Dupont Circle (Google Map Link HERE) itself is an enormous rotary where New Hampshire, Connecticut and Massachusetts Avenues cross in controlled chaos. P Street , running east and west, and 19th Street, running north and south, bisect the whole mess. While it’s not the most pleasant place to drive, I am hopelessly captivated each time I walk there.
I park a few blocks away. It is safer and easier, and the short journey on foot is a pleasant one. Along the main roads that lead to the Circle are clothing shops, cafes, gift emporiums, hair salons, coffee houses, bookstores, bars, bistros and restaurants. The tree-shrouded streets of the nearby neighborhoods are lined with aging brick homes and apartments. Corner markets sell soft drinks, cigarettes and newspapers.
Looking North from the Edge of the Park Up 19th Street:
The giant traffic circle surrounds a small park with a fountain as its focus. The stone centerpiece looks like an enormous chalice standing upright in a pool with granite walls. Water pours from the upper edges where notches have been cut to channel the flow. Tiny birds roost at the top, anxious for the opportunity to dive for stray crumbs abandoned by the plump pigeons that scratch the ground lazily.
The Fountain:
The middle of the park – around the fountain – is open, but rows of trees shelter the surrounding grassy areas. Six sidewalks converge in the center, and people enter from all directions. Some are simply passing through, walking briskly, with purpose, while others meander for no reason at all. There are joggers and bike riders and pet owners. Many come to stay - to read or write or chat or rest on the benches. Sun bathers lay about in great numbers. A line of small sturdy tables with chessboards embedded attracts a curious crowd. Men sit or stand in the shade, thinking. Thick fingers shift bishops and knights and pawns from square to square.
Chess:
In most cities electrical outlets in public places are covered with locked boxes, but, here, a few are purposely left open for street musicians to plug in (or even to charge a cell phone).
Power Outlet
Listening closely, you can hear music coming from different gatherings all around. The sounds of guitars, congas, violins and voices mask the din of the passing traffic. I inch my way closer to one group. They are really good.
Street Musicians:
Th people-watching is endlessly fascinating. Hours have passed, and I am sunburned and thirsty, but I find myself saddened when it is time to leave. Something is different here. These are not beggars or derelicts, just residents with no back yard. The aura is real, and the energy is palpable as they gather purely for the sake of gathering. City stresses evaporate like mist from the fountain pool. While the turbulent currents of daily life literally swirl around them, they seem content to relax, take a breath, and treasure the simple moments that make it all worthwhile.
360 Degree Video:
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