On Domes, and Dorks Who Photograph Them Too Much

Ceiling, Hall of Statuary

Last night was "off the hook." We saw a bunch of folks we loved from college. They came from different circles of acquaintance so we felt like our heads were on swivels, but we enjoyed talking, snarfing delicious beef-kabobs, and the tour of an amazing place. "Truly scrumptious." (First song you'll get stuck in your head as a result of reading this post. Let's collect them all!)


Lovely dome, but the lamp cables really make it an interesting visual

The evening started out in the Cannon Office Building, listening to the usual alumni-giving pitch, eating, and chatting ("Peck a little, talk a little, cheep, cheep, cheep" - Song #2!). The representative talked through some of the tour with us since we had over 100 people tramping through and he knew it'd get hard to hear. Then we headed over and so began the relentless picture snapping.

I had been in the Capitol once before in October of 1998 for a Junior-class trip. I sat in the gallery of the House Chamber as they debated whether to impeach President Clinton. Yeah, I felt pretty sweet. My class was taking first-year Rhetoric (shout out to all you Classical-schoolers out there!) and we had fodder for class discussion for weeks from that. This time through the gallery, they were reciting the names of the fallen in Iraq. I heard a name that sounded like one of my brother's friend from boot camp. More sobering than "sweet."

We saw the Hall of Statuary (as if the first two pictures didn't clue you in), which may be my favorite room there. Lovely. And the plaques on the floor where the desks of historical figures once stood - stirring. Also stirring, this:


Evening light streams in the windows of the Capitol Rotunda

Unfortunately, I was too busy talking to a friend to hear most of the tour lecture at this point. Also, BAD acoustics for listening in a crowd, but it was still visually stunning. Plus, KD interned there and her encyclopedic brain could give me the schpiel any time I like. Hubster took the above shot, as well as this one:


The Dome of the Rotunda

What an eye! I guess the subject is nice, too. Although putting George Washington in a sort of god-like position in the clouds? mmm, weird. Not that he wasn't a great man, it's just a bit of a stretch. (Shakes Head) Now, on to the grand finale:


70's Coverband Concert on the Steps of the Capitol of the Free World

We took a spin by the front of the building on our way back to the car, and we heard a concert going on. As we walked by, "Just the Two of Us" (#3! woohoo!) blasted in our general direction. Democracy at its finest, folks.