Day 28 - Virginia is for (Fireworks) Lovers

What is the secret of comedy? You know the answer.

And this trip, too, has been chugging along with absolutely perfect timing.

Without too much calculating, I was in California in time for my concert, in Texas in time for the Watermelon Thump, with all four of my friends across the country on a weekend, and I arrived in Washington DC on the Fourth of July.

Well, close to DC. It takes a whole day of planning and waiting to ensure a spot at the National Mall. I was okay seeing the same fireworks show from Virginia.

I asked someone at the front desk of the hotel where she recommended I go. It turns out this is the first year Long Bridge Park has been open for people to watch the show.

Two blocks from my hotel, a free shuttle bus was carrying people to the park. I left at about 7:00 to make sure I staked myself a good spot.

On the way to and at the shuttle stop, noticed that many people were decked out in red, white and blue. Including this family:

I looked down to find that unintentionally, my shirt, jeans, and shoes also fit with the theme. 

The park had scheduled a day of events to keep people entertained leading up to the fireworks show at 9:15 PM. Somehow this gaggle of beauty queens (in uncomfortable looking shoes) was involved. 

I walked around the fairly empty park looking for a good spot. I chose to settle at the end of a ramp with an unobstructed view of the Washington Monument. 

Slowly, more people began to arrive and we all waited for the sun to go down. 

Before

Sunset

After

The show began right on time.

At the beginning, it was like any other fireworks show I've seen before. 

And then it got fancy!

 There were layered explosions:

Explosions that trailed off into bursts of glitter.

Explosions in a rainbow of colors. 

Even shapes!

The kids behind me noticed that the explosions were getting larger and larger. 

One of the women on the bus to the park explained to one of the kids next to her that the blue fireworks are the hardest to make and if we should see a blue firework, we should clap really loudly for it because it was really hard to do. 

 

This one looks to me like Awesome Face:

Some of the fireworks would explode and create shapes even more intricate and beautiful than at first.

We knew the end was coming when the explosions came faster and more layered, one right after another. 

When it was all over, everybody clapped. The mood was so happy and . . . proud!

Everyone slowly filed out, happy and smiling, and we queued up for the shuttles back.

Growing up, the Fourth of July was always hosted at my dad's house. Our friends and family would come over for food and fireworks. We would light some ourselves (usually small ones, but always a Friendship Pagoda) and then watch the professional shows that we could see in towns all around the Puget Sound. And no Fourth was complete without the sound of our neighbor's cannon.

But beyond celebrating Independence Day, we were celebrating my grandmother's birthday. She is no longer here to celebrate with us, but it will always be a day to remember her. (She was born 93 years ago, this year.) 

It was such a pleasure and an honor to see the Washington DC fireworks live. They put on a show unlike any other in the country. But probably any show would have beaten San Diego's. 

Tomorrow, I see DC!


Odometer Start: 40467
Odometer End: 40707
Miles Driven Today: 240
Miles Driven Total: 6869
Today In/Around: Arlington, VA and Washington DC
Tomorrow: Arlington, VA and Washington DC again
States Visited: 15 (Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia)
Years of Independence from Britain: 236