Sing-a-long in the Hay-Adams Bar: My Trip to the 2009 Inauguration
Crowds and Monuments

Lincoln Memorial Crowds

Off in the distance, the crowds in front of the Lincoln Memorial didn't look too bad.

Washington Monument Crowds

But, the crowds up on the hill around the Washington Monument were massive.

The Capitol from the Washington Monument

Still, I got to the top of the hill to take a photo of the Capitol.

Laurie in a Very Large Crowd

While I thought about staying up near the Washington Monument, I didn't think I could stand up for 2 1/2 hours and I couldn't quite see anything from there, not even one of the Jumbotrons. So, I started back down the hill. During the 15 minutes I was up near the Washington Monument, the crowd had grown and the walkways were completely filled by people. It took nearly 20 minutes to walk a couple of hundred yards to get back down the hill and beyond the crowd.

Another Crowd Shot Near the Washington Monument

The Lincoln Memorial, even though it was another 1/2 mile further away from the Capitol, looked like the place to go.

© 2009 Photos by Laurie D. T. Mann