Day 3

In a word Wow !! What a day. Just amazing. I have many many pictures and will post a few of them here but will get you a link to my Picasa web album when I get back to VT. It was cold, cold. I parked my car in Maryland and biked in across the Memorial bridge to the Jefferson Memorial. That got me into the city quickly and then I walked to the mall.

Worked my way down the mall stating at the Washington Monument. There were just so many people it was hard to find a place where you were not boxed in like a sardine. It was 8:00 in the morning and I was not going to be able to stay like this for four hours. So I kept moving around looking for a way to get closer to the Capitol building and the site of the swearing-in ceremony. Finally I found a break and moved to within maybe a thousand yards of the dais.

t was just amazing to see and feel the sens of pride, joy and excitement. I have many pictures. Here are a few.

Pogo Does D.C. - Day 2

Cool and crisp today.  I was dropped off on the mall with my bike and my two trustee cameras strapped to my hips like a pair of six shooters.  I was ready to capture the day.  And capture it, I think I did!  

It is hard to describe what it is like being here.  There is such a sense of joy, of anticipation and of positive energy.  There is an incredible sens of happines.  Everyone is smiling, and I mean everyone.  The police are keeping a pretty low profile on the mall.  You get the sense that they do not want to show their presence unless needed.  There is a feeling of a celebration that so needs to happen and no onewant to get in the way (excpet a few wack jobs- read on).  As I see people there are no wild celebrations just many many people wandering around taking pictures, laughing, smiling.  There are familes, grandmothers, babys, foreigners you name it.  Everyone is here bent on being a prt of history.

It was great to ride around on mike bike.  I was able to get everywhere in a short period of time.  I went to the White House, Washington Monument, The Capitol, Lincoln Memorial and a few of the war memorials.  Getting around was so easy and quick.  

There were a few crazy "jesus Freaks" who were really trying to upset the party by spewing some pretty vile stuff.  I took some interesting pictures but I did not let them spoil my fun.

 

Everyone was having a great time.  Looking forward to tomorrow.  

Pogo does DC

DAY 1:

No plan, no real agenda, just a place to stay and the hope of taking in a part of history.  A real adventure is never planned it just happens when you give yourself the opportunity.  The  drive down to DC was not great, a lot of snow, slow going and about 12 cars in the ditch.  The clouds broke after Hartford.  I found my way to 101 Constitution ave for a reception being held by the Vermont State Society.  No matter where you are, when you run into a Vermonter there is an instant sense of kinship.  I was hoping that maybe I would run into Howard Dean so that I could tell him what a great job he did at the DNC, now that he was stepping down.  As luck would have it I ran into him right away.  We talked and he said that he was not sure what he was going to do next.  He was, of course very excited about the inauguration.  I took some pictures with him and got some snaps with Bernie Sanders, Peter Welsh and Patrick Leahy.

I cruised around the room filled with about 500 VT ex-pats and others from VT who came down to see the event.  I ran into a couple from Williston (the Sassarossis) and we talked.  I was told that there was a great view.  I made my way to the elevator, the doors opened and inside was Senator Patrick Leahy, his wife and one of his handlers.  The four of us rode up to the penthouse patio for and incredible view of the front of the capitol and a perfect view of the dais where Barack is going to be sworn in.  Senator Leahy went on to point out some of the sight including th

e Supreme Court.  He is and avid photographer and he had brought his camera.  I asked why after all these years in DC he still took pictures.  He told me that he absolutely loved the city, thought it was just beautiful and loved to take pictures.  His aid was prodding him about his plane being almost ready as they had just finished de-icing it, but the senator paid him no attention and continued to point out the sight.  He bought me to the back of the rooftop and showed me the Washington Monument that could be only seen from this spot that he knew about.

  He was a like a giddy kid.  What a great two minutes that I spent with  one for the most powerful people in this country!  He was great, not a moment that I will soon forget.  Oh yes I took a snap in the elevator because I liked the reflective doors on the elevator and caught a candid moment of him and his wife.  She remarked what a great idea it was to use the doors to catch the image.

There was a young couple who were wearing a dress and a jacket made by a tailor on Kenya from a bolt of Barack Obama Material.  Amazing,  Check out the picture. 

What a great first night.  I have many more pictures and will post on Google Photos later.  The city is electrified.  You can feel the anticipation.  Looking forward to day 2 !!!