Ford's Theatre - My Favourite Looking Theatre

I first went to Ford's Theatre for "The Widow Lincoln" with Sonu. That play was excellent! I fell in love with the theatre that visit. Not because of the play, but because of how little and quaint this theatre is. 

I went again for "The Guard" with Kristina to Ford's Theatre. This play wasn't really that good, but I was excited to see this theatre again. 

It is like the grand, big, old theatres I have been to, but it is much smaller. There is a small winding staircase that takes you to the balcony level. There is a chandelier, but it is smaller than you see at the other theatres. It's just very snug. I love it! :) 

Lincoln Box

Stage and Lincoln Box

I LOVE how these lamps look

Thip Khao

Thip Khao

Thip Khao means "rice basket". Houda and I went to Thip Khao. It is a fairly new Laotian restaurant in DC. It was nominated in the top 50 new restaurants in Bon Apetit. 

We had tried to go a couple of months okay, but they are closed on Tuesdays, so we had to make last minute plan changes. 

They start us out with 2 slices of cucumbers, beans and a delicious hot sauce, on the house. 

​We ordered the Siin Heng (Sun-Dried Beef, lemongrass, ginger, sesame) to start with. It was delicious!!! 

Siin Heng

I ordered this delicious fried rice dish with shrimp. I don't remember the name and it isn't listed on the online menu. 

Fried Rice with Shrimp

Houda got Moak with cod (Banana leaf wrapped, curry paste, dill). She didn't like it as much, but I quite liked it. She thought it lacked in flavour. 

Moak with Cod

They have a "Let's go to the Jungle" menu. I wasn't brave enough to try any of it, and surprisingly, Houda didn't try anything from there too. It will be saved for when I go with Saurabh. He is sure to want something from there :)

Right Place, Right Time

Getting to work this morning was uneventful. I had a few minutes to spare so I decided to walk around the block. As I was walking up New Hampshire Avenue, approaching Washington Circle, I noticed that roads were blocked. Washington Circle was closed to traffic now. My bus had just come down it a few minutes back. A small crowd was beginning to collect around the circle. It was obvious, the pope was going to pass by. 

Crowds around Washington Circle

Crowds around Washington Circle

We waited for a bit. The security officers kept yelling at the pedestrians to stay off the road. In some time, we started seeing a helicopter circle above. I figured we would hear the motorcade before we saw. 

Helicopter Circling

Suddenly, I heard one of the officers say, "Here we go." I wasn't sure what he meant because I still didn't hear any sirens. And then, One bike came, and then another and soon the motorcade pulled up.

Motorcade began...

The pope was in his tiny Fiat 500! I love this guy. So progressive, so smart, so in with the times. I didn't expect to see him on his visit to DC and I was SO thrilled by this happy chance. 

The Pope's License Plate: SCV 1
(It means Vatican City 1. SCV stands for Status Civitatis Vaticanae, Latin for Vatican City State)

POPE FRANCIS!!!!!

Right place, right time.

Chapels in the Crypt of the National Cathedral

Nave

When you visit the National Cathedral, you step in, the nave just blows you away. The arches, the numerous stain glass windows and the carvings just absorb you. All these are reason enough to visit the Cathedral. 

If you didn't visit the Cathedral at leisure, you may miss the crypt level. The entrance to it lies on the North side of the alter. At the crypt level there are 4 beautiful chapels. 

Stairs leading down to the Crypt

Bethlehem Chapel

Bethlehem Chapel

It is the first part of the National Cathedral and is built over the foundation stone. This one has beautiful carvings. 

Chapel of St. Joseph of Arimathea

Chapel of St. Joseph of Arimathea

This chapel has a mural that depicts Jesus' burial scene, including St. Joseph, who, according to the crucifixion story, donated for Jesus a tomb he had bought for his own body. 

The floor is slightly lower than the rest of the crypt level, symbolizing the low point of Jesus' life. 

Resurrection Chapel

Resurrection Chapel

Resurrection Chapel Wall

Mosaics adorn the dome of the chapel's apse and the walls. 

The Good Shepherd Chapel

The Chapel of Good Shepherd

As I have written before, this is my favourite chapel. It's small, easy to miss, and just lovely!

Confederate Battle Flag at the National Cathedral

There are 2 stain glass windows in the Nave that bear the Confederate Battle Flag. 

These windows were installed in 1953, to honor the lives and legacies of Confederate Generals Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee. The windows were installed, in part, because its leadership at the time hoped they would foster healing between parts of the nation that had been divided by the Civil War. Because it is the "national" cathedral, it sought to depict American history in a way that promoted reconciliation. 

On June 25, 2015, Dean Hall, the Cathedral Dean, said that it was time to take those windows out. "Here, in 2015, we know that celebrating the lives of these two men, and the flag under which they fought, promotes neither healing nor reconciliation, especially for our African-American sisters and brothers."

On June 2, 2015, he went on to say, "There simply is no excuse for the nation's most visible church to display a symbol of racism, slavery, and oppression. None."

Dean Hall has called the Cathedral's governing bodies to remove these windows, and to initiate a process to discern what design for the stain glass windows could adequately represent the history of race, slavery, and division in America

I love that the Cathedral has taken such a firm and strong stance on this.

Pentagon Cross at the National Cathedral

This cross was made by Alvin Neider from fragments of the facade of the Pentagon after the attacks of 11 September 2001

The United States Army Chief of Chaplans presented this cross to the Washington National Cathedral to recognize that Americans are united in memory, freedom, faith, and in the hope of and love for God, America, and all peoples of the earth. 

The "Plot"

Since I have moved to DC (and the US), this plot has been unoccupied. It is large enough for 2 houses. Every fall, it is used to sell Christmas trees. That is the only time I have seen it being used - for about 1 month, every year. Every now and then, a "For Sale" sign will go up on it, and then it will come down. It still hasn't been sold. 

I don't get it. It is on Wisconsin Avenue. The location is prime. Why won't anyone buy it. Are they not able/allowed to? What is going on? 

This plot is directly opposite the Russian Embassy gate. Might that be the reason?

Parklets, Dinner Picnic etc...An Evening in DC

Today is PARK(ing) day in DC. (On one day in September, a variety of groups transform metered parking spots into mini community spaces). These converted parking spots are are called "parklets". What a brilliant word! One of my favourites! :) I read about parklets for the first time last year and got intrigued. I really wanted to check them out. That didn't happen then. Last year, around this time, with Saurabh working to finish his PhD, everything was a whirlwind, and there was wasn't time to do everything we wanted. All that has changed since February! :)

After work, Saurabh and I met in Georgetown where there were supposed to be 4 parklets. By the time we got to Thomas Jefferson Street, where there were supposed to be 3 of them, only 1 was left. But, 1 was more than none, so I was thrilled. I got there before Saurabh and just sat at the parklet opposite Baked and Wired, waiting for him and people watching. 

Baked and Wired Parklet

Once Saurabh came, we hung out there for a little bit and then left to walk along the C&O canal. It have been a while since we have walked along there. It is so pretty and I love that it runs through the city. Part of me wishes it was still in use...

C&O Canal in Georgetown

Walking along the canal. The sun was slightly bright.

From there, we made our way to Potomac Street to see the parklet outside Luke's Lobster. 

Luke's Lobster Parklet

There was, what we though, a book festival at Book Hill Park from 6 to 8 PM. We wanted to check it out, but when we got there, we realised it was was an art festival at the gallery there, crowded and we weren't dressed for it. So, we went along and visited Book Hill Park for the first time since Saurabh proposed to me there :) 

Proposal Spot :) - The weather was better today, but nowhere as pretty as it was then.

While there, were called and ordered food (chicken dumplings and chicken lo mein) to pick up from Shanghai Lounge. We picked up food, went home, collected chopsticks and water and then went to the Cathedral for our dinner picnic. We originally planned on sitting at the tables on the south-east-ish side of the cathedral, but it was pretty dark at this point. So, we settled on the stairs that lead to Olmstead Woods, and set up the picnic. The weather was perfect and it was so much fun to eat a meal outside. It has taken us long enough to do this, I really hope we do it more often until the weather gets too cold. 

Our Delicious Picnic

After dinner, we went to check on our car and as we were walking down the stairs to the garage we saw a LARGE beetle struggling as it was turned upside down. I found a long leaf stalk and flipped over. It walked on, fell one step down and was on its back again!!! I helped flip it over again, but I was beginning to doubt the fruitfulness of this help. But, this time, the beetle navigated the step properly and made it to the lower step without falling on its back. I decided, it had figured it out and we left. :)

Beetle Friend

I just did some googling on the beetle. It turns out it is the largest beetle in the US. It is an Eastern Hercules Beetle (Dynastes tityus). Pretty cool! :)

Close-up. Dynastes tityus

Chimerica

The Set. The screen on the triangular part opens, and there are two rooms, as needed, on different floors.

Another fantastic play at Studio Theatre. The play is about China and America. The play focuses on the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989 and the reporting of an American photographer who was there in 1989. He took the famous tank man photograph. Now, 20 years later, he is looking for the tank man. The play does an excellent job switching between scenes, going into flash backs, and making the 3 hour play seem much shorter than that! 

I liked how they showed the scenes that were in "Mandarin". The first few lines of dialogue were in Mandarin with sur-titles, and then it would switch to English. 

The methods used in the play were excellent, and as expected, another delight to watch at Studio theatre.

David Muse

David Muse, the artistic director of Studio Theatre and the director of Chimerica, was sitting one row below and a few seats away from us. I enjoyed looking at him during the play and seeing him gesturing at scenes and telling another colleague something about it. :) 

Wild Turkeys!

I have always wanted to see wild turkeys, and we got to see a couple outside our room! :) I saw the two run in the same direction at the same time, but spaced from each other. And when one stopped, so did the other. Hilarious!

Violet City Lantern Tour - Mammoth Cave National Park

Exploring a cave by lantern light! How could we not do this? 

However, after experiencing that pitch darkness yesterday, I was unsure how this would play out. In a group of about 40 people, we have only 12 lanterns! The lanterns were old school, flame lanterns. It was exciting! Our lamps had a glass bulb around the flames for safety and such. People before, however used lard oil lamps with no glass. Using lard, would cause smoke that would cover the glass and essentially render the lanterns useless. Before lanterns, prehistoric man used cane reeds, bunched up together and lit with fire.

Cane Reeds used as Torches by Prehistoric Man

Lard Lantern. Slightly blurry, oops.

When we first entered the cave, it was the sample entrance as the self guided discover tour. The path was lit and familiar. We then deviated off and walked further, before we stopped and were talk about the saltpeter mining that happened there. It was to make gunpowder for the war of 1812. 

Eventually, we were around no lights, and just the lights of our lanterns! It was darker than our previous trips in the Mammoth Cave, but the light was sufficient. So many times, I would look up and see lanterns snaking ahead. It was beautiful! I wanted to take a photo of it, but in that darkness and with people continuously moving, I only got blurs! 

Lantern blurs

 

Lanterns, not moving, looked so pretty!

The caves were once used as a "hospital". It was believed that cave air would cure "Consumption", or what we call tuberculosis. We saw a couple of cabins built in the caves, where the sick came and lived. The cave's constant temperature and humidity was believed to cure consumption.  This, however, wasn't true and the hospital closed in just 10 months. 

Molly Miller's Cabin - This was her husband's cabin, where he lived in the hospital in the cave to cure his tuberculosis. Molly and her daughter visited him often here.

This part of the cave we were exploring had been used by ancient man! He came here regularly and lots and lots of artifacts have been found in the these caves that hinted at their lives and purposes for coming into the cave. 

Part of a Slipper found - Artifact. (Probably 2000+ years old)

Gourds used as bowls. 

The caves are lined with Epsom salts. These are used as laxatives. We know that prehistoric man consumed these salts too, because over 160 samples of paleofaeces have been found! We saw one. It was big, and over all these years it must have got dehydrated. That poor soul! 

Paleofaeces. hehe

In another area we stopped in, our guide told us a story of when the CCC were working there. They had stopped work for a break and were sitting up on rocks resting. One of the people's hats falls back and as he is reaching behind to feel for it, he feels something round and hairy. Since rocks aren't typically hairy, he is wondering what it is. What he had found was a mummified prehistoric man! He was perfectly well preserved because of the cave air. He still had his hair, skin, tissue and contents of his last meal in his stomach! The man, "Lost John", was crushed between a rock and that's how he died and why he remained there until the CCC man found him. He was since removed from the cave and displayed, but the outside air affected him and he started to decompose. He was moved around a bit and finally buried somewhere in mammoth caves. His location was known only to the people who buried him and it is passed on in a sealed envelope to each new director of the Mammoth Cave National Park. Lost John was dated to be 2300 years old!!!!

"Lost John" was found crushed under this rock. 

We saw two water falls in the caves this time. And unlike falls we see above ground that are usually water falling off the edge of a mountain, the falls in the caves fall from the ceiling to the ground. Like, someone broke a hole in the ceiling and now there is a stream of water falling down. If the guides didn't shine their torches on the water, we would never have been able to see it with our lantern lights. 

My favourite of the two, and what was probably the most beautiful sight I saw in the caves was the Elizabeth falls. One of the guides went to it, and held his torch under it, so the water was lit all the way up to the ceiling from below. It was a narrow shimmering beam of cascading diamonds.  I realise this effect is only because of the torch, but it doesn't matter. The image was stunning. 

Elizabeth Falls. Or, Falling Diamonds

After the falls, we climbed the Albert Staircase and eventually made our way to "Violet City". Made of stalactites and Stalagmites, it definitely looked like a city. 

Violet City. 
It is hard to take photos of the whole "city" because of the lack of light. But it was a beautiful sight! 

From there, we exited the caves. The entrance/exit looked so hidden in all the shrubbery, in true cave fashion :)

The entrance is hidden there

See it now?