Photos from Washington D.C. and New York City

Church right across the DC/Maryland border. Not special in any way. Welcome to the site of non-special pictures. Original Smithsonian Building ('the castle'). Headquarters and Visitors Center to the museums. World War II Memorial, across reflecting pool to Lincoln Memorial From Pacific side of World War II Memorial looking across fountain to Atlantic side. Across the tidepool looking at the Washington Monument. A look at the Jefferson Memorial
Across the Reflecting Pool(full of muck), looking at the World War II Memorial, Washington Monument and Capital. Big Stone Sitting Lincoln, complete with excited Chinaman posing for a picture. First hostel I stayed at. The place I'll most likely stay if I return to DC. Kennedy gravesite and eternal flame in Arlington National Cemetary. Still burning. View from near the Lee House in Arlington National Cemetary looking across the Potomac towards D.C. I was surprised to find the grave of Abner Doubleday. Claimed to be the inventor of baseball while resting with other Union soldiers in the Civil War.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during the Changing of the Guard Ceremony. These soldiers want to be ballerinas. (I'm not a fan) Teddy Roosevelt Monument on Teddy Roosevelt Island in the Potomac. The island is a heavily wooded park that is mostly used as a jogging area. Nice change of pace from the touristy capital area. Some undistinguished marmoset in the monkey house at the National Zoo. He later attacked me and possibly gave me rabies (or whatever monkeys have). Lazy tiger at the National Zoo. They don't like it when you swim in their moat. Approaching the capitol from the national Mall. For some reason it's illegal to take water in the building. God Bless the Homeland Security Department. Me standing in front of the Supreme Court Building. Ruth Ginsberg was hitting on me all day. These justices can't take no for an answer.
National Cathedral in D.C. It bothers me that there is a National Cathedral (and it's Episcopalian). Still, it's a cool church. Looking across the East River to the Brooklyn Bridge. My camera's awesome on cloudy days. Across the East River towards Brooklyn. I got robbed 3 times trying to take this picture. Old Trinity Church in Lower Manhattan on Wall Street. Nice juxtaposition with the tall, new skyscrapers that surround it. Front of New York Stock Exchange, with a huge freakin' flag. I couldn't get within 50 feet of this building (lots o' security). A look over the former World Trade Center site. Disturbing to think this big open area used to have the two largest buildings in this part of the country.
Another picture of Ground Zero. Construction seems to have begun for the Freedom Tower. Another view of WTC site. Kinda depressing. Picture of Ellis Island from the free Staten Island Ferry. The Staten Island Ferry rules. Liberty Island and Statue of Liberty from the Ferry. Slightly better picture of the same statue. The Staten Island Ferry is awesome. And Free. Staten Island might as well be suburban New Jersey (but I'd rather live there). View of Lower Manhattan as the ferry heads across New York Harbor.
Much better view of Lower Manhattan, as I'm returning on the Ferry. United Nations Building. Can you believe they charge $11 for a tour of this place? I toured the U.S. capital and sat in the gallery during a House of Representatives session for free. Times Square in Mid-Town Manhattan. Home of the big tv screen and free 10-minutes-at-a-time internet. I'm glad to say I didn't see Carson Daly. Inside St. Patricks Cathedral in Mid-Town. My favorite church I've visited in the U.S. Not a great photo. Time Square at night. One of those magical places where you can see a musical, get a blow job and be recruited into the army on the same block. I passed on all three. Rockefeller Center in Mid-Town. Looking towards NBC studios.
At Newark Liberty International Airport, preparing to board a plane and fly to another continent. Immediately after this, I realize my boarding pass was on my backpack when I checked in my luggage. Not the last time I lost a ticket immediately after I got it.
         
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