Why yes, I have walked my feet off so far...
bobbathehutt & I arrived on Saturday afternoon, exhausted from lack of sleep (we left our house at 3:30 a.m.), but still found our hotel and the local restaurants. Sunday we drove in to D.C. and explored their wonky road system. Not much is open as far as local businesses that we could see, but we drove by the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, the Capitol, parts of the Smithsonian & many other government buildings. We also drove past Ford's Theater & the house where Lincoln died, and I will be going there later this week. After our tour of the local roundabouts (just like in Europe and about as easy to get out of once you're stuck in one), we drove to Mount Vernon via the scenic route of MLK Blvd. Once we got to Mt. Vernon, we did the house tour and looked at almost all of the out-buildings, the museums and the gardens. I could suffer with that house, and the view of the river.
On Monday, Bob worked early in the morning and then we headed out to the closest Metro station (Vienna). It is just like BART, but with vinyl seats that seem just a bit smaller - and there are three sets of doors per car. Parking at the stations is $3.75 per day - just like home. We took the train to Arlington National Cemetary, bought tram tickets and rode up to JFK's tomb. Once again, I can't go somewhere without having my first-aid skills tested. A woman took a tumble down the stairs and I checked the knee she said "went out". A security person & I did a concussion test as she was insistent that she'd hit her head, but Bob & I both saw her fall and she did NOT hit her head. She said she was ok and did not want an ambulance. The security person had to get her name & address and once I was sure she was ok, Bob & I headed back to the tram and rode to the Tomb of the Unknowns. We got there just in time to see the changing of the guard ceremony. It was impressive. Bob filmed it on our new digital camera, so I'll see if I can You-Tube it eventually. The trams were canceled for part of the afternoon due to a visit from the Japanese Deputy Minister of Defense, so Bob & I hoofed it to other areas to see memorials to the Challenger, Columbia, Iran Hostage Rescue Crew, USS Maine, and the Confederate Civil War Dead. We also visited Arlington House, where Robert E. Lee lived. An interesting point I didn't know was that Robert E. Lee's wife was the great-grandaughter of George Washington. We also toured the outbuildings and the Robert E. Lee museum. We managed to catch a tram back to the main gate, which was a good thing because my feet were screaming at this point - too much walking on concrete two days in a row. We also went to the Pentagon Metro station - got out and looked at two sides of the Pentagon. I don't think I can convey the size of the structure other than BIG.
I decided to rest today and only went out to get some stuff for Bob & do a run to Target for stuff I forgot. Tomorrow I'm going to head into D.C, and see Ford Theater & the House where Lincoln died, and then the Smithsonian for a while. On Thursday I think I'll go out to Manassas (Bull Run). I'm hoping that Bob & I can go to Gettysburg one day this weekend, and then over to the Smithsonian Space Museum also.
Stuff I've noticed about D.C. and Virginia:
1. Townhouses are in big clusters here.
2. Not too many houses have garages.
3. Fences around yards are not as numerous as in California.
4. Trees - trees - trees. Lots of trees in clusters. Most have very skinny trunks and are about 1.5 feet apart. Not like in CA at all.
5. Rush hour in D.C. lasts from 3 to 8, and the freeways are jammed bumper to bumper.
6. I am now addicted to pomegranate margaritas. This could be a bad thing.
7. I may have to visit the International Spy Museum, because it just sounds silly enough to be seen.
8. There is no 8.
9. There are Starbucks on every corner here too.
10. There are school kids here from all over the U.S. Apparently field trips are much better now than when I was in school.
That's it for now. I'll update again later this week. I am reading everyone's posts and the local news, even if I don't comment.
hugs to all.