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I cannot even begin to describe how inspiring it was to be at the inauguration of our new president. I am moved to tears every time I think about it, look at the photos that I took, or share my experience with someone else. More happened that day than just the changing of the guard. There was a shift of something much deeper than that.

Our flight got to Dulles airport at around 11:30pm or so, a few minutes earlier than expected. We had just come from Chicago and the flight was only about 1/3 capacity or so which was kind of surprising considering it was the eve of the inauguration (and it was originating in Obama’s hometown). I had traveled with my friend Matt, who is also from San Luis Obispo, and we were meeting with my other friend Mark, who had taken a flight a few hours earlier. We gathered our bags and Mark picked us up at the airport. We all headed to the hotel which we had booked in Tyson’s Corner, VA, about 15 miles or so from Washington, DC, just over the Potomac. By the time we were checked in, it was already 1am and we were planning to get up around 4am in hopes of beating the crowds on the Metro and getting a good spot to stand for the swearing-in ceremony. I tried but couldn’t get to sleep until 2:30am or so.

The alarm woke me up at 4am, seemingly right after I had gotten to sleep. All of us got ready and were excited to get going. It was about 25 degrees when we set out at around 5am that morning. We had a 2 or 3 mile walk to the metro station. When we got there, it didn’t look too crowded. Finally, the Orange line pulled up and we crowded in. It was crowded but it would only get worse, especially considering there was only one other stop so far before this one. As we slowly got a few stops further, something happened with the doors on our Metro (or maybe just too many people were in the way). In any case, they made everyone get off due to “mechanical problems” and we had to join the others in the already crowded station waiting for the next train. We waited for the next Orange line and crowded on. We made it to DC at about 8am and got off at the Federal Triangle stop. None of us had any idea where we were but fortunately there was a breakfast buffet right outside the metro station where we ate a quick breakfast. By 8:30am, we were walking onto the National Mall.

The energy out there was insane. Everyone was freezing but happy and excited for what was coming. There were a couple of guys with their “Repent Obama” signs but mostly, they were just being used for a photo op by all of the Obama supporters. We were interviewed while we were walking by some guy from a radio station (in Boston?) who was recording the historic event. The mass of people helped to create some heat which was nice. There were a bunch of Jumbotron’s and PA systems every now and then so that everyone could see and hear what was happening. They were playing the previous day’s concert from the Lincoln Memorial on the Jumbotrons. No one seemed to mind that it was a rerun, it was just as good as the live event with people singing along to the performers. People of all shapes, sizes, ages, and colors seemed to be smiling and enjoying the buildup.

We forged our was up to our final spot, about halfway between the Capitol and the Washington Monument. We were near a Jumbotron (third one from the front) so we could see and hear everything just fine. Then we waited. The Jumbotron played Obama’s speech from the previous day and everyone started cheering. That eventually ended and the switched back to live shots of the crowd and the various dignitaries getting seated up on the Capitol. People cheered as most of them stepped out. They also showed footage of them inside the Capitol, before they stepped out. Everyone from Muhammed Ali to the Clintons to Oprah was seated. When President Bush came out, lots of people started booing. This made me feel really sorry for the guy (and trust me, I don’t like Bush as much as the next person). But you would have thought that we could just let the guy go in peace, to have a little more respect for someone who was POTUS. Besides, we got the guy we wanted and had nothing to complain about on this day. The look on his face was heartbreaking.

They finally started the ceremony and everyone was silent. Rick Warren delivered the invocation and I have to say, I was very impressed. After all the uproar surrounding that guy, he delivered a very powerful speech that no one could say anything bad about. He was cheered just as loud as anyone else. Aretha Franklin sang her song right after this, someone I never expected to see live. Now it was time for Joe Biden to get sworn in. When the deed was done, a crazy cheer went up from the crowd. No more Cheney! The tension had built up since everyone expected Obama to get sworn in now so when the quartet of Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Gabriela Montero and Anthony McGill were introduced, people had to settle down for a minute. This was one of the most touching parts of the ceremony for me. These were the best of the best musicians and hearing them play, on this day, right before the moment we had all been waiting for, was completely indescribable.

Now it was time. Everyone was dead silent. Even though they got a little bit tangled during the Oath of office, no one on the National Mall that day even seemed to notice. It was the beginning of a new era. His inaugural address was a list of all of our challenges that we face right now, and what we need to do to fix them. He said some great things and it was interesting how he spoke to all the different people that may be listening, but I don’t think his speech has any specific memorable lines like some other past inaugural speeches did. It was more about what this day stood for that will be remembered rather than any specific one-liner from his speech. The beginning of hope. America reclaiming it’s stature at the country to lead the world.

After his speech, lots of people started leaving the Mall. We stayed where we were through the end of the ceremony and found a sitting area since the exits were completely clogged. After 1/2 hour or so, we left and walked up to the Washington Monument and WWII Memorial. We decided to get some food and took the nearest Metro down to Foggy Bottom and found a Thai place down on Pennsylvania Avenue that wasn’t overly crowded. They had a TV on with the parade. It was nice to get some warm food and thaw out since we had been in the cold for the last 9 or 10 hours. As we ate, I heard loud cheers as Obama stepped out of his limo to walk along the parade route. We hung out here for a while and then Mark went off (he had some work to attend to, that was his original reason for being in Virginia/DC). Matt and I set out down the street and found the parade. It appeared that after Obama had gone by, a lot of people had left so we were able to walk along the parade route and catch most of it. We ended our walk sometime later in the night down by the Capitol. The next few days of our trip were devoted to sight-seeing/tourist stuff since neither of us had been to DC before.

Since I have arrived home after my much to short stay in our nation’s capitol, I’ve had a buzzing feeling of inspiration and hope. Seeing all the sights such as the Lincoln Memorial (at night when no one else was around) and the Washington Monument was enough, in and of itself. But to be a witness to such a monumental change in our society with so many other people resonates very deeply in the soul. To have enthusiasm in one’s own country is a gift because for too long now there has been no wind in those sails. I was still a child when Bush became president and have lived under his rule since I have been old enough to care. I almost never realized that government didn’t have to be a negative, repressive-to-the-people thing. And I know I’m not alone. I talked to so many people from all different backgrounds over the last week who all shared a similar sentiment. It’s an amazing thing to feel a unity with everyone you encounter. It definitely feels like we, the people, have our country back. Now, it’s not time to mess around and become jaded by our emotion. Let’s use this inspiration and hope to get some things done.

I’ve posted my photos here on my flickr account.