Washington DC

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What a delight and a treat to be staying with Stacy, she really is the hostess with the mostest!! Nothing was too much trouble and she went above and beyond the call of duty in looking after us! I’m not sure Kipling and Kim – her 2 dogs, were as pleased to see us though, but we soon all made friends.

Well after the luxury of a real bed, shower, washing machine and brekkie we headed off to the station to catch the comuter train into Washington DC. When we got to the station there was only 1 other person there and it turned out the next train wasn’t for another 2 hours! However the other passenger’s husband turned up and we all got talking and they offered us a lift down to the DC subway station, showed us how to use the system, where to get day passes, where to get off for the sights etc and generally were absolute stars!!

We got to the Mall, which was just like the scene from Return to Planet of the Apes!!! Very impressive with all the huge monuments, museums etc. In true Howard style he had us marching right the way up to the top – Capitol Hill and then all the way down to bottom to the Lincoln Memorial (it was miles!!!), via the Washigton Memorial and a trip into the Air and Space Museum – which was really impressive, free of charge, air conditioned and had loos!. We also saw the White House and then walked over the bridge to the Arlington Cemetery and went to JFK’s grave – very moving. It was absolutely exhausting and soooo hot but fantastic at the same time. Stacy picked us up from the station which was great as I don’t think I could have walked another step!

Tea that night was Mexican – just to get us familiar with what’s on offer before we get there you understand!

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