By accident, we found ourselves in front of the White House. The grey and quiet late morning had few people there – just the usual clumps of tourists trading cameras while the rest of the group posed, families with babies in strollers, a few Washingtonians walked quickly by on their way to somewhere important…. But then, the distant sound of chanting became clear and more urgent with each passing minute.
Demonstrators appeared on Pennsylvania Avenue. Who were they?
The number of demonstrators weren’t overwhelming and the tourists and families held their ground.
What did their signs say? Everything about this demonstration was unclear. Our advice to those trying to convey their message: state your point clearly and simply. (Staging a demonstration when nobody knows who you are and what you are asking the government to do is pointless we thought.)
The fact did not escape us that the demonstration that day (and many days) is heartwarming. We wish all lived in civil societies that welcome the public expression of other points of view.
Directly across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House is the somewhat formal Lafayette Square. We’ve always enjoyed our walks through the square with its grand trees and traditional layout….
…and proximity to the White House. This dog was working and not just taking a stroll through the park.
The crowd gathered on Pennsylvania Avenue was very close by but only a few people had entered the park. Were we the only ones enjoying the birds, the trees, and…
…the statues? Each corner of the park is graced with a foreign officer who served in the Revolutionary War. This is the statue of Brigadier General Thaddeus Kosciuszko of Poland.
One of our favorite treats in Washington is found at Teaism, just a few steps northwest of the Kosciuszko statue in Lafayette Square.
Teaism serves chocolate-salty oat cookies that are oh-so-good! It’s always worth a stop
So goes a day in the capital city.
November 2013
Afternote: We discovered the next day that the protestors were from the hacktivist collective Anonymous and were protesting a number of issues. They wore masks in honor of Guy Fawkes Day.
simpletravelourway 
What a nice visit, including the peaceful protest.
When my daughter visited Washington she stayed very close to the White House. She set off on her first morning to explore, came to the White House and thought it was a little disappointing and not nearly as grand as she expected, until she realised she was looking at the back! She was much more impressed with the front view. Nice bird photo. What type are they?
House sparrows.