As for the content of the conference… Just give me a day or two to process that.
Most of our time was spent indoors, with the occasional dash to Terminal Market for coffee. Evenings provided a chance to explore local bars and restaurants.
But after the last session on Sunday, I had 18 hours of freedom (including seven hours of sunshine).
Rather conveniently, there was an Indego stand right outside the hotel. Despite the fact I have no sense of direction and still make an “L” with my left hand to distinguish it from my right, I survived an afternoon cruising the streets of Philadelphia.
Independence Hall: Where the United States Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were debated and adoptedReplica of the Liberty Bell’s inscriptionDon’t ask me which bridge this is
With a free evening ahead, my first thought was to return to New York.
Factoring in travel time, this plan would have meant missing my flights home. Still, I considered it for longer than I should have.
Now, I’m in Los Angeles. I’ve made two flights, and I’ve got two to go.
Entering Tom Bradley International Terminal, you’re faced with rows of check-in desks belonging to different airlines.
After New York, Washington DC left me wondering where all the people were.
A large number appeared to have been turned into statues and monuments. The short time I was there provided a crash-course in American political history.
The schoolgirl next to me at the fence said: “It’s not as big as I was expecting.”
After my meeting with Jim, I headed to the National Mall and visited The National Archives Building for the Big Three (the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence).
Apparently a 20-minute wait to see the Rotunda at 4pm on a week day is “usual”. Blimey, these people are patriotic.
The National Archives Building
It was interesting to note a bunch of spelling mistakes particularly in the Constitution. Then again, considering it was written hastily following the Convention, and by hand, it’s no wonder Jacob Shallus dropped a few letters and added an extra apostrophe. He was essentially breaking news, right?
Speaking of news, I spent two afternoons at the Newseum and seriously thought about returning for a third day.
Located on historic Pennsylvania Avenue, it also provided the best view I had of the city. (No, I was not organised enough to book Washington Monument tickets six months ahead).
View from the Newseum
Given that the United States was the first country in the history of the world to acknowledge the right to press freedom in its constitution (following the ratification of the Bill of Rights in 1791), there was a focus on watchdog journalism.
It chartered the dramatic changes in not only the format of news coverage but also the public’s relationship with the industry. During the Vietnam War, for example, television news was one of the country’s most trusted institutions. Oh, how times have changed.
I’d heard of William “Bill” Biggart, the freelance photojournalist who died while photographing the collapse of the World Trade Center’s North Tower on September 11, 2001. It was rather eerie seeing the gear he was carrying, along with artifacts from other victims, on display behind glass.
I managed to get around other local attractions: The White House, Lincoln Memorial, and so on. (Thanks to a friend of importance, I also had a personal tour of the Pentagon.)
On my final afternoon, while exploring the quirky cafes and clothing boutiques of Georgetown, with a coffee in one hand and an ice cream sandwich in the other, I conceded although this wasn’t New York… I could quite happily live in the nation’s capital.
Katie Kenny 