New York to Washington DC
“[F]or Zen there is no duality, no conflict between the natural element of chance and the human element of control. The constructive powers of the human mind are no more artificial than the formative actions of plants or bees, so that from the standpoint of Zen it is no contradiction to say that artistic technique is discipline in spontaneity and spontaneity in discipline.”
- Alan W. Watts, The Way of Zen
Less of my rambling this time and more pictures. Don't count on it always being that way, you know me ho ho!
Flying from Las Vegas to New York, I saw amazing views from the plane.
Las Vegas nestled into the desert mountain ranges..
Snow covered ranges in beautiful deserts...
And eventually Manhattan, New York.
Checked into the Jane Hotel which had probably the smallest rooms I've ever stayed in, but it's comfortable and the facilities are clean and tidy. It was a great place.
I explored my location a little..
then retired for the night.
Next day I walked the High Line – a disused set of above-ground railway lines that were turned into an above-ground walkway park..
the Wollman skating rink in Central Park..
the Trump Tower in Manhattan..
the Grand Central Station..
and the (outside of the) Empire State Building.
But something was missing. With the cold winter and the Christmas holidays, the streets were much more empty - missing all those New Yorkers doing the hustle and bustle of business and life. It's an integral part of the experience. Last time I was there in 2014, I was doing some business myself, joining the stride, getting my bite as well as enjoying the place. But this time I was there mostly just to enjoy and I missed that productive buzz in the hive.
Still, it's a magnificent place and I love it. It was surprising how quickly I recalled and implemented the things I had learned in my visit in 2014 – utilising the numbered streets and avenues rather than GPS, the practically compulsory art of jaywalking, the three-step flow in the pizza shops, using the emergency doors when you have luggage in the subway, lots of tricks. It was a good visit.
After Christmas, I booked a train ticket to Washington DC, checked into my hotel and walked about an hour to a place I love, the Washington Mall.
I really love this place. Last time I was there in 2014, I planned a half day for it, spent a full day there and it was nowhere near enough time. This time I had a few days. Today I walked the length, from the Lincoln Memorial at one end..
The Reflecting pool, often portrayed in the anti-Vietnam march of 1967..
The Second World War monument at the other end of the reflecting pool.
and the Washington monument where you can see a colour change about a third of the way up where the building was stopped as they fought the Civil War before resuming after the war. It was the tallest building in the world when finished in 1884.
I love the crispness of it's edge against the sky. It's greatly strengthened in person.
I ducked into the Smithosian Air and Space museum for a few hours which is also terrific but I'll write about that another time. Afterwards I continued along the Washington Mall to the amazing Capitol Hill building at the other end..
And off to the side, the White House.
The buildings are all amazing beautiful constructions, striking to see in person.
Took a good slow walk back to the hotel.
That's enough for today, thanks for reading.