found the following differences in just comparing quickly.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men. We …
solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States …
And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honour.

One must wonder how this could have happened to have 5 differences as well as 2 missing commas (Which are used elsewhere)! You can click on the photo below to get a larger version of all writings inside the memorial.

Some more points of reference include:

• He is also one on the Presidents on Mount Rushmore Memorial
• Monticello is the home of Thomas Jefferson.
• The Thomas Jefferson Papers is a collection of 27,000 documents at the Library of Congress.
• The papers includes Selected Quotes and a Timeline.
• Jefferson’s Ten Rules
• Library of Congress Exhibit

A closing quote again repeating a number of words from the Library of Congress Exhibit.

This exhibition focuses on the extraordinary legacy of Thomas Jefferson–founding father, farmer, architect, inventor, slaveholder, book collector, scholar, diplomat, and the third president of the United States. It traces Jefferson’s intellectual development from his earliest days in the Piedmont to an ever-expanding realm of influence in republican Virginia, the American Revolutionary government, the creation of the American nation, and the revolution in individual rights in America and the world.

Diary: 15^th January 2007 - Month 3

Today is my final day before work during the week here in Washington DC. A late start after catching up with Brian Guy here and having a very late dinner last night.

A sandwich while sitting in Lafayette Square first, watching The White House made me think, how many eyes from the tops of buildings were observing me.
Walking again around seeing just the amount of great architecture here made me again appreciate the great work done by people hundreds of years ago.

I went back to the World War II Memorial to view this during the day. From my experience there, I came away with some questions, so I took the opportunity to ask the local Park Rangers at the memorial. What pursued was a very interesting history lesson where I learnt quite a lot in a very short time, just from asking one question. Sufficient enough for a separate post, stay tuned. I had an opportunity then to take some day photos of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial during the day before some more Washington DC architecture.

Following that I headed to National Museum of Natural History. I’d left this to last because there is a Museum of Natural History in New York. I had a great time looking at the Dinosaurs, Ancient Seas, Ice Age and Geology, Gems & Minerals sections. Included in the Gems is the Hope Diamond. Also on display was the Nature’s Best Photography Special Exhibit. They were just amazing photographs, very inspiring, the website has all the images for viewing.

As I was leaving, I walked through the Plate Tectonics and Meteorites section, where I saw a Seismic Monitor showing real-time earthquake activity. It showed a category 8 earthquake in Japan in the past 2 weeks. I had no idea. This just re-iterates the American Media and it’s inability to show world news. There is hours and hours of a rescue of a kidnapped child, the new Iraq strategy, of news that deserves telling, but a few minutes not hours and hours, when such important news is either never told, or gets “around the world in 80 seconds”. Americans are so blinded.

You can get more information from the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) website for example on the real-time earthquakes.

My final stop today was the Hirshhorn Museum. Another museum of art and sculpture. I still didn’t get it.

All todays photos here.

Jefferson’s Ten Rules

From a poster available at the National Archives in Washington DC

This is actually two quotes over the doors at a vault display in the National Archives, Washington DC, but together they make perfect sense.

Title from the IMAX movie, and the words of Buzz Aldrin, the second person to walk on the moon describing Earth’s natural orbiting satellite .

Diary: 14^th January 2007 - Month 3

Today my goal was “The Mall”, the term for the strip of Smithsonian Institute Museums in front of the Capitol stretching down to the George Washington Memorial.

I started with the National Air and Space Museum, which was open today (being closed yesterday). The Apollo 11 Command Module, the Wright Bros , I also went to an IMAX 3D show for “Walking on the Moon” (More on IMAX Movie. The subtitle of the movie “Only 12 have walked on the moon”, is a very interesting statistic. All quite amazing and most definitely worth more time to review all detail. Washington DC is definitely a city I could live in.

My second goal was the Department of Engraving and Printing, yet I found out when I got there it was closed. Drat. Ok, so back to the Smithsonian to the Museum of American History, that was closed also. Not much better then yesterday, that’s one out of three so far. I also found out from somebody also at the closed door, that the Library of Congress was closed today, luckily I did that yesterday.

It’s almost like Chinese checkers here. (IDEA: There’s a need here for a website of what’s open today). My next choice was the National Archives, knowing that is was open. This was also impressive including the Rotunda (and murals of The Declaration of Independence , and my Autostitch software again did an excellent you joining 3 photos to the above panoramic . At this time I should also mention that mixed philosophy of photographing at places, some you can’t, some you can, some you can’t do flash photography, I’ve also not even bothered taking my tripod indoors as I’d know it would have been pointless to using it. These photos are hand held (so I’m impressed with the fact I’ve managed do so well to date)

Following that I headed to the National Gallery of Art, located it Mall area but not part of the Smithsonian Institute . Now, I’ve never really been an art buff. I don’t know why, perhaps growing up on a farm and not getting any exposure at school didn’t help. Well, after a few hours starting with What to See in an Hour in the West Building. I’m still not a buff, but I am starting to appreciating some works, and clearly not others. Surprising, I found the sculpture exhibits more appealing (Except, what’s the deal with all torso statues with no heads?). I thought I’d be more into sketches then art, but an extensive Rembrandt collection didn’t do anything for me at all. I’m going to do a separate post for my Gallery Images.

Washington Day 2 Photos.

Diary: Sat 13^th January 2007 - Month 3

Well, last night didn’t count as a day, I only got to my hotel around 7pm then out for some night photos.

Today started after a free breakfast (another story) at the White House Visitor Center (to find out the details of getting to The White House). The short is you need to apply at least a month in advance. Well on to next stop, the George Washington Memorial Ticket Office, all tickets gone for the day. It’s first in best dressed and it was around 11:30am, need to get there earlier. Well off to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, this closed for the day due to a water and sewer leak. So zero for three. I also here that the National Museum of the American Indian was closed due to same problem.

Well, a change of tack required. I decide to do things not in “The Mall”. A stop at the Capitol Reflection Pool, and a rare photo of me in front of the Capitol building, then around to the Library of Congress in the Thomas Jefferson Building. This was amazing, the tour providing valuable insight to the history of the building, the statutes, the paintings. Unfortunately no photos were allowed in the main reading room, the most impressive part by far. Pass the US Supreme Court, to Union Station and the American Legion Freedom Bell and Christoper Columbus Memorial Fountain.

A quick stop back at the hotel, for change of shoes and my tripod, then off to Arlington National Cemetery. This was rather amazing, my goal was to be here for sunset, it didn’t quite work out as ideal as I wanted to, but I did get some sunset photos. More to write about this later. Of to the Pentagon as a stop to head to an impressive memorial statue I’d seen, both from the plane landing and around, but nothing on the map. (More to tell you about the Pentagon as well later).

Well, another hike to the Air Force Memorial which was dedicated only a few months ago (which explains why it’s not on any maps). I was so glad I went all the way for this. A real highlight.

My final goal, and ultimately my favorite place today was the Thomas Jefferson Memorial.

I’ve got a lot more I’d like to say, but the time, the time. For now I want to at least get some quick notes and my initial photos online, for tomorrow there will be more, to do, to see, to experience. I also got some amazing quotes today from various places. My Quote of the Day section will get overtime (Soon).

Today’s Photos here (including the ever present George Washington Memorial).

Diary: 12^th January 2007 - Month 3

Tonight I headed to Washington DC. My flight was relatively on time, for some reason I got marked as an “Elite” Frequent Flyer, giving me priority access to get on, and priority luggage (2nd bag out), as well as a voucher for my next flight to be upgraded to First Class. Our flight was almost totally uneventful except the pilot missed the runway on landing. I could actually see it on the final approach, I could see the details of the cars we were flying over, so our landing was aborted, and he had to do it again. The official comment was another plane was on the runway, but there was no way our approach would have let us land.

A quick, easy and relatively cheap taxi into my hotel the Hilton Garden Inn, and quick change of jacket and my camera and I was out the door, heading directly to “The Mall” for some night photos. The weather was overcast, and that’s affected the photos, but I’m still happy. My tour walking around for about 4 hours included Capitol Building, Washington Memorial, World War II Memorial, Lincoln Memorial and The White House.

All my photos can be viewed Here

My choices of best photos tonight are the view of the fountain at the World War II Memorial with the Lincoln Memorial in the background (the photo at the top), and the Washington Memorial and reflection framed from within the Lincoln Memorial (below). I might add after taking a number of photos within the Lincoln Memorial I was told by security I could not use a tripod, as it affected the marble floor. Yeah right, the foot traffic alone is far worse, what a lame reason, but I just packed up and moved on, I’ll try again tomorrow.

Aristotle