Washington DC is like my second home. Full of charm, beautiful architecture and the most interesting people, I was in the District last week for the inauguration, Women's March and to catch up with friends and colleagues.
I had booked my ticket before the results of the presidential election were revealed. I knew this trip wouldn't be like the ones that had gone before.
I arrived two days before inauguration day, and even then the mood was tense. I'd describe it as a mix between anticipation and trepidation. When inauguration day dawned, I headed into the city on the Metro with my friend. The Metro was empty, with only a few other passengers on the train. It was quieter than a work day! Security was extremely tight in the centre of DC, with lots of police, National Guard, army and snipers on the roofs. Protestors had already begun to demonstrate and their chants were in competition with cheers of 'USA' from Trump supporters. The mood was not one of celebration or jubilation, and as a spectator, I was really shocked by the scenes that I saw. I've written more about the day
here.
The next day was the Women's March, and spirits were lifted. In contrast to the day before, the Metro was packed with women. Each holding handmade and really witty signs, as well as pink Kitty hats, the mood was positive and upbeat, and it was clear that many women had travelled far and wide to be in DC for this historic moment. When we exited the Metro everybody cheered and this continued outside. People literally streamed towards the National Mall, and within a short space of time, it was clear that attendance would top the predicted turnout. I met so many people from across America and was pretty psyched when someone gave me an original Hillary Clinton campaign sign. It really was a positive day.
The rest of my trip was spent attending meetings and exploring some of my favourite parts of the city. I went to the Air and Space Museum - my first trip since aged 11! Whilst not much had changed it was pretty cool to see the Hubble Telescope, the Space Shuttle exhibition and items from the Moon Landing. I also revisited the American History Museum to see the First Lady dresses- I always do this when I am in DC! I also had a good time visiting the British Embassy and strolling the streets of Georgetown and admiring the gorgeous houses.
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| Air and Space Museum |
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| Julia Child's kitchen |
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| Michelle Obama's beautiful inaugural gown |
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| Georgetown architecture |
America felt like a different place when I left. The change of administration is always an interesting episode to watch, and as a Brit, it was fascinating to see the pomp and pageantry of a new President taking office. So much has happened in the last week, much of which is completely hard to comprehend. Whilst I will always love visiting the USA, I feel future trips will be very different.
