A dignified monument's "fun side"

Before my recent trip to Washington, if someone had asked me to describe what I thought of when I thought of the Washington Monument, I think I might have said “dignified” or ”awe-inspiring” … but I don’t think I would have ever thought to use the word “fun”!

But now that I’ve seen that impressive monument to our first president in person, I have a little different picture of it in my mind.  Yes, it is still a stately, dignified monument, but I will forever remember the view of it with hundreds of kites flying around it!

All of those little spots in the sky are kites.

It was fun to watch the kites, but also fun to watch the people gathered for the event (Kite Flyers of America Convention?).

The whole area had a Sunday picnic atmosphere.

This colorful kite caught my eye as its owner prepared to fly it.

Almost.

It’s flying!

Then a tree got in the way.  But, fortunately, it was a “non-injury accident” … neither the kite nor the tree was damaged.

When I first saw this guy’s kite I wondered if he was multi-tasking … drying his bed sheets while flying them like a kite at the same time.

But once I saw his kite in the air, I loved how gracefully it floated and forgot all about comparing it to bed sheets.

This kite was very interesting.  I’m not sure what the squiggly thing is supposed to be that appears to be following the kite.  Maybe a snake?

It was so interesting to see all the different shapes, sizes and colors.

I have no idea what this one was supposed to be, but it reminded me of Darth Vadar.

I like the idea that I got to see so much fun activity surrounding this monument.  And I wonder if President Washington wouldn’t enjoy the idea too of citizens enjoying a pretty afternoon having fun around his monument.  I think he might.