Washington - Tuesday 8th May 2012

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Another early start, we are meeting up with the group at 07:30. We again breakfast in our room, and make out way down to reception to join the rest of the group. A coach takes us to Penn Station and the red caps (Rail Station Porters) take our luggage to the train

The train to Washington leaves at 09:00 and takes 3 ½ hours.

We arrive at Union Station Washington, and after a short delay we manage to unite coach, luggage and passengers. We are then taken on a tour of Washington that takes approximately 3 hours – we visit numerous memorials and monuments, and are pretty soon “memoriamed out”.

Washington is completely different from New York – for starters there are no high-rise buildings. There is a statute that no building can be higher than the Capitol Building, The roads are wider more in keeping with European city boulevards. Overall it has the effect of being more open and less claustrophobic than New York.

As to be expected of the capitol, there are numerous federal buildings along with all the National museums – there is plenty to see that would easily fill a week+. And we have 1-½ days!

We check into the Phoenix Park Hotel, which appears to be well placed for site-seeing. One of the amusing things in the hotel is that the bed is so high off the ground, they give you a little wooden step so that you can climb in – only in America!

We are both feeling tired, so we decide to eat in a Irish pub called the Dubliner that is adjoined to the hotel. (Another difference in Washington compared to New York. In New York there is a place to eat on every corner, whereas in Washington places to eat seem to be few and far between).

We have a good meal then go to the bar for a nightcap, where we find that the Sauvignon Blanc is Oyster Bay (NZ), which is one of our favourites! We have a couple of drinks and call it a day.

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