Happy 281st, George

It's Presidents' Day today, when Abraham Lincoln's birthday on February 12, and that of George Washington on the 22nd of the same month, are combined to provide retail outlets with another opportunity to advertise sales. Back at the dawn of time, I have vague memories of the two birthdays being celebrated individually, but that hasn't been the case for eons (if it ever, in fact, was). Other than being a federal holiday, I don't recall there being any special celebrations on this occasion, by my wife heard that there was going to be an official George Washington Birthday Parade in Alexandria on the 18th (today). Seeing as Pamela was eager to visit Alexandria's Old Town area, where the parade was going to be held, our holiday plans were quickly made. It turned out to be a good choice. Though it was cold again today, the skies were clear and we scored a spot up front, next to the reviewing stand. Suffice it to say, a good time was had by all (three of us).

Old Town Alexandria is only a short drive down Leesburg Pike from our temporary home in Falls Church, but, fearing traffic jams, we traveled by Metro to the King Street station, and walked down King Street to Old Town and the parade route. But not before fortifying ourselves with some hearty brunch fare like steak and eggs (above) while en route.

Then it was time for the parade, and another introduction to a piece of Americana for my wife and daughter. For about 90 minutes we watched military units, police and firefighters, boy and girl scout troops, Legionnaires, car clubs, school marching bands, local politicians, fraternal orders and the like pass by the reviewing stand to the sometimes corny, but always enthusiastic, commentary from the parade announcer. Amber sat right at curbside, and had a great view of the proceedings, which apparently have been going on since 1923.

There were several groups in Revolutionary-era garb. The unit above stopped to fire their cannon and muskets for several extremely loud volleys, temporarily giving Taiwan and its firecracker tossers a brief run for their money in the noise-generating department.

No American small-town parade would be complete without the Shriners in their silly hats and even sillier cars. The latter were my daughter's favorite part of the parade, and considering the work the Shriners do for sick children, I say they let them have their fun.

Once the parade was over, we spent what was left of the afternoon wandering around Old Town. Alexandria's visitor center is housed in Ramsay House, the oldest in the town (1724). That's my wife and daughter on the porch, poring over maps and deciding where to go next.

"Next" turned out to be Carlyle House, built around 1753. The free admission today (it usually charges $5 to tour the interior) meant it was busy inside.

On the waterfront, with the sun in our eyes and the Potomac River behind us. The highlight in this part of town is the Torpedo Factory Arts Center, once a torpedo factory and now a three-story collection of art galleries, most of them featuring the work of white, middle-aged women.

Amber didn't let the cold or the walking get her down. Here she stands in front of Alexandria's post-Civil War City Hall.

Still 元気 on the bus ride back to Falls Church. Because of the parade, we were only able to scratch the surface of the many things to see (historical buildings, restaurants, shops etc.) in Alexandria's Old Town. We probably won't have time to go back before we're scheduled to ship out in mid-April, but I'm sure it'll still be around the next time we're back in town.

Then again, considering the struggles I'm having with Mandarin, we might have plenty of time to visit Old Town again real soon.

Time Has Come Today

As of today, Barack Obama is the President-elect of the United States, and I couldn't be happier, or prouder to be an American. I had made up my mind long ago to vote for Obama. The choice was an easy one, as eight years of George W. Bush has been an unmitigated disaster for my country, and Bush will go down with James Buchanan and Warren Harding as one of the worst occupants ever to sit in the Oval Office (without any future Trumanesque reevaluations, either). But the main reason for my choice was the fact that it was time, finally, for someone like Obama. American society is becoming increasingly multicultural, and now the White House is going to represent what is the greatest asset of the USA.

As for John McCain, he had the misfortune of being the wrong man at the right time in history. I never seriously considered voting for him, and while I thought his concession speech was a gracious one, the boos and jeers from his supporters when he mentioned Obama's name was a reminder of how the uglier side of American society was so firmly in the Republicans' camp. I was fed up with the questioning of Obama's patriotism (I guess pin wearing isn't restricted to North Korea), the "socialist" labeling (this after the Bush administration nationalized much of the financial services sector!) and, most of all, the ugly accusations of Obama being a closet Muslim. McCain may not have said such a thing himself, but he certainly didn't do much to stop others from doing so. And as Colin Powell pointed out, why couldn't a Muslim run for the presidency? Isn't that what the United States is supposed to be all about?

And then there was Sarah Palin, and not just because she was spectacularly unqualified to be a potential president. When Palin talked about how her vision of America was different than that of Obama's, and, especially, when she told a crowd of white people in rural Pennsylvania that she was standing in the "real America", it was obvious to me that there would be no place for a child like my Amber in Sarah Palin's conception of what the United States should be as a country and as a society.

And so history has been made today, and for the first time in a long time, I'm optimistic about the future of the US. Eventually, the hoopla will die down, and President Obama will have to make some hard decisions that will displease a great many people, both in America and around the world. But for now, at least, this is a moment to be enjoyed.

While the United States has taken a big step forward, Taiwan continues to slowly move in the opposite direction. Do I want my multi-cultural daughter to live in a country where creeping authoritarianism is gradually leading to a future special administrative regional status? Or should she grow up in a nation where someone like herself has just been elected (and by a wide margin) to the highest office in the land?

Yes, it could be time to go home again.