Graffiti and D.C. Metro Rides

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I love riding on the D.C. metro during non-peak hours.  The negative thoughts of 9-5ers worrying about being late and the ever-present look on  the face of commuters as if they have poop under their nose is usually nonexistent after 10am.  It is also pleasant to be surrounded by nonchalant metro-riders not wearing businesses formal attire.  In addition, with the absence of a smart phone, ipod or a good book, my attention span acts as if it’s on crack (or some four loko).  Riding the metro has become the best time to take note of the things in my immediate environment.  There are always interesting-looking people to people watch or juicy bits of conversations to eavesdrop on.

My usual metro route starts from Silver Spring and takes me into the city, about a 20 min commute.  The commute goes through the Northeast quadrant of the capitol.  Both Northeast and Southeast are notorious for having high crime levels and low poverty levels.  The view the window frames changes rapidly and unexpectably.  The closer you get to downtown, the cleaner and more pristine the neighborhoods become.  Washington D.C. is well-known for the gaping wealth and poverty levels.  Yet, reading about social problems is one thing, seeing it unfold in front of you during a commute fuels a whole other level of understanding.

Instead of focusing on the dilapidated neighborhoods and the discrepancy between the rich and poor, I choose to focus my attention on the art that surrounds those walls – graffiti.

                                      some graffiti you may see on the D.C. metro                                          photo by: proborderhopper via flickr