It’s the afternoon of New Year’s Eve and I am among a group of tourists standing near the front entrance of the Washington National Cathedral.
We ignore the Neo-Gothic architecture, altars and stained glass because everyone is transfixed on the bookish tour guide. The middle aged woman who greeted everyone nicely a few minutes ago is now glaring up at the second floor balcony above the cathedral entrance.
“Excuse me,” the guide says, barely below a shout. “Get down from there now. NO — that floor is closed. You need to get down here NOW.”
She repeats herself several times. A tourist in a suit tries to help the guide with awkward hand motions to the second-floor trespassers. I can’t see who is on the balcony but it is obvious that they are lingering to take pictures and the tour guide was having none of it.
“Elevator access is shut down to that floor,” the tour guide says to the nearby suited man. “I don’t understand how they got up there or why it’s not clear to them that the second floor is closed!”
“People are just stupid I guess,” he says in a thick Italian accent.
I quickly turn to the statue of George Washington to avoid laughing.
A statue of George Washington at the Washington National Cathedral.
The front entrance of the Washington National Cathedral, near Georgetown.
Lamps and the vaulted ceiling at the Washington National Cathedral.
A very quiet end to 2017
Minor tourist drama aside, the trip to the cathedral was a pleasant way to end the year. It was also the last trek out that I would make that day.
It became increasingly clear that I was staying in for New Year’s Eve when I still didn’t have any plans by 9 p.m.
The prospect of battling traffic and the cold to stand in a crowded bar sounded awful. I also has zero interest in sitting through another torturous Mariah Carey NYE performance, so I was in bed by 11 p.m.
A daytime church tour being more exciting than a NYE party? Perhaps age is really catching up to me.
The main hall of the Washington National Cathedral.
The view from the Washington National Cathedral.
A detail of stone crest at the Washington National Cathedral.
One of the main entrances of the Washington National Cathedral.
Near the main altar of the Washington National Cathedral.
The National Cathedral kept reminding me of Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones kept popping into my mind during the cathedral tour — my history degree and annual teenage visits to the Kölner Dom notwithstanding. Maybe we don’t all acquire more culture with age.
One of the most interesting things about the Cathedral was an exhibit regarding the earthquake reconstruction. I forgot that there even was a 2011 earthquake, yet alone that it damaged the cathedral.
Apparently repairs are still ongoing and will take many years. I suspect the original designers didn’t have earthquakes in mind.
The peace dove at the Washington National Cathedral.
A decorated bench at the Washington National Cathedral.
The ornate iron gates at the Washington National Cathedral.
End of the funk
The cathedral tour was also about me getting out of my winter funk. There are so many places that I want to explore in Washington D.C. this winter and the time left before classes start is shockingly short.
Hopefully I can successfully avoid stumbling into closed areas of monuments — or at least not get caught doing so. 🙈
No Comments