3 May 2006 - DC - Sheila's Been Jacked!!

The National Gallery of Art was my main attraction in D.C. I think I spent about 5 hours there. After that, and what I've heard about the Smithsonian, I really think some foot massage therapists could make a killing if they were spread throughout the mall.

I don't how many of these wooden Degas ballerina's there are spread around the world, but here are two of them facing each other.

Ballerina by Degas

The Alba Madonna by Raphael

WWI Memorial

Not everything can be serious.

The Washington Monument

Lincoln Memorial

This site may look quiet and serene. What you don't see in the picture are the 800 busloads of people surrounding it. Good thing the artist/architect put this sculpture on a high platform, or there would be no getting a picture without atleast 1 busload in front of him.

Vietnam Veteran's Memorial

by Maya Ling Yin

Note the busload of people who just walked over from the Lincoln Memorial.

Detail of Vietnam Women's Memorial

by Texas native Glenna Goodacre

The internet says that the National Mall is just over a mile in length, but I'd disagree. Add that to the 3 floors of the 2 buildings of the National Gallery of Art, and I'd say I walked 26 miles, a marathon. Where are those foot massagers when you need them. After all of that, I took the half hour metro ride back to where I parked my car which was at a shopping center a few blocks away from my friend's apartment. Hmmm, I don't really know how to convey the emotion here, but let me reiterate that I'd just walked 26 miles. I'm physically drained and slightly famished. I walk up to where I parked my car at 930am and it was not there. My car was gone. I think, why Lord? Do you not want me to own a car? So, I called my friend, who just happened to be dining at that shopping center, met up with her and found a policeman, filed a report, called the insurance, the whole shebang. Her friend suggested we look for posted signs that threaten towing. Well, we found one, called the number to Henry's Towing, and they had Sheila. So, instead of going to IKEA, which had been the plan, Faith and I went to pick up my baby, my transportation, and then went back to her apartment and polished off a bottle of cheap but delicious wine.