Cafeteria View

Where was I when I took this picture?  This is look east, the Newseum is on the north side of the street, with the Canadian Embassy just past that. The National Gallery is on the south side of he street, the Capital is ahead.  Interesting location.  My initial thought was an upper level of one of the museums, but this is not the right angle.  This was taken from a location that is difficult to get to, increasingly difficult, it is taken from the balcony of the cafeteria in the Federal Trace Commission building.

Security in Federal buildings is tight, this one has gotten tighter of the the years I have been in DC.  You need to be on the list, invited by staff who work in the building.  Then you have to show ID, and clear a security screen that makes airport security look sloppy.  Then you get a visitor sticker, then you have to wait for a staff member to escort you into the building.  I was there for a full day program a couple of years ago, and to avoid having to have 40 visitors clear security a second time, they received permission for us to have lunch in the staff cafeteria, on the top floor, with this million dollar view.