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Published: December 23rd 2008
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On the Sunday morning I got up and had some breakfast with Tony and Gail before finishing off all of the rest of my packing and deciding what I should leave behind. I hadn’t filled the box that I was going to send back home so I am going to send Gail some more things that I pick up along the way to send home. It was the first day of bad weather that I had seen while I was there which was a shame because I couldn’t take pictures of their back-yard which is completely beautiful. We all got into the car and they dropped me off at the edge of the Metro so I only had to change to the red line when I got to the centre. It was brilliant fun staying with people that I had not seen for so long and great catching up with Becca after such a long time. So much fun to be had reminiscing about growing up and being at primary school together. I am very grateful to have been able to stay with them and owe them a huge thank you.
When I arrived at Dupont Circle, my closest metro stop
Space...
...the musical. to the hotel, I actually walked the wrong way but noticed quickly and went back the other direction. After that it was a pretty easy walk, apart from the rain. When I reached the hotel I checked in and the lady on the desk told me that I was the only person in the room that night. The room itself was huge, very comfortable and clean with an ensuite bathroom. It was great having the whole place to myself so I sorted my bags out and then headed into town. I was very aware of the fact that I only had one full day in such a huge and exciting city. I went straight to the Smithsonian as that was the thing I most wanted to see. I went to the Museum of American History because it had just re-opened the week before. I saw their star-spangled banner, which is a pretty stunning site and then headed up the escalator to see what I found. A gentleman who was standing in front of me said hello and asked how I was enjoying myself. I told him that I had just arrived, come straight to the museum and thought it was
beautiful. He then explained that he was the Director of the Institute and very very kindly proceeded to show me around the museum and pointed me in the direction of things to see. It was great meeting him and lovely to be able to tell him how much I liked the museum. It was getting pretty late and I knew that I wanted to see the Air and Space Museum so that I could get some research information for the musical that we are writing. It was a very impressive place and I got lots of information and the names of a couple of people to get in touch with about information or sponsorship for when we get onto the business side of things. I was pretty tired and cold and wet by that point so headed back to the hostel and grabbed food (truly awful pizza) on the way there to eat in the room. I managed about half of it and then stopped because it was so bad. I watched a few shows on TV and finished my knitting then went to bed early so I could get up and go the next morning.
I got up
pretty early and grabbed some food from the hostel’s breakfast to take with me for lunch that day. I had decided to go on a trolley tour of the city so I could see as much as possible in one day. I had never done one before but it really was the best way to see everything. I headed to Union Station and sent some packages via usps that needed to get going and then went to buy my ticket and a cup of coffee. I was talking to a wonderful lady whilst waiting for the trolley to arrive who was an actress who had been working for the company for a little while and knew the city really well. The first stage of the trip took me from Union Station around the Capitol Building and then all along the Mall past the whole Smithsonian and towards the Potomac past the Jefferson memorial. I got off when we reached the Lincoln Memorial and walked up to see it as well as the Korean and Vietnamese war memorials. The whole area was very beautiful and it was great being there when it was less crowded so you could take your time
seeing things. I then changed to the other section of the tour and went out to Arlington and had a walk around the cemetery where I saw the Kennedy Memorial, Taft’s grave and the memorial to Women in the services. I got the bus back to the Lincoln Memorial to change over to the rest of the first tour. It took us along the Potomac and back over the bridge towards the Newseum which was the most amazing building and had the first amendment etched into the front. I got out at the stop closest to the White House and walked past some wonderful buildings and then the Treasury Department (and got cash out at the bank there because it seemed right). I walked up to the front of the White House and took some photos whilst dodging around the construction for the inauguration. It was also World AIDS Day so there was a huge red ribbon out of the front which was good to see. Ironic considering anyone trying to enter the country with HIV is not allowed because of the Visa Waiver agreement but that is a rant for another time. On the walk back I saw the
Washington Monument
and part of the WWII if you look closely Freedom Plaza and the statue of Nelson Mandela. The National Trade Center and National Theater were just across the street and in the direction of the trolley exchange point. I also looked around the outside of the Warner Bros. theatre because on the sidewalk there were mini stars of the people who had been there including Eric Idle, B. B. King and Liza Minnelli. The place that the two buses changed over was at Ford’s Theatre where Lincoln was shot and the house across the street where he died shortly afterwards.
The third bus line took us North up towards Georgetown, we were not leaving for a few minutes and I was the only person on the bus at the time so I went and grabbed a melon ice cream cone from a shop around the corner. We went past Dupont Circle near where I was staying and saw the restaurant that the Kennedy family and the Rat Pack used to eat which was almost next door to where Chelsea Clinton had her first date, highlight of the tour of course. Then we went past the hotel where Reagan was shot and the hospital where he was treated. The tour
guides were amazing with their weird knowledge. There is a drive between the main part of D.C. and Georgetown called Massachusetts Avenue or ‘Embassy Row‘, where 90% of all of the Embassies are housed. I think they also said that there are about 170 countries who have an embassy in D.C. but am not sure, anyone who has the real stats, please feel free to correct me. We eventually entered Georgetown and I got off to have a very quick walk around, I wish I had been able to spend more time there but I had to catch the last bus back to the centre so I could get back and pack etc. Georgetown seemed lovely though and I hope to go back again many more times.
The bus ride on the way back was very beautiful but getting towards dark and I suddenly felt really tired. I was hoping to make it back in time to get the final bus around which dropped me just by my hotel but was too late so I jumped on the metro and grabbed something to eat at DuPont circle before walking back.
After eating I finished packing and then got talking to
a really lovely girl who stays in the hostel every week because she has a class in D.C. so that was great. There were three of us in the room and we were all pretty tired so crashed early.
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