Last December 15, we went into D.C. to visit Union Market, as well as a couple of museums. We’d heard of it but we’d never been before, and we enjoyed the visit. It was a cool place with a lot of modern hip eateries. We tired a couple of great ones, TaKorean and Arepas. Yum!
Union Market
We also found the Latin American market nearby, La Cosecha. There, I found a beautiful necklace and some earrings from Peru. I convinced Mike they’d make a great Christmas present for me. 🙂
Union Market surrounds
Union Market surrounds
Union Market surrounds
La Cosecha
La Cosecha
La Cosecha
La Cosecha
necklaces at La Cosecha
After Union Market, we went to the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM), where we saw two exhibits: a japanese take on american landscapes: chiura obata at saam and american bison at saam. Then we walked to our car via Chinatown.
Chinatown in D.C.
Chinatown, D.C.
*Sunday, December 15, 2019*
~ wander.essence ~ 
What fun to wander and look at all those pretty things. Hopefully by next Christmas things will be more back to normal.
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Will it ever be?!
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I hope so, Carol. Do you mean Christmas 2020 or 2021?
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Well, that’s a question nobody knows the answer to at this stage. One day…
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Yes, no one knows the answer. I was just curious about what you thought, not what the general knowledge is out there (we’re all aware of that). I imagine things would be more hopeful if you lived in a country, like you do, where the pandemic has been managed better. I can’t imagine things getting better here until Christmas 2021 or longer!
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Judging by what we see on the TV news, I think you’re right about the long term prospects in your country. To know that so many people who probably weren’t meant to die this year are now gone is awful.
Here our government officials were prepared to take a step back, let the top medical people in the country give advice and then follow that advice. Our politicians put the country and the people first instead of their personal agendas and everyone did what they were asked by following recommendations. We are so lucky to live where we do. Having said that, there has been a worrying outbreak of the virus in Melbourne because a few people refused to follow the guidelines and in the course of a couple of weeks active cases have skyrocketed to more than 100 a day. The consequence is that Melbourne is now back in complete lockdown for at least six weeks and the state borders are closed. It must be distressing for the majority to be so inconvenienced because of a few irresponsible people. It’s been a huge wake up call for the rest of the country and a stark reminder that the virus is still active here and is so easily passed on. Most people are still being very cautious, even though in our state the restrictions are now very light. We’re not in any hurry to go far at this stage, just waiting to see what happens. It’s a case of short term pain for long term gain, and anyway, we’re not finding it a trial at all to be at home. I wish you and your family all the best as time goes on.
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Good for Australia, Carol. All we can do here is to try to survive it all by being cautious, in the face of the utter ignorance abounding.
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I’d say your best bet is to stay home as much as possible and maintain thorough personal hygiene. It’s very worrying.
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Ah, yes. I remember it well.
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We all remember, and long for, normal times, Mari. I wonder when….or if…
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“normal times”
That seems and feels like agaes ago, doesn’t it?
Have a wonderful Sunday, and stay healthy,
Pit
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It seems like an eternity, Pit. Thanks, you too. 🙂
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Old “normal” times vs new “normal” times! It is sad as many of these smaller, hip enterprises are the first to suffer during a shut-down like what we have now. These memories you have shared are reflections of times we may not see again for a very long time. How many of these lovely little markets will survive? That Latin American market for example! Such beautiful items but not only are these shops now struggling, but who can risk buying things that are not really essential? I know I would hold back on buying another silver ring!
Fascinating glimples into our old lives! The photos are beautiful but bittersweet! Thank you for all the opportunities for reflection your blogs provide!!
Though, as always, I wish you had taken and share with us photos of the items you purchased!!!!
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Exactly. It breaks my heart to see these small businesses under so much pressure, and possibly on the verge of closing. I fear things will never return to normal. Yes, we do have to try to hold off on buying things that aren’t essential, don’t we? It was a happy memory, and what shocks me is how quickly it all changed. 😦
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It’s good to have these times to look back on. They will come again! Or so I keep telling myself.
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I hope so, and sooner rather than later!
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Thank you, Cathy, for this pleasant visit. I’ve been to D.C. several times, though not to Union Market. I’ve not been to Chinatown, either, though I like Chinatown in New York very much. I agree from the comments about small businesses hurting. In my small town, some have closed, even some franchises that will coalesce with others regionally, I suppose. If only our government would move faster and more helpfully–and, in some ways, at all.
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Oh, so you’ve been to D.C., Christopher? Good for you. We live about 20 miles outside of the city, and we don’t even go into the city that often. It seems a hassle with parking, but now it’s actually not that bad because no one’s there. Union Market was a nice place indeed. It breaks my heart to see small businesses struggling, and maybe eventually destroyed. I feel like our whole three months in lockdown was wasted because it was done in such a piecemeal way, and with no firm leadership about wearing masks, social distancing. After all, my God, our worthless president is having rallies indoors and not requiring masks! Just think how different things could be now under better (or any) leadership.
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