24 HOUR INAUGURATION

Washington, 20 January 2017

A visit to the inauguration of Donald Trump out of pure curiosity. Spent a lovely day meeting up with acquaintances of acquaintances and speaking to strangers.

I tried to post 1 picture, every hour. Or at least, I tried to take 1 picture every hour, to be posted later. Or at the very least, I tried to take enough pictures so that I could post a bunch and give an overview of the day’s events afterward. In any case I spent all of my provider’s data allowance and then some, trying to find an internet or wifi connection in overcrowded coffee houses filled with the American citizenry, who were bobbing their heads in excitement or shaking it in disbelief. (Not all photos included below. Well, most of them.)

#24hrInauguration 1/24 [08.00AM] My Uber driver Georges arrived in the States from Ethiopia in december 1996. "It wasn't because of wars or hunger that I moved, it was more an opportunity thing. I always wanted to make the best out of my life. I actually just celebrated the 20th anniversary of my arrival with some of the friends I met in my first days in Washington." Georges became an American citizen in August 2008. He voted for Obama. "That election day and during the #inauguration, the atmosphere was electric." He voted for #Clinton this time around but confesses it wasn't really about #Hillary, or even that much against Trump: "In the early 1990s, when I was still in Ethiopia and Bill Clinton was president, I would watch the international news. I have fond memories of those years." With his background outside of the US, Georges says Americans don't realize the long-term and far-ranging impact their president can have all over the world in terms of soft-power, education and culture. "And #Obama, he was really a moral leader in terms of the discourse. In the way that he spoke and related his thoughts to the American people, interacted with them. I think that will change and it will be something I'll be missing."

Een bericht gedeeld door Lisa Dupuy (@lisadupuyreports) op

#24hrInauguration 3/24 [10.00AM] So this... is an official ticket to #inauguration2017. They are not for sale but some folks on the metro had a spare. Dixie, Laurie and their gang (11 in total) travelled to #washington to see #Trump, from North and South Dakota and Virginia. The ladies were very excited. "It's good to have #Obama out, he's done enough years. And the thing is we weren't the biggest Trump supporters but we just did not want Hillary." They were still shocked to see him elected in November though. "But he's really a people's president. That's why none of the pundits saw it coming." #exitpolls #politicsontour Not sure that I'll be able to clear security with the gear I've got with me, but I'll try. #kindnessofstrangers

Een bericht gedeeld door Lisa Dupuy (@lisadupuyreports) op

#24hrInauguration 6/24 [11.15 AM] Discussions while waiting in line. #washingtondc #Trumpsupporter

Een bericht gedeeld door Lisa Dupuy (@lisadupuyreports) op

#24hrInauguration 22/24 [07.40PM] Public on their way to one of the #inauguration2017 balls. #WashingtonDC

Een bericht gedeeld door Lisa Dupuy (@lisadupuyreports) op