Washington DC

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Washington DC, we could just say yeah it’s okay, but that would not be enough. The visit started well, the hotel we had reservations with was fully booked and to help them out we graciously let them pay for us to stay the night in another hotel, which we liked so decided to stay there and got a second night at half price - result!

With little time on the first afternoon we decided to get the grey cells working and visit one of the Smithsonian’s and chose The National Museum of Natural History. Really we couldn’t do it justice in a few hours and could have happily spent a whole day there. We Brits are good for some things, apparently the Smithsonian Institution was founded by none other than an English scientist named James Smithson, who bequeathed his estate in order to establish it - whoopee. The Ocean Hall was fascinating as it highlighted the importance of the oceans and the diversity of its inhabitants - you wouldn’t want to come across a relative of the giant squid specimen they’ve got, it was definitely more than a meal. Dinosaur Hall was also a must for us and we were both reminiscing of the time when Matthew would have been able to name all of the specimens held in the museum - back when he was cute (his mum still thinks he’s cute!) The Triceratops was apparently the first specimen to be brought to the Museum and it took years to fully reconstruct the skeleton. The Gem and Minerals Hall was also a must as we both felt we should check out the size of the stunning, blue Hope Diamond, the largest stone of its kind. It wasn’t the only example of gorgeous gems, many of which had been donated by very kind (and obviously rich) patrons, no cheap ‘bling’ in here. Lisa offered them some of her jewelry as a swap for one or two pieces - but surprisingly they weren’t interested, Accessorize doesn’t hold quite the same kudos. The Mammal Hall held a vast array of stuffed specimens - interesting but a bit of a shame. The best thing about the Smithsonian, as with any great museum, is that its visitors are actually learning whilst having fun. More time here would have been great but we suspect that will be a recurring theme this trip.

As we only had one full day in Washington, the plan for the following day, and what a scorcher it turned out to be, was to follow the normal sightseeing route. This would include the Library of Congress, the Capitol Building and walking down the National Mall to the Washington Monument, the Reflecting Pool and then the Lincoln Memorial and obviously not forgetting a slight detour to see the White House. As with any USA Government building getting into it is a challenge in itself, security being up there with most airports. (And coming out they check in case you’ve nicked anything). But boy was it worth the hassle. Nothing can prepare you for the interior of the absolutely stunning Library of Congress. As you make your way into the Great Hall it literally takes your breath away, the floor is made of marble and the ceiling is decorated with stained glass. Looking up to the mezzanine level offers an array of marble columns and arches and the paintings along the mezzanine corridors provide a further feast for the eyes, depicting scenes of the five senses, the four seasons, and various literary and scientific achievements. We went into the Main Reading Room which can only be seen via a visitors’ gallery, but all the knowledge contained on those shelves is astounding and still growing. The Library was established in 1800 when President John Adams felt that Congress should have a reference library all of their own in order for them to undertake their work. The invading British troops were the culprits for the destruction of the original works in 1814, so it was replaced by the personal library of the retired President Thomas Jefferson, which has continued to be built upon. The mural above the reading room makes mention of various nations and their contributions to science, England is credited with Literature. (Not UK, Britain or Scotland mind you). This quite simply is one of the most beautiful buildings we have ever seen in our lives.

We then moved on to the Capitol Building which has housed Congress since 1800 and is a stunning building from the outside. One thing which struck us was how clean all the Government buildings are kept. The perimeter is surrounded by endless police and agents who we are sure were desperate to do that job when they signed up! One thing Americans know how to do well is provide a very slick tour and highlight their achievements. We went on an organised tour of parts of the building, and as access around it is only allowed if you are escorted, there was obviously no opportunity for exploring on your own unless, of course, you wished to incur the wrath of one of the many gun toting agents who would probably love a bit of target practice. The tour began with a short film describing how Congress was established, and which finished to a rousing round of applause from a lot of the audience. After the tour we decided to view democracy in action and went to watch a session of the House of Representatives. The public gallery gave a really good view, as long as you didn’t lean on the edge or sit in the wrong seats! It was guarded by - yes you’ve guessed it - some well armed agents who kept tight control on any potential rowdy elements. The House was in the middle of a vote, we didn’t quite catch exactly what it was for, it seemed to be about having breaking up and having lunch, but it was a tight run thing and voting continued right up to the last minute when the yes votes won by a tight margin of about 380. There was much milling around and back slapping when the vote was announced - democracy at its best.

Out into the glorious sunshine and we walked down the National Mall and on to the Washington Monument - again stunning. The Monument is shaped like an Egyptian obelisk, stands 555’ 5 1/8” tall, and offers views in excess of thirty miles (if you take the time to queue). It was finished on December 6, 1884. We took a slight detour after this to go and gaze upon the Obama homestead. We probably shouldn’t say this but we were slightly disappointed. It is not very big - as famous houses go - and it was tucked so far behind the fence and trees it was not really very visible. Sorry not that impressed.
Walking down to The Lincoln Memorial we were surprised at how stagnant the water in the Reflecting Pool was. Again this was a bit of a disappointment as it always looks so clear on the TV. Lisa was tempted to run through it calling out ‘Forrest, I love you’ but as well as the possibility of being tackled by beefy gun toting security (not an altogether unpleasant thought) she was more concerned about catching some skin rash from the dirty water. What was impressive, however, was our final stop at The Lincoln Memorial. It is difficult to describe what makes it so impressive - it could be its sheer size, smooth lines or maybe just its simplicity, but it is a very moving and appropriate tribute to a great leader.

Well, what did we think of Washington? Great metro & transport, some fantastic buildings & great places to visit but just really sorry that the most common sight is armed police or agents. Overkill or a sad indictment, time will tell.

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Photos

Smithsonian
Ocean Hall. Great.

Smithsonian
Ticererathipogrif.. whatever, the young Matthew would know.

Library of Congress
Like no other library we've ever seen.

Library of Congress
Stunning place. Almost makes you want to learn things.

The Capitol Building
Great place. Not sure about the democracy though.

Obama's Gaff
Not as big as expected but still pretty well guarded. Didn't get invited in for a chat!!

Lincoln Memorial
Marvellous.

Smithsonian
Should really be Africa

Reflecting Pool
Needs a good clean out.

Washington Monument
Bigger than Alexandria.

Lincoln Memorial
Did a lot for the world this chap.

Congress
Original Cast of 'Freedom' the figure on top of the Capitol Dome.

Washington Monument
A mighty monument by calm waters.....(and Chris),