Washington, DC

While it was probably good enough to travel, we figured that as we are this close to Washington, DC, why not take the opportunity to visit and see the capitol.  Early Monday morning, we took the local bus to the train station and a MARC train to Washington.  This is a one-hour trip on a commuter train.  

Washington Union Station

Washington Union station is magnificent!  High vaulted ceilings, marble floors, lots of services and restaurants.  We visited the information booth to ask about getting a day pass for the DC circulator, which is a bus service that runs in a loop around the national Mall.  The agent had heard of these elusive passes but wasn’t sure how to get them.  He didn’t know why you’d want them anyway – it is only 2 miles from end to end! 

Procession approaching the fountain

As we exited Union Station, there was a military band playing. They were conducting Columbus Day ceremonies under the Christopher Columbus Memorial Fountain.  We saw the procession of men in brightly coloured capes and plumed hats but didn’t stay for the ceremony.

We began to walk with the Capitol building as our first destination.  We elected not to make a reservation to go on a tour due to our limited time to visit the city.

United States Capitol Building

We then proceeded to the National Mall and started walking along the south side.  There are 19 museums and galleries that make up the Smithsonian and most are free to enter.  As a treat to the captain, the first one we visited was the Air and Space Museum.  Here we could see everything from Wilbur Wright’s 1903 Wright Flyer, Amelia Earhart’s Lockhead Vega, the Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia and everything in between.  We did a cursory visit through the museum and it still took us two hours.

Washington Monument

We continued walking up the mall to the Washington Monument but could not go up because the elevator is broken. 

World War II Memorial

Our walk continued up the mall to the Second World War monument to honour those who lost their lives in the battles in both the Atlantic and Pacific and is also the beginning of the Reflecting Pool. 

Walking beside the Reflecting Pool toward the Lincoln Memorial

A beautiful stroll to the end of the pool and up to the Lincoln Memorial.

Lincoln Memorial

View of the Washington Monument from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial

We now started the return journey to Union station by turning back and walking on the north side of the National Mall.  First stop was to view the Vietnam Veterans wall.  We have all seen this on TV but it is very moving to see it in person.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Panels of 'The Wall'

The Three Servicemen

Our next goal was to find the White House. The map tricks you!  From the direction we approached, it is blocked by the Executive offices and we kept thinking it doesn’t look like what you see on TV!  When you get around to the front however, the police presence identifies the correct building and it does look like what you’d expect – only smaller.

The White House

The Hope Diamond - 45.52 carats

Back to the National Mall and a stop into the American History Museum so that we could see the actual flag that was flying over Fort McHenry when Francis Scott Key was inspired to write the U.S. National Anthem.  It is beautifully displayed although a star and some of the edges are missing from where snippets were taken in the past as keepsakes.  It is also a no photography section so we can’t share a picture.  Highlights of our very quick pass through this museum included Lincoln’s hat and a general impression of how much more time we’d have liked to spend but our time was running short.

We made a very quick pass into the Museum of Natural History to see the Hope Diamond in person.  There were lots of little girls  (and some big ones) who were admiring that piece!  Again, the exhibits were so well laid out and we could have spent many more hours but we left 10 minutes before they closed.

Walking in Washington, DC

With sore feet, we decided to hop on a DC Circulator bus that would take us back to Union Station instead of walking the rest of the way.  A train ride back to Baltimore and dinner at the Inner Harbour and one final adventure – our first Uber ride!

Back on Seas The Day, exhausted, we went straight to bed!