Charmed and Enchanted with the streets of Alexandria

I have been in love with this city from day one. The more that I explore and discover the more I feel that Washington D.C. and the surrounding areas are under-appreciated.

I am on the home stretch of my first full year in D.C. and my first full tourist season. As I watch the tourists file on and off busses , I can't help think that they are missing the charm that is D.C. They do get to see some amazing attractions; namely the Smithsonians, the monuments and the Capital building. However, they don't get to absorb the relaxing tranquility that can be found in unsuspecting neighborhoods or parks.

Today I spent almost 3 hours in Old Town Alexandria. There is a neighborhood a few blocks east of King Street that has been masterfully preserved. I can't express how much I love walking these streets. I know I haven't been to Paris or Prague, but I must say that my walk here could easily rival the streets of Europe. No, not every street is paved with cobble stones and yes the buildings are comparatively younger than Europe (Alexandria was founded in 1749). Maybe it is because I am still on a patriotic high after the 4th of July, but there is something about how American Alexandria is that has placed it high on my list of favorites. I have decided to dedicate more time to this area. I want to discover it all.

Here are some of the pictures I took while one my stroll.

Many of the porch lights are still flame

I have dubbed these benches my new spot. I mentioned that I was in Old Town for 3 hours... well most of it was spent here. You can't see it in the picture, but just across the Potomac is downtown DC. These benches are a perfect spot for writing in your journal while you admire the capital building at sun set.

As you can tell I was really happy to see our flag everywhere. I love the 4th of July and I LOVE America!:)