Washington: Saturday Sept 21st

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A diner for breakfast we thought and the concierge suggested Ted's Bulletin on 14th & S - the first morning and we're already into the block system!! The hotel is about ten blocks away and so off we strode and soon realised the length of a block was not trivial!! We arrived with healthy appetites to find there was a 50mins queue - so disappointedly, we trundle back and settle for for a mediocre crepe near the hotel. We'll probably need to wait until NYC for a breakfast diner!!

Our hotel is only a couple of blocks from White House and this was our first sight-seeing stop - we were surprised by how built up it is on it's North Wing. The area is rich in statues and memorials and much camera-clicking was heard.

It was National Book Festival at the Smithonian institute and, what surprise, Kate couldn't resist having a quick recce - exhausted by now (jet lag, I suspect) we ordered a couple of drinks and parked our bums in Smithsonian Castle.

Refreshed, and map in hand, we strode off for the distant Lincoln Memorial, stopping on the way to watch a few minutes USA University RFU (with very little tackling), take in views of the Thomas Jefferson memorial and look at at the Martin Luther King memorial. The Lincoln memorial was heaving, but nonetheless impressive with impressive views back along the reflective Pool to the scaffolded Washington Memorial - I remember this view from a Clint Eastwood film, but I'm damned if I remember it's title.

We are now not near our hotel and the clouds are looking ominous - so off we don't linger and set off along the Reflective Pool to the WWII memorial, past the Washington Monument, then left and an uphill struggle to our hotel!! We collapse on our bed as the heavens open!! Good timing or what!!

The rain persisted and so we settled for a meal in our hotel. By 10pm we were snoring like good ones!! A good nights sleep was only interrupted by the Police attending an incident a few buildings in the early hours.

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