DC trip - day 2

Yesterday was the full day downtown. It was raining until about 2 or 3 pm, but it was a drizzle. Not that that makes it more fun.

We walked to the Metro from the hotel (yay frequent stay points = free hotel). Took the metro to the Smithsonian stop, and got out at the National Mall. Walked towards the Tidal basin (still in the drizzle and wind) going to the Jefferson Monument. Got there, took some pictures (next few days I should be playing with those pictures, perhaps posting one) and went downstairs to the Jefferson exhibit. Because of the drizzle, Christine wanted to head somewhere more indoors, so we walked back to the Metro station and went to Union Station.

That station was huge! It was practically a mall with food court level, with access to the Metro and train lines into DC. We got something to eat there and read through the Visitor's Guide to determine what to do next. We decided the Smithsonian American History Museum.

It was sweet. We saw really just 2 exhibits in 3 hours, the Transportation exhibit and the Star Spangled Banner. The Transportation exhibit showed history of transportation in the US, including canals vs cross country trains vs cross country driving, a blurb about Route 66, about shipping containers how they work on sea/train/trucks, etc. The Star Spangled Banner was interesting, but was one of those humbling gives-you-shakes things. Its crazy that was flying up there during the War of 1812, and its still in one piece (well, except for the parts that got shot out or cut off).

When we left the museum, it was almost sundown, and we were right by the National Mall again. We walked out to get some cool pics of the Washington Monument and Capital building being lit up by the red/orange sky, then headed to the Washington Monument to camp out for the fireworks by the Tidal Basin at 8:30.

They started shooting off at the time, but they were visible from the Tidal Basin, not shot really from there. So we were blocked by buildings from the bottom half of the fireworks. We walked around to the other side of the monument to watch more, and started taking pictures of the WWII memorial and Lincoln Monument over the reflecting pool. Once the fireworks stopped, we headed to the WWII memorial.

Another one of those humbling gives-you-shakes places. The memorial is impressive, and it definitely reminds you it was a World War. We walked around it, reading all the inscriptions and the Atlantic and Pacific battles they have listed. I hope my Grandfather (who fought in the Battle of the Bulge) had a chance to see it before he passed away last year.

After that, we headed back, stopping by the Washington Monument to feel like real shorties - it makes your neck hurt to stand right by it and look STRAIGHT up. We went back to the Metro and headed back to the hotel.

Left the hotel at around 11am, got back just after 11pm. 12 hours of Washington DC, it was very enjoyable.

We'll see what happens today.