Recognized in DC

Yes, we lived in DC for thirteen years. We moved to northern Virginia three years ago. We still miss our old neighborhood. Not the inconvenience, but the surroundings. So every week we have made it a habit to drive in to the city for a morning walk. Oftentimes the purpose is to take photos for the weekly challenge contest that I belong to. On Monday we parked in the old neighborhood and walked over to the Navy Yard and Yards Park. It has changed so much since we first moved. The only buildings were the department of transportation and a Marriott in between all of the run down dwellings. Now it has more buildings and the nationals stadium and is densely populated with high rises and hotels. So we walked along the waterfront. Today we drove in and parked by the American Indian museum and headed towards the Smithsonian castle. While waiting at the stop light a young lady asked us if we were enjoying our time in DC. She said she saw us walking along the river front in Yards Park earlier this week while she was walking her dog. We told her we lived in DC a and now drive in for morning walks. Then she wished us a pleasant day. It doesn’t sound like much but what are the odds of being recognized in a city as big as DC? I was wearing the same coat and hat and it’s not infrequent that people in a neighborhood recognize us because my husband and I are always together. It just seemed strange to be recognized out of the blue - but in a good way. 

DC SE Waterfront

When we first moved to DC fifteen years ago the “other side” of the freeway was a bit worn. Then the nationals stadium was built and the neighborhood doesn’t look the same at all. It has become one of the most densely populated areas in the DC region. The number of high rises, condos, hotels, restaurants, and everything else is unbelievable. We drove over to our old Capitol Hill neighborhood and parked the car on Duddington Street, then walked over the the Navy Yard, Yards Park, and along the SE Waterfront. I was in search of photos for the weekly challenge. We hadn’t been to this area for a few months. The one thing noticeable was the constant noise. There is still constant construction and noise pollution. The river walk is always very pleasant so we strolled about towards the stadium and back to the Navy Yard. Someone was trying to catch fish at the Anacostia and a group of people were getting a boat tour. We really did enjoy living in our old neighborhood, but we are older and things have changed in a lot of ways. Capitol Hill had more of a suburban feel, but our 1890’s condo building had too many things wrong with it. So we still have the opportunity to visit and that seems to do the trick. It’s a great excuse for a ride and a morning walk. 

SE Waterfront in Winter

Every once in a while we change up our routine and walk over to the SE neighborhood by the Navy Yard. It’s also called Yards Park and a lot of other things. None of it existed when we first moved here twelve years ago. Now, among all the high rises that were recently built and all the new ones that are half done with many more to go, it’s beginning to look like downtown. There is hardly any daylight in between the buildings. As one goes up, another goes up right next to it and blocks the view. The baseball stadium anchors one end and the Capitol Building can be seen up South Capitol Street with new buildings in all stages along the path. The one “free space” is by the Anacostia River. So we detoured over that way. Having just snowed it looked and sounded eerily quiet compared to all the construction noise opposite it. There were symmetrical reflections in the river mirroring the sky above. This place will soon be home to one of the most - if not the most - congested neighborhoods in DC. We don’t mind living near it, but probably wouldn’t want to live in it. When all is said and done it is pretty - along the waterfront. 

Washington Navy Yard

After stopping off for blood work at my doctors office in Eastern Market this morning, our walk took us towards the Anacostia River via eighth street. Our plan was to meander by the waterfront along the Navy Yard walkway. We moved over to about tenth street and down to the river, but the walkway was closed due to maintenance. So we came back to M street and headed west. All along this stretch and around the Navy Yard perimeter at least six city blocks long or more was a very tall brick wall with a few manned entrances for car and foot traffic. We started to notice signs entitled “behind these walls” that spoke of the history of this place on the Capitol riverfront. It’s been here for a long time and has gone through many changes. My initial interest was that John Wilkes Booth made his way across a bridge here somewhere as he made his escape to Virginia from Ford’s Theater. It protected the city during the War if 1812 and the Civil War. It was a bustling navy yard where ships were actually built, and also served as a celebratory site for welcoming royalty and political figures in years past. Most recently, it was the site of a disgusting mass shooting event. Maybe one of these days we will visit the museum. Since we moved to DC this area has transformed - Nationals Park, the Department of Transportation, countless apartments, condos, restaurants, retail, etc. It’s so dense now the UPS delivery people told us they are overwhelmed by the sheer density of the place. I heard it will become one of, if not the most populated neighborhood in DC. We are just waiting for the new Whole Foods store to open just two or three blocks away from where we live in Capitol Hill. But in the meantime it feels strange to think of all that has come before this. It was an unexpected and unplanned reminder of the city’s history. 

A Navy Yard Walkabout

Rather than take the usual promenade, this morning my husband suggested a walk towards the Anacostia River at Yards Park and the Navy Yard. Once we passed through the hustle and bustle of all the people on their way to work and the noisy construction of this urban environment, we reached our destination. It was quite desolate, and quiet - such a sharp contrast to the urban concrete and high rises. So we walked east along the river to the freeway, spotting various water birds and a heron along the way. The docks were quite empty and the battleship is no longer moored by the Navy Yard. The water seems a lot cleaner than the last time we were there. Every so often a jogger would pass us by.  The high walls extend around the entire perimeter of the complex. We walked past a few marines who were participating in some sort of drill. Then we made our way to M Street where the Wagtime Shop is located. We stopped to see my gallery of pet digital art portraits that I just updated on Sunday. The traffic and noise along M street was typically loud for rush hour. We finally made it back home to the quiet suburban neighborhood. What a difference a couple blocks makes. 

A Drive On M Street and Barracks Row

We didn't want to drive directly back home after brunch so we took a detour on M Street. Things have changed a lot since we first moved here - on the other side of the freeway - and will continue to progress for many more years to come. The Nationals Stadium stands in the distance, but the path has been cleared for yet another condominium, shopping, restaurant complex. The ice skating venue has a few customers at Canal Park. The new Harris Teeter just opened amid another complex of apartments, condos, and restaurants. My husband still prefers the one on Pennsylvania Avenue, although this one is much closer to us. Up the street is the Navy Yard complex. It appears that the many year freeway and road construction project may finally be coming to an end. But the train track renovation will soon take its place. We turn around at the Wagtime Shop where I have a "gallery wall" of pet portraits. There is a fenced in area where the pooches are allowed to romp as weather permits. Turning up on Eighth Street and Barracks Row, several urban art pieces are displayed on the sides of buildings. Marine Barracks is well protected by a high fence with guards on all corners. It's a rather dreary outing as there is much less activity at this time of day and year. It all feels so familiar to us now as if we have lived here forever. I guess that's a good thing.