Washington, D.C., Early Morning, Part I -- The Wharf

This weekend I decided to go to DC early in the morning to get some shots of the city before, and as it came alive.  I travel in to town each day for work, but rarely get to just look around and enjoy the sights.  I always enjoy areas that are frequently busy; during their off-times.  This trip was no exception.  I spent several hours in town, starting with the harbor area, traveling south through Anacostia Park along the river, moving around  past RFK Stadium to the projects of NW DC, then ending up in the heart of it all, at the White House.  I thought this made for a nice, eclectic visit. As seems to be my habit, I'll break the trip into several different photo blogs to separate the various different areas.   Oh, and I saw 6am hookers!!!!!  Got the pics to prove it!!!!!!

Just Southeast of DC's Tidal Basin, leading into the Anacostia River is a harbor area containing The Maine Avenue Fish Market, or just The Wharf.  The fish market is the oldest, continuously operating fish market in the US (since 1805).   I thought 5:45 am on a Saturday morning would be a nice time to visit with no people!  I was right!!!!!  

Also, I don't typically use additional editing on my pics other than cropping and darkness/brightness adjustments, but for this series, I'm using the Lomography Effect.  just wanted to do something different...

Looking West across the bay.

I followed instructions and went that way...

...and found some benches!  Score!!!!!!

Ships in the harbor.  If you look at the back, center of the pic, you can see the early morning sun lighting up the National Harbor.

The water is so still early in the morning....

A Tempe, Arizona Interlude.......

I spent a couple days in Tempe, Arizona recently.  I like to put up photos of various areas up showing scenes that will provide an alternate view of an area than what is typically seen.  Some of the pics below will do just that, while some are of the standard cactus and desert scenes.

The origin of Tempe, Arizona is tied to the establishment of Fort McDowell on the eastern edge of central Arizona’s Salt River Valley in 1865. The town was named Tempe in 1879, after the Vale of Tempe in ancient Greece.

After World War II, the city began growing at a rapid rate as veterans and others moved to the city. In 1958, a local school was re-named Arizona State University. 

Tempe is now recognized as the seventh largest city in Arizona and mostly maintains a small-town feel. 

This safe is at least six feet wide.  It's in the old Hayden Mill on Mill St. 

Sign near the old elevator in the mill. 

Flour Mill.

Remnants of the old flour mill. 

I feel bad for sights like this because most people wont see a photo worth taking in looking at it.  For some reason, I was drawn to the  contrast between the rock formation and the power poles/lines. 

I've always been fascinated by stratum.  Hundreds, thousands or millions of years ago,  parts of this may have  been the top layer with dinosaurs, aliens, ferrets or bigfoots walking on it!!!

If you look close, there's a camo squirrel in this pic.

This hill is right nest to the ASU Stadium.

He taught he taw a puddy tat!!!!!!

Don't taze me dude!!!!!!!

Graffiti on the butte above my hotel.

A Piece of Lorton Prison History / Occoquan Regional Park

I've been wanting to photograph this park on the Occoquan River for quite some time.  The park is next to Lorton Prison in Virginia and is tied to it's history.  We finally got out there for a short time and took a couple pics.  It's a very nice place and I will be back...

This kiln was used for over a hundred years by Lorton inmates to make bricks for structures in the area. 

Waterfalls on the Potomac? Great Falls National Park.

Great Falls on the Potomac River is is located in the Mather Gorge, approximately 14 miles up river from Washington, DC. The falls consists of a series of waterfalls dropping a total of about 75 feet. This area is known as the the steepest fall line rapids of any river in the eastern United States.

We went early in the morning to avoid the crowds.  The website said the park fills up on nice weekend afternoons.  By the time we left, several more people had shown up. 

There were vultures, cranes and Osprys near the falls.  Supposedly there are eagles too but we didn't see any. 

They were looking at us, looking at them!!!!  These people were on the Maryland side.  Looks like people show up on that side much earlier.  We had one guy taking pictures, then a lady meditating.  Nice and peaceful...

Seems this is a great place to meditate...