Morning!!
Yet another day of sightseeing today. Trying the get the final things done on our 'big list of things to see' before heading back to France tomorrow afternoon. I have to catch a flight to New York before catching my flight home.
After breakfast we headed out to catch our sightseeing hop on and off bus again. First stop was the Capitol building, where since 1800, the legislative branch of American government (Congress) has written the laws of the nation. The lower House of Representatives and upper Senate meet in the South and North wings of the building. It's even possible for members of the public to watch congress in action by applying through their senator or embassy.
It was then time to become a big kid again and 'geek out' at the place that I had been longing to go - The Smithsonian - Air and Space Museum!!! Come on, I'm a Science teacher, what more would you expect?! It is the most popular museum in the world. There are so many things to see here, but here are a few of my highlights:
#Apollo 11 landing module - Columbia
#The Spirit of St Louis - flown in the first transatlantic flight by Charles Lindbergh.
#WWII spitfire - my poppa used to make the engines for these so they will always be special to me.
#Replica of Amelia Earhart's plane - what an inspiring lady. Sadly disappeared back in 1937.
#Wright brothers' flyer - 1903. THE first engine powered flight, lasting a total of 852 feet.
#Exhibition on Moon travel
#Mars Rover
#Lunar landing module
#Replica of Hubble Telescope
#Do you think that I would suit an astronaut uniform???
#Smithsonian Castle - the visitor centre for all the museums. The 20th addition to the complex will be the African American Hostory and Culture Museum near the Washington Monument which is due to open in the summer of 2015.
Unfortunately we had to get back on the bus.....can't believe 3 hours passed so quickly! We finished the loop of large monuments that we wanted to see.
#Bureau of Engraving and Printing - where all the US paper currency is designed. There was a big poster out front with the new 100 dollar bill design on it. It processes approx. 32million dollars a day.
We crossed the bridge back and went past the Dr Martin Luther King Jr National Memorial but I wasn't quick enough with my camera to catch it. He's looking East from his carved figure in stone.
One last look at the Lincoln Memorial. Normally I would do a cannonball shot at some point on my holidays, but the only time I was at the reflecting lake was at night....so funny enough, you couldn't see me cannonballing anyway.
South side of the White House is what people are often most familiar with. It is the side where Marine 1 (President's helicopter) lands and where the annual Christmas Tree lighting takes place.
#National Archives - a fabulous building that houses the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights....oh yeah, and the Magna Carta too.
Came back to the hotel for a bit of a cool down and a shower as we went out for dinner this evening with a friend/ex-colleague of Andy's - Elke. We went to an Italian restaurant called Tortino at 1128 11th Street. It's a really cute small place that provides lovely Italian food for a reasonable price. I had duck.....so tender! It was a pleasure to meet Elke - a really nice, warm-hearted lady. I think we will be staying in touch.
So a pleasurable evening to top off what has been a great trip in D.C, not to mention what I have done before getting here. I've travelled so many miles and seen so many different places, and even met a few lovely people along the way. I must admit that it will be nice to rest a little after this though...oh yeah, but only for 5 days till I travel again. lol!
If you've been reading this bunch of nonsense since the beginning, thanks for bearing with me. I hope at least one thing made you smile or giggle.
Night all!
No comments:
Post a Comment