Eastern Market to the Fish Market

Flags painted on old pallet boards--nice yard art.

On June 22, we hopped on our bikes and cruised over to Eastern Market for a late breakfast of crabcake (Kris) and a BLT with egg (me).  As always, I lined up at the bakery counter for a giant-sized cherry strudel for later.  From there we headed south to Yards Park abutting the Anacostia River, where a wonderfully designed bike-ped bridge crosses a small waterway.  Just above, a waterpark includes a large wading pool, fountains and a curtain waterfall with a walkway behind.  It was all I could do not to jump in and splash around with all the four-year olds.

Next stop was the Southwest Waterfront and an area we had yet to visit.  We rode west from the Nationals stadium, then south a little to see the Titanic Memorial, a stunning figure honoring the men who sacrificed themselves so that the women and children aboard the sinking ship could have the lifeboats.

Home of the Nats.

Titanic Memorial.

Pedaling north took us past a smattering of houseboats and cruisers to the infamous fish market that friends and colleagues had suggested a long time ago that we go check out.  Not sure why it took us so long.  Colorful, gritty, stinky and authentic—we loved it.  It’s said to be the oldest continuously operating fish market in the country.  Live shrimp and blue crabs were especially entertaining, and people bought them up by the bushel.

The day was still young so we biked over the I-395 bridge to the Mount Vernon Trail, then paused to watch some airliners land at National Airport.  Our destination was another sight yet to be seen, the Air Force Memorial, just up the hill from the Pentagon.  Getting there by bike proved to be a slight pain in the neck, but we eventually figured it out, then continued on to Arlington Cemetery (above).