Back in the United States

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Hi Everyone!

I'm back in the United States 😊

Arriving into Washington DC, the first thing I noticed walking from the airport to the metro station, the heat is different, it's a hotter type of heat than in Lima. After my short walk I was almost melting. The second thing I noticed was that I could understand everyone again!!. My cousin was very kindly letting me stay with him and his lovely family in a beautiful little town called Alexandria. As it was Memorial Day weekend, so there was a BBQ planned for the afternoon, I got to go my first america BBQ with my cousin and family. Their friends were lovely friendly and welcoming not to mention the food was great! The following day after brunch of coffee and chocolate chip pancakes, (thanks Helen!) I got the metro into DC. I arrived at the Smithsonian Castle in the middle of the Mall. I started walking down the Mall towards the Capitol building, but as I got closer the roads were closed, due to the Rolling Thunder run, I heard there were over 10000 motor bikes in the city, the noise and some of the bikes were cool! After watching the procession for a while I headed back along the Mall towards the Lincoln Memorial. Along the way I stopped into the National Archives Museum, to see the Constitution the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence. Then I saw the National History Museum so I called in, the Dinosaurs were awesome (as usual) and I really enjoyed the Mummies exhibit as well as getting to see the Hope Diamond. The president was busy but I did get to see the White house complete with roof top snipers. I had a picnic late lunch with Mr. Lincoln looking out over the reflecting pools. There were huge crowds of people as it was Memorial Weekend, so the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Women's Memorial and the Korean War Memorial among others were full of people and maybe more moving as people had left memories and messages to their dead. After my full day of exploring and a lot of walking, back at my cousins house I had a lovely home made dinner (thanks again Helen and Erin). I got to play with sand and water the next day with Dillon, I totally won the "But why" game! That afternoon, Helen showed me around the beautiful Old Town of Alexandria before we met the others to get the ferry to National Harbour. A delicious dinner of seafood (thanks again Helen!) followed. I was leaving the next day in the afternoon, I spent the morning exploring Arlington Cemetery, it was bigger than I had thought, and I was surprised that there is about 25 funeral taking place every day. I also learnt the different meanings behind the coins left on the graves. If a penny is left on the grave it means someone has visited, a nickel means that they trained in the same boot camp, a dime that they served together and a quarter if they were there when they died. My next stop was Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love and sisterly affection!.





Philadelphia is a cool city, I really enjoyed my time there and even stayed a bit longer! My first day after finding my hostel and checking in, I walked around the old city (where my hostel was) and the independence hall. The following day I went to prison! well I visited Eastern State Penitentiary, I got to see Al Capone's prison cell, restored to what it once was. The prison its self was very interesting, though I would not have liked to be isolated in complete silence. After that it was time for something more upbeat, so I went to The Franklin Institute science museum. There are loads of interactive exhibits I could have spent a lot longer there. The following day after a lovely sleep in my private dorm! (I got upgraded, from a 12 bed dorm, to a room all on my own, their was a bed mix up on the hostels part.) On the hop on bus tour, I got off at the Mint, to see the coins being made, then crossed the road to see Ben's grave (Ben Franklin that is) before doing the touristy thing and going to see the Rocky steps! Rocky only actually ran up the last 6 steps, his stunt double ran all the rest. I did a walking tour, that night, discovering the seedy underbelly of Philly. I still had so much to see, the following day was filled with the Liberty bell, Betsy Ross' house (she may have stitched the first american flag), and the Convention centre, where again there are lots of interactive exhibits, I got to become President (!) and also meet the everyone who signed the declaration of independence. Philly is a lovey city and I can see my self returning back to this city. My next stop is Boston.





A q

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