Culture and cuisine
2 DAYS NIGHTS
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Jon Shaver is forgetting his financial job back home in Dallas, and indulging his passion for flight at the National Air and Space Museum. “The whole story of modern aviation is a miracle,” says Shaver, visiting his nation’s capital for the first time in 30 years.
Jon and his wife, Iris, are admiring “Friendship 7,” the squat space capsule that took astronaut John Glenn Jr. into space 50 years ago. Glenn, later a popular senator, made history with the first manned orbital flight for the United States. “Where did he sit?” Iris asks, peering into the improbable cabin.
Shaver, a former pilot, points out the cramped seat, body straps, and low-tech controls, through a small window. Everything looks so tiny and homemade, compared to the giant Boeing 747 poised overhead, that it’s difficult to imagine anyone going anywhere in this thing, let alone space. This is the wonder of the Smithsonian, the world’s largest collection of museums and galleries — 19 of them, all free, courtesy of American taxpayers. “I think of this as the modern-day incarnation of the library at Alexandria,” Shaver says, referring to the marvel of ancient Egypt. “It has all the indicators of culture and civilization.” This is a city of museums, huge monuments and memorials, mostly honouring wars and dead presidents. Washington is so heavy with statues, I swear it adds to the effort of walking for hours. Lacy cherry blossoms, however, soften the city in spring. This is the 100th anniversary of the national cherry blossom festival, and blooms are earlier than usual.
ARRIVING Major airlines have several flights daily, direct from Pearson to Dulles, the airport just outside Washington. Return ticket for blossom festival is $599. Starting April 16, Porter Airlines launches direct service to Dulles, starting at $350 return. flyporter.com GETTING AROUND One thing everyone learns quickly in Washington: Don’t drive. And don’t even think about parking. Public transit has improved a lot, and so has the district’s transportation department site, godcgo.com. Subways are fast and extensive: wmata.com. The new Circulator bus hits all the popular spots for $1. There’s another bus every 10 minutes. dccirculator.com. SLEEPING See the infamous Watergate complex and the Potomac River from the River Inn, an apartment-style hotel in Foggy Bottom. Online advertised special: $149 a night. theriverinn.com. Stay next to the White House at the uber-cool W Hotel. starwoodhotels.com. $279-$439 per night. Best hotel fitness centre we’ve ever seen is at the Fairmont, near Georgetown. fairmont.com. $709 a night. WEB SURFING washington.org DOING 100th Cherry Blossom Fest is slated to run until April 27. nationalcherryblossomfestival.org.