#thenationalmall

It is Kiran in Washington D.C. day! I have never thought of travelling to D.C. nor have I ever been curious, but I feel excited about getting on the famous greyhound bus and making my way to a different city. I departed early morning and reached around 3:00 pm in the afternoon. The city was awfully quiet - the shops were closed, barely saw one or two people walking on the streets, as I make my way to the Architect Hotel, established in 1902, two blocks away from the White House. 

I quickly settled in, unpacked, freshened up and stepped out to walk on The National Mall en route to the Kennedy Centre, where my next activity was scheduled. As I walked, I noticed many tourists in large crowds making their way to the White House, I am not someone who keeps track of the political situation in my own country, let alone the politics of another. I noticed vans on the road as I walked towards the White House, with messages regrading the Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Imran Khan, statements that were highlighting, “Pakistan’s Human Rights Abuses in Balochistan”, “End Forced Disappearance in Pakistan”, I guess this was also the case, as Pakistan Prime Minister was in Washington D.C., to meet with the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump. 

As I continued to walk, I noticed the city plan, the sanitised streets of D.C., it was a shift from New York and could not help but draw parallels. I also hate to say it, but I felt a racist vibe, maybe because I was brown, or Pakistani - I understood at the point that D.C. was fairly conservative, and not as inclusive or welcoming, unlike New York. It made me a little uncomfortable, I noticed people noticing me, how my presence made them a little uneasy, the racial division and discrimination was evident and I was not apologetic. I walked passed the White House, crossed the absolutely stunning National Museum of African American History and Culture. The Museum is a significant national monument and a part of the Smithsonian Institution of Museums, it opened to public in 2016, and the building is designed by David Adjaye. I walked towards the Washington Monument, that was completed in 1884, and built in the honour of George Washington, the United States’ first president. The 555 foot marble obelisk towers over Washington, D.C. reminding the people of Washington’s life and legacy, including the capital that bears his name. It has about 896 steps, about 36,000 stones, weighs about 81,000 tons, 150 feet up the stones change colour because they came from different quarries during the two construction periods. Further down was the WWII Memorial and Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool. The reflecting pool was surrounded by the Constitution Gardens, where the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial was found. The Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial, is designed by the famous architect, Maya Lin, it lists all the names of U.S. soldiers killed in the Vietnam War. 

The last stop along The National Mall was the Lincoln Memorial, which was incorporated by the Congress, the construction did not begin until February 12, 1914. Daniel Chester French designed the statue; the Piccirilli Brothers of New York carved it. It is 19 feet tall and 19 feet wide and made from 28 marble blocks. The murals, painted by Jules Guerin depict principles evident in Lincoln’s life. If you sat on the steps facing outward, right across you will find the Washington Memorial in the distance.

My last stop for today was The Kenedy Center, where I was meant to watch the Lakou Mizik, a multigenerational collective of Haitian Musicians formed in the aftermath of the devastating 2010 earthquake. The concert was meant was from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm and it was already half past six, the walk was approximately another 20 mins. I thought to myself, even if I caught a few minutes, it would be worth it and it not, I could explore the center either way. By the time I got there, the concert was already over, I had already anticipated this as I was walking the distance. However, I sat around and walked through spaces that were open to public. The Kenedy Center houses six theaters, the Millennium Stage (which features free daily performances), the Center is also dedicated to providing arts and management education on national and local levels for teachers and students of all ages.

The day had come to an end and I was exhausted, the day was terribly hot and I had been walking for the last couple of hours non-stop. On my way back I felt the scorching sun slowing disappearing, and grey clouds were moving in, and then suddenly there was rain, and I was not prepared. I walked under the trees, made my way back through the park, with soothing rain drops that made their way through the trees, falling down on me - it was terribly peaceful and the sound of the breeze passing and moving the leaves, with birds chirping and crickets (i think they were crickets of some kind of similar insects) buzzing in loud sounds, I could see willows trees in the distance - everything suddenly felt very magical, as if I were walking through heaps of poetry.