GARGANTUAN steps

Sunday, October 15, 2017

e pluribus unum

'e pluribus unum'
out of many, one

It has been a while since I’ve last travelled out of the country (and hence blogged about it) and this time, I’ve found myself accomplishing many firsts. This is the first time I’ve crossed the Atlantic/Pacific, which therefore makes it the first time I’ve come to America. This is also the first time I’ve presented a poster at a conference, and attended a proper international one as well. And though it is the main purpose of my trip, it will occupy the least amount of attention in this post.

I’ve always wanted to go to the States (as America is more fondly known as), though it did take me a while to finally get there. And in my short time there, you can see what makes this group of people stand apart. It is that of an optimistic spirit, a ‘can-do’ mentality, and a collective never afraid to fail (though I’m not too sure whether that description suits its politics). Very much different from my time in Britain, where people seemed a little bit more cautious – a little bit more cynical – though they would consider themselves realists. And I guess that’s why they call America the land of opportunities – as long as you have a goal, and the spirit, then there’s no stopping you. And I guess that’s what has made them into the nation that they’ve become (once again, a caveat in place in view of who’s running the country).

Another thing that stands out in America is its peoples’ near-idolisation of their past-presidents. Nowhere else are they more placed on a pedestal than in Washington D.C., the capital of the country, the city I visited. Here, they erect monuments with their speeches and words of wisdom forever etched into stone. They hold current presidents to the impossibly high standards of their predecessors, who have gained near god-like status. One wonders how Washington or Lincoln would have dealt with current situations, governing an America that was more than just a country, but a leader of the world as well. I’m sure though, they had their own trials and tribulations as well. Even in England, none of the previous monarchs or prime ministers, save perhaps for Sir Winston Churchill, are held in such high esteem (unless you include mythical legends such as King Arthur, and even then he has been made a mockery of by the likes of Monty Python). Meanwhile, enough of my excessive verbiage, and on to the actual trip itself!

Day 1 – Conference and Blues Alley

I’ve planned for this trip for months ahead, and prior to my departure, a few hiccups occurred – first with my AirBNB accommodation bailing out on me two days before flying, and then my flight out of Singapore with a transit in Tokyo, being delayed by an hour. But it was all in all, a rather smooth trip in the end!

For those of you who don’t know, Washington D.C. is the capital of the United States of America, and it is where the nation’s power and history intersect. George Washington, the first president of the United States of America, lived around 20 miles away, in Mount Vernon, from what is now the capital. After he had fended off the colonial masters, the omnipresent British, and gained independence, he chose this site to become the nation’s capital, and construction of the president’s house and the Capitol began in 1793. General George Washington’s claim to fame, prior to becoming the president, was being the commander-in-chief of the army that brought about independence from the British, though he is even more fondly remembered for seceding power, when at the height of his rule, he handed over the reins of stewardship which he could have so easily held on to, so beloved was he by the people. He sets the precedence and the standards of presidential leadership, and it is after him that this city is named after. And to further remind his people, his face is forever etched on their dollar bill.

After a gruelling near-24 hour travel time, including a stopover in Tokyo, I was greeted by almost Singaporeanisque weather, with temperatures ranging from 25-28 °C, and a similar humidity to match! One of my Uber-drivers told me that Washington was built over a swamp and hence the high levels of humidity, though I’ve now found that fact to be quite untrue. But still, such weather meant lots of showers.

The conference started that very evening at the hotel, and after a short two hour session, I was off to have Nandos for dinner (just across the road), before heading to Blues Alley, one of the nation’s finest jazz clubs. The night’s itinerary – an evening with the Chick Corea and Steve Gadd band. Packed to the brim, in a sold-out performance, this jazz club is catered to provide an intimate evening, for both musicians and audience alike. There was a queue of nearly fifty over people ahead of me (impressive for a jazz club), but I was squeezed into a table just one and a half metres away from the stage (it helps to be alone sometimes). It was also their last performance of a four night stint at the club, and the music was absolutely electrifying. I was buzzing for a few more hours after the performance had ended (the inability to sleep contributed in no doubt by the jetlag as well).


Omni Shoreham Hotel
Conference venue and my accommodation during that period 
2nd ASM Conference on Rapid Applied Microbial NGS and Bioinformatics Pipelines 


Nandos


Chick Corea and Steve Gadd @ Blues Alley

Up close and personal 

The band – with Chick Corea on the far left, just after playing ‘Spain’.
My second time hearing him perform, the first was back in London more than five years ago!

Day 2 – The National Zoo

One thing that Washington is renown for, besides the White House and the United States Capitol, are its museums and its zoo. Placed under the huge umbrella that is otherwise known as the Smithsonian Institution, the Institution is actually a collection of 19 museums, the National Zoo, and nine research facilities. Their first benefactor – James Smithson – a British scientist who had never been to the States before, bequeathed a sum of USD $508,318 upon his death for something to be found ‘at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge’. Not all the museums in Washington are part of the Institution, and of the 19, all but two of them are in Washington itself, with the remaining two to be found in New York City. Even for someone who loves museums like myself, even 17 is a stretch for me, and one could easily spend an entire day in each of the museums, if you really want to appreciate them. One good thing about them (the museums belonging to the Smithsonian Institution), is that admittance is entirely free – which is a huge bonus and attraction in itself.

During my (extended) lunch break at the conference, which included some parts of my poster presentation, I headed to the National Zoo which was just across the road from the hotel. The zoo’s main attraction are its giant pandas Mei Xiang and Tian Tian. Apparently they have a cub Bao Bao (born in 2013), though I never got to see him (or her)! One thing that these animals have, compared to some of the other zoos I’ve been (actually just the Singapore Zoological Gardens), is that these animals have a lot more space to roam about amidst their captivity. I guess it makes for more comfortable living. It was a quick two-hour walkabout before I was headed back for the rest of the conference, and I hadn’t even finish all of the exhibits yet, so expansive the zoo was!
Me and my poster

Entrance to the National Zoo

Tian Tian enjoying a bamboo shoot on his back


Mei Xiang going at it as well, in more decent posturing

Lion

Tiger

Day 3 – The Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, the White House, and the Washington National Cathedral

Having been unable to overcome my jetlag yet, and still waking up at 4 in the morning, I decided to make full use of the single day of my trip with good weather (it was to be showers for the rest of the trip), to head down to the National Mall to catch dawn on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. The Mall is not so much a shopping centre but more a vast expanse of greenery stretching between the Lincoln Memorial and the United States Capitol. End to end, it is slightly more than four kilometres long, and lined by various monuments and museums (where the vast majority of the Smithsonian Institution museums are located), peaked by the Washington Monument situated right in the middle of the lawn. 

Dawn from the step where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his 'I had a dream' speech

Abraham Lincoln
16th President of the United States of America

The Second Inaugural Address 

The Gettysburg Address
Delivered by Lincoln during the American Civil War, at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg

Sunrise

Me at the Lincoln Memorial 

Abraham Lincoln


Lincoln's view

If there is someone equally or even more beloved than the American’s first president, that title probably belongs to Abraham Lincoln, their 16th president, who united the country following its Civil War. The Civil War was fought, between the North and the South, over the abolishment of slavery, with the North supporting it, and the South against it. The war lasted for over four years, with more than half a million losing their lives for their cause. The war was won by the North, and slavery was to remain abolished, though still remaining a contentious issue. President Lincoln was re-elected for a second term, though one month later, and five days after the end of the war, he was to be assassinated at Ford’s Theatre by John Wilkes Booth – his other claim to ‘fame’. One wonders whether they should have dealt with their gun laws way back then. He is now forever enshrined, like a Greek god, in this memorial, flanked by two of his most famous speeches – the Gettysburg Address, and his Second Inauguration Address.

The Lincoln Memorial is also famous for being the Civil Rights rallying point for Martin Luther King Jr., and it was on these hallowed steps that he gave his ‘I have a dream’ speech in 1963. For those of you who don’t know, Martin Luther King Jr. too was assassinated, in 1968. They should really seriously reconsider this right to arms thing. 

Along the Reflecting Pool

The view of the Lincoln Memorial 

Washington Monument
This 556-foot tall obelisk is a dedication to George Washington. Unfortunately the observation deck at the top is closed ‘indefinitely’ whilst they do some major works to the elevator within. For those of you who recently caught the latest ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ movie, the Monument made a guest appearance as well!

Me with the White House
This is as near to Donald Trump as I could get

After a nice morning walk, it was back to the conference again, before once again scurrying out during the protracted lunch-time and more poster presentation, this time to the Washington National Cathedral. Though gothic-looking to match its European counterparts, this church was only recently built in the last century, starting in 1908, and only completing 82 years later! It was here, also, where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his last Sunday sermon before his assassination a few days later. 

Me at the Washington National Cathedral

The altarpiece

Day 4 – The National Gallery of Art and the National Museum of American History


Trying out the local cuisine

The conference ended at midday and I was back at the National Mall to savour more of the museums. The first stop was to the National Gallery of Art, which is affiliated to but not part of the Smithsonian Institution. Famed for being the only art museum in the western hemisphere with a Leonardo da Vinci painting, this art museum isn’t too shabby compared to those in Europe. It isn’t one of the most sought after museums in the Mall, especially with the other more kid-appealing ones (which I was to visit the next day), but the lack of a crowd makes for a pleasant stroll.


Ginevra de’ Benci
Leonardo da Vinci


Self-portrait with Beret and Turned-up Collar
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn

The Jolly Flatboatmen
George Caleb Bingham
One of the more famous American art pieces

Self-portrait
Vincent van Gogh
Still one of my favourite painters 

The National Museum of American History houses artefacts that showcases their nation’s proud history. Taking centre-stage is the Star-Spangled Banner flag that flew over Baltimore during the War of 1812, when they were once again at war with the British following their independence. One is not allowed to take photos of it however. Other showpieces of the museum include the top hat that Abraham Lincoln was wearing the night he was assassinated. One can see how it can become a fashion statement!


Boxing gloves belonging to Muhammad Ali

A piece of the DNA model built by Watson and Crick

Abraham Lincoln’s top hat
Known for his quick wit, and considered ugly by his contemporaries, once, when someone antagonistically called him two-faced, he replied by asking why, if he were two-faced, would he be wearing his current one

Day 5 – The United States Capitol, the National Air and Space Museum, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Museum of Natural History, the memorials for Martin Luther King Jr, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and the Vietnam Veterans, and Blues Alley

If the White House is the political head of the nation, then the Capitol is its heart. The Capitol is where the legislative branch of the government, also known as congress, meet, and it consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate. I still haven’t gotten my head to understanding how the entire American political system works but the House of Representatives have 435 representatives, allocated proportionally by state population; whereas there are 100 senators, two for each state, thus allowing smaller states equal footing with more populous ones. The other branches of power include its judicial branch exercised by the Supreme Court, and finally the executive branch exercised by the president. Each branch of power is meant to keep each other in check, though in recent times, many things have come to a standstill in congress, with the president relying more and more on his ‘veto’ power.

George Washington laid the cornerstone for the Capitol back in 1793, but midway through its construction, in 1814, the British marched into the city and laid waste to it with a fire. It was a tit-for-tat move after having theirs burnt in Canada in the Battle of York. The city, and the Capitol, was subsequently rebuilt again to what it has become now, and sitting atop the dome of the Capitol is the Statue of Freedom sculpture. How this statue relates to its cousin/sister in New York City, no one has yet to tell me!

One can actually apply for tickets for a short tour of the Capitol, where they first bring you through a propaganda film on the Capitol and what it means to be American (the film is entitled ‘E Pluribus Unum’ – ‘Out of Many, One’), and subsequently touring your through a well-worn path which leads you directly under the 180-foot high rotunda dome. The fresco, the Apotheosis of Washington, painted in the eye of the dome depicts George Washington in an almost god-like manner, sitting as if he was dispensing judgement. 

Me at the United States Capitol

Washington staring up at his Apotheosis

It was back to the museums again, and the first stop was the National Air and Space Museum, which is possibly the most interesting of the lot, mainly because you get to see a myriad of things from the Wright Brothers’ first aeroplane, to war planes used in the World Wars, to de-nucleated nuclear missiles, and to space shuttles and space suits! One even gets to touch a piece of rock from the moon! It was all really fascinating and if I had another opportunity, I would spend a much longer time going through their collections more thoroughly. 

The main hall of the Air and Space Museum, with the Apollo Lunar Module (replica)

Nuclear missiles
The SS-20 Pioneer (Russian) and Pershing II (USA)

Spitfire Mark VII
Used by the British Air Force, especially during WWII, and has made a recent appearance in the movie ‘Dunkirk’

Lockheed 5B Vega
Flown by Amelia Lockheed, the first female pilot to fly non-stop and alone across the Atlantic and across the United States

Spacesuit worn by Buzz Aldridge
One of a three-member crew of Apollo 11

The 1903 Wright Flyer
One actually flies it by lying prone on the plane

The next stop for me was the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and my main aim there was to get up close and personal with the trumpet used by Louis Armstrong. The main focus of the museum was to show the gradual ascendency of the African American population in America, starting from the time they were slaves brought over from Africa, till in recent times, having one lead the country. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the time to go through all the exhibits.   

Me and Satchmo’s trumpet

A hat, coat and top worn by Michael Jackson

The final museum I visited on this trip was the Museum of Natural History, which is the main crowd puller amongst all the museums (it was the only one with a persistently long queue getting in). As usual, for me, the dinosaur fossils are a crowd-puller – one can never get enough of them in my honest opinion! 

Me and Henry the Fenykovi Elephant

The Hope Diamond
Renown for its flawless clarity, rare deep blue colour, and eventful history. In essence, whoever beholds this 45.52-carat diamond, has had only ill befallen them, including Marie Antoinette

Skeleton of a spider-monkey 

Triceratops 

Tyrannosaurus Rex
The most fearsome of them all

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

Me at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
The U.S. President who led them through WWII, together with his dog, Fala

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Shaped in a V-shape with the names of the fallen forever etched in memory

By this time, I had nearly walked 14 km in a single day, covering the various sights of the Mall, and it was time for one final destination (another 3 km away). It was back to Blue Alley, this time to catch Rachelle Farrell crooning away with her soulful voice. I must say though that I still much prefer a small piece band over singing and scatting, though she was still pretty impressive I must say.

Back at the Blues Alley

With that, my time in Washington came to an all too quick conclusion, and it was time to make my near 24-hour journey back home to Singapore. More excitement is in store in the upcoming weeks – can’t wait to finally meet our bundle of joy!

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posted by Gabriel Yan at 5:02 PM

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