29. Apr, 2016

29. Apr, 2016

29. Apr, 2016

29. Apr, 2016

THURSDAY 09-10-08 

Today is Rosina’s birthday and we spent it in Washington DC. It wasn’t one of our earliest starts to the day, Rosina hadn’t slept too well as we’re close to a couple of very busy Interstates, 495 & 95 North;  despite the late start there’s no pressure as we have a few days here to see everything. From the campground we caught the bus to the Metro station at College Park, University of Maryland. From there it was a $5 return trip to the Archives Naval Memorial Penn Quarter station, which is just a short walk from the National Mall. 

We started off having a look around the outside of the Capitol Building, unfortunately they have already started building the staging for the next President’s inauguration ceremony on January 20th next year, right in front of where you’d want to take photographs, and if that wasn’t bad enough there are workmen’s huts, building material and fencing everywhere, so it was very difficult to find angles where a reasonable picture could be taken of the building. Given that the ceremony is still 3 months away and the timber they’re using has yet to endure the winter I don’t know why they didn’t just approach Bruce Springsteen’s roadies, who I’m sure would erect a stage in only a few days, complete with sound system, fancy lighting and smoke machines. 

After the Capitol building we walked a short distance to the Supreme Court www.supremecourtus.gov where we were fortunate enough to catch a lecture inside the courtroom itself. This was very interesting and we felt really pleased we had managed to see inside, that done the birthday girl and I went for lunch in the Court’s cafeteria. It was made to order, with a price tag to match. 

After lunch we made for the National Museum of the American Indian www.AmericanIndian.si.edu another short walk away. To get there we passed the National Air & Space Museum which I also want to visit, but due to our late starting time today we wouldn’t have time to do it justice. On our arrival we tagged on to the 15:00 guided tour which was both interesting and informative. It gives visitors a little taster of many of the exhibition areas after which they are free to revisit those areas which interest them the most. We didn’t stay too long afterwards before making our way up the Mall towards the Washington Monument which was our marker for finding the metro station to start our journey back. 

Our evening meal was accompanied by a nice bottle of red wine. 

LOCATION TONIGHT: Cherry Hill Park, 9800 Cherry Hill Road, College Park, MD 20740.

29. Apr, 2016