Washington Monuments (enlarge photo)

My first visit to Washington came in the post September 11th era. As a result of this, there were virtually no other tourists in Washington at the time, which was kind of pleasant. However, many of the monuments and exhibits were fenced off, severely limiting access.

I was suprised to learn that building heights have been capped in Washinton. As a result, even from the city centre, you still have open views to the city. The Washington Monument is the unmistakable king of the DC skyline. From the Monument, you can look in one direction and see the Lincoln Memorial, or the other direction and see the US Capitol Building.

The low, late afternoon sun illuminated the Monument, changing it from off-white to a deep orange. A strong wind had most of the flags flapping noisily. I chose this vantage point to highlight the close relationship of the Monument and the Capitol Building, with the flags carefully positioned to compliment this truly American scene.