As Escapes month draws to a close, we've been reflecting on travel and what it means to us. When we were little, we looked forward to taking trips, and for us, the vacation always began the moment we left the house. Whether we were flying or taking the train, the journey itself was as fun to us as arriving at our destination. We sometimes still get flashes of that feeling when leaving DC because the airports and train stations themselves help us recall that golden age of travel...
The soaring lines of Dulles Airport are truly inspiring, and the light that floods the concourse from the enornous windows keeps everything feeling bright and airy- the perfect feeling to inspire in passengers about to board an airplane.
With its sweeping view of the tarmac, the old terminal at National Airport once gave passengers a wonderful place to sit and watch the wonder of takeoff while waiting to embark on their own journey.
Of course, the realities of modern travel are quite different. That picture at Dulles were taken when we waited to pick up friends whose flight was almost 2 hours late. We had time to wander through the now unused portions of National when our gate-checked carryon bag missed the flight leaving us with nothing but a purse to carry when roaming the halls. Is it any wonder that most of us now consider the journey an ordeal that must be endured in order to get to our destination?
Still, we miss the romance and the sparkle that travel once created, and appreciate that the unique architecture of DC's airports and train station sometimes helps us recapture that feeling...
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
one can still get this in most of Europe, among other places. In the US, ridiculous policies involving security and public transportation has killed it for all but those who can afford private jets and limousines.
view JonathanB's profile
You left out the recently renovated former TWA/now JetBlue terminal at JFK designed by Eero Saarinen
view bepsf's profile
Those are fantastic photographs!
Makes me want to catch the Twentieth Century across the country....
view lifesized dollhouse's profile
I do love those Dulles windows but I try not to look at the ceiling because it looks like it's about to sink down onto my head!
view Akino luna's profile
Yes, lovely photos, Colleen!
And what about the glorious Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan? - I live close by, and often wander in just to look and feel the romance of the long-gone golden age of travel.
The horrors of the cattle-herding ethos of modern air travel can't be overestimated, but The Beloved and I travel a lot, and create a little of our own travel romance by dressing nicely and taking our own food (better a bunch of grapes and half a pound of brie than the equivalent of a $6 Lunchable).
I have even on occasion made a little travel tete-a-tete (in coach, too!) with cloth napkins, nice disposable plates & champagne glasses and a rose for the table.
Small effort for feeling like Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant...
view everydaydiva's profile
I live near Union Station and every single time I walk through it (well, almost) on my daily commute, I think "I'm so lucky...thanks Daniel Burnham."
view Christine (the one in DC)'s profile
i walk through union station every morning on my way to work and i always gaze up at the beautiful ceiling as i pass through.
view Pistachio's profile
Let's not forget Dulles was also designed by Eero Saarinen. The National Building Museum here in DC just closed an awesome Saarinen exhibit that looked at both Dulles and JFK, as well as his other goodies:
http://districtschmistrict.wordpress.com/2008/08/19/get-a-womb-chair/
view katiek_inDC's profile