Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center

On our trip back to DC, on our last day in DC before we were going to spend the weekend with the kids, we were walking around our hotel and we saw this!!! All my years in DC and I never came here. I think I had vaguely heard about this opening, and looked into it then, but seem to have forgotten about it after that. 

It was closed when we saw it, but I stuck my face and phone to the window to see what they have inside and to take some photos :)

I miss stumbling upon things like this in Eugene. Sigh. 

DC Wanderings...

I miss architecture like this sprinkling the city I live in.

On my last morning in DC this trip, while Saurabh was at his conference, I got dressed, looked for a latte and walked around. There weren't many people out at that hour, but it is DC and there were people. In the lull of the morning hours on a Saturday in DC, I strolled, sipping, reading, taking photos, and just simply soaking in the city. I miss DC every day in Eugene. 

Soon after leaving the hotel, there is this sculpture of Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of homeopathy. The panels on either side of Hahnemann are interesting. 

After I got my coffee from Dolcezza (I don't recommend their coffee, the gelato on the other hand - Winner!) and walked to Logan Circle. I have been to Logan Circle so many times, but never read John Logan's story that is written on the information stand near the Logan House. It especially hit a chord because I had visited the African American Museum this trip too. And all of this, right after the fuckness of the 2016 election results. 

Logan Home

From Logan circle, I just wandered the streets. The streets here are very DC-esque, and lined with trees in fall hues, they were beautiful to look at.

Today was the first time I realised that Church Street in DC has at least 3 churches! It is literally, Church Street. 

This dog was going nuts! He went around in circles at least 20 times. He was circling while I took this photo! :D

I finally walked back to the hotel and noticed this statue of Daniel Webster right behind out hotel! 

July Date with Kristina and the Exorcist Steps

Typical. We forgot to take a photo when we were together, so we took selfies after we parted. Sigh

Kristina and I went to Pie Sisters for our July date. Both of us got the chicken potpie pie slice. So so delicious! 

Chicken Pot Pie. mmmmm

After dinner, we went to see the Exorcist steps in Georgetown. I have been wanting to go see that for 10-11 years now! Finally! 

This guy kept running up and down these insanely steep steps! Annoying, because I couldn't get a photo without him! But, man, some stamina! 

After the steps, we picked up pies to take home and then ended the evening with frozen yogurt at Pinkberry - I LOVE the chocolate caviar topping they have. mmmmm

Fire Flies!

Rock Creek Park

This evening we went for a walk, after sorting through the coat closet. We did a quick walk through a stretch of Rock Creek Park. We were there arounf 19:45, and the fire flies were out there glowing in all their beauty. As we followed the trail, all around us, in sporadic flashes, the fireflies lit up. So pretty, so magical. Fire flies do not seem like they belong to nature. They feel like they have materialized from magical imagination. :)

Fire Flies!

Turkish Embassy, DC

The Turkish embassy in DC is gorgeous. I only saw the embassy today, after 12 years in DC. We were walking to the Foggy Bottom farmer's market via Massachusetts Avenue and 23rd street when we spotted it. The embassy also has a beautiful Golden Retriever who cam bounding and barking toward us till the courtyard railings allowed him to. :)

I Found Vanny Again!

She was performing outside the foggy bottom metro when I left work at 8:15pm. If you are going to work late on a Friday evening, it can't be too bad if it ends this way. Go out and find her, if you haven't heard her yet. She is excellent!

Inside of the Islamic Center of Washington

Last week, I had finally taken photos of the Islamic Center and entered its premises. But, I hadn't gone into the Prayer Room. With Arefa and kids, borrowed abayas from the center, we were all able to go in. The room is small, but captivating in its beauty. I'm so glad Arefa insisted we go in. 

Beautiful Arches

I love this part of the ceiling

Chandelier in the center or the room

National Postal Museum

Murtaza, Arefa, Aaliya and Saleem came to DC because Bhai Murtaza had a conference in DC. I joined Arefa and the kids to see the Postal Museum. 

The museum floor, on the lower level, has tiles that look like envelopes with a stamp in the corner. Such a smart design :)

Notice the Envelope-esque Tiles

We saw a mail wagon. These were used to deliver mail. As the train pulled up at stations of smaller towns, the train would not stop, just slow down. And, the mail bags would be flung on to the platform, while other bags full of mail for delivery were picked up with the train moving!

One of the exhibits at the museum is the PostSecret exhibit. In 2004 Frank Warren founded it. People mail in secrets on homemade postcards. This ventures has received hundreds of thousands of postcards. Some of them were displayed individually, some placed in a large pyramid, and most of them in storage. 

PostSecret Postcard Pyramid

One of the PostSecret Postcards 

A Heart Wrencihing PostSecret Postcard

There were a lot of interesting stamps and mail displayed at the museum . 

A Swedish Feather Letter

I enjoyed seeing stamps from Oman. 

There were a LOT of stamps from India, divided by state amongst other things. 

Sindh Dak Post: These stamps from the Sindh District were the first issued in India, and in Asia. The 1854 the Indian government recalled all unused stamps from Sindh, making the scarce today. The red stamp is also rare because the fragile wax caused many to fall apart. Sindh is now in Pakistan

Sindh Dak Post

The museums has interactive bits, where you can go through a whole bunch of stamps on a screen and email 10 to yourself. I did it, and here are the 10 I picked: 

They also let you design a stamp and email it to yourself, in two version - a current version, and a historic one. Here's the one I designed: 

Aaliya designed her stamp