Colors of U street

Sometimes I wonder how much of diversity is incorporated inside this city. Walking out of the metro into the U street I felt like I have entered a freestyle zone abandoning the image I once had on my mind of a city with sophisticated white buildings each one representing a political chapter of american history or present day. The biggest part of the culture U street carries is the music and the modern art exhibited at every corner of it's streets. 

To observe it's culture my visit to the fancy bookstore of busboys and poets was enough. A symbol written on the wall caught my eye immediately as it stated the things offered at the bookstore like

 Food

Books

Film

Coffee

Internet

Stage

Bar

The bookstore was mixture of so many things. At the very entrance it had a bar with colorful piece of art hanging at the wall. There was a small pathway leading to the books section. Books were placed over shelves decorated with images of different public figures above them. 

Right across the mini artistic bar was sitting area for people where they could study or work. Another hallway appeared to my site which to my interest had Islamic greetings written on the wall along with images of many global personalities. Through the glass window of the hallway I could see small, beautifully painted houses aligned across the road. And I left the fascinated bar to explore the neighborhood.

A multicolored statue of panda was visible to me at a fair amount of distance. To my surprise the place in front of me was none other than "Bens chilli restaurant". I had seen that place on t.v when President Obama came to eat this place. I couldn't wait to enter this place who had catered so many legends. It was a cozy well decorated place with remarkable food as I had expected. But what I didn't expect was being given the whole account of five decades of highs and lows the restaurant faced and how it became such huge success. 

After listening to the incredible stories about the restaurant I walked on the same stretch for a while. In the very next street I saw smiling face of President Obama painted at its wall along with many other leaders.

On every passing street such amazing artwork was displayed. Being encountered by such incredible work assured me what next I wanted to see. So I headed my way to the Howard University.

Walking across many blocks, some of the statues from world war 2 and Howard medical center I reached to the neighborhood consisting of many closely packed houses. My walk came to an end as I stood in front of red bricked gate with big blue banners carrying name of Harvard university. 

Loud music coming out of pubs and restaurants reached my ears on my way back to the decided location for my class. People walking with their pet dogs in the streets, squirrels climbing the empty staircase  of the houses and fallen leaves drifting in my way. With this last image in front my eyes I said farewell to the picturesque neighborhood.