Walk Through This World

OK – the title of this post is the song that’s not only playing in my head, but also playing on the computer at the moment – “Walk Through This World” by Marc Cohn. Great song.

It got me thinking about various places to which we travel. There are some cities that I would classify as “walking” cities. Meaning it is a joy just to walk the streets, hear the sounds, take in the local sights… Those cities would include San Francisco (which I have walked from Fisherman’s Wharf to Market Street, and from the Presidio to the Financial District – love that town!), Seattle, downtown LA (seriously!) San Diego, Boston, and Washington DC. We’ll be in DC in May, and I’m looking forward to strolling the Mall and the length of Pennsylvania Avenue. Also looking forward to going back to Johnny’s Half Shell for lunch, but that’s another story.

While in DC I’ll be getting plenty of exercise. I even have a pair of Gnu Shooz for me! I plan to make my usual stops at the Navy Memorial and Dupont Circle – which leads into Georgetown and some very cool shops and eateries. And this time I’m planning to spend some time at the National Archives. It’s been a while since I’ve been there, and it’s probably time that I went to visit the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence again. Standing in front of documents that are well over 200 years old and contain the tenets of this experimental government known as modern democracy, (as opposed to ancient Greek democracy), is a bit of a humbling experience. Especially when you know that a lot of the men who signed those documents died defending them.

Walking the streets of these towns – or cities, if you must – gives you a sense of the tenor of what the Average Joe like me is feeling, thinking, experiencing. We were in DC in March 2002. National Guard troops on every corner within a 10 block radius of the White House, armed with M-16’s, locked and loaded with the safeties off. (Yes, I know enough about weapons to be able to tell.) It was just plain scary. A year before, it was tranquil, peaceful, and the cherry blossoms were just starting to bloom. All was calm. Late March in DC can be an absolutely beautiful time in that town.

I don’t know what DC is going to feel like when we spend four days there this May.

I just know I plan to walk.