A day of culture in DC

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Day 174 (Saturday 10/10/09, NJJ)
Breakfast at hotel which included custard-filled chocolate-topped doughnuts. Got the Metro from Crystal City to the Smithsonian. First sight in Washington DC was the Smithsonian National Museum of America History after wandering across the National Mall. The museum was great - the best exhibits were on the Star-Spangled Banner, the American Presidency, Abraham Lincoln, Americans at War and photographs of black Washington. On next to the Smithsonian where the hall of mammals and the dinosaur hall were the hightlights. We walked across towards The White House which was fab but Barack was having a massive 'gazebo' put up which spoilt the front view a bit. The Washington Memorial was cool. Then on to see numerous other sights - Constitution Gardens, Memorial to the 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence, Vietname Veterans Memorial, Lincoln Memorial (brought tears to my eyes), Korean War Veterans Memorial, DC War Memorial, World War II Memorial et al. The sky looked beautiful when we went back out to the National Mall. Walked to Capitol Hill and saw the Grant Memorial. Got the Metro back to Crystal City. Walked to a shopping centre where we had food at King Blues restaurant. Read for a bit then bed.

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