The district

Everything seems to be on a different scale in DC--definitely larger--as if made for giants and we happened upon it.

We did not drive in the District but stayed in Falls Church west of the Capital and took the Orange Line Metro in every day. It's clean and mostly on-time and I never once felt un-safe but we did not ride at night. Hell, we were too tired to stay longer than eight hours. We dragged our sorry California asses home with the rest of the commuters.

Since we did some traveling at rush-hour I did find myself standing closer to my fellow Americans than I had ever done before. You could tell the tourists, we were saying, "Oh, excuse me," when we bumped into someone. Most of the commuters had what Dan called, "the thousand yard stare" and some how, they slept on the train. It was a "people-watchers" convention for the price of a ticket.


This is part of the Lincoln Memorial one of my must sees. Some where, in my archives, is a picture of me, sister, mom and dad here on the steps. I was in a stroller so I can't say I remember anything, I just remember the photo.

The view is great, you look over the reflection pool to the Washington monument. While we were at this end we saw the Viet Nam Wall and the Korean War Memorial. Both moving tributes to our lost soldiers. Between the pool and the Washington monument is the new WWII Memorial. It is huge and I have to be honest, not as impressive as others. It's just big, that's all.

With so many museums it was like paradise for me and I indulged myself for four days. The Smithsonian has so many and then there are the National Galleries. Not enough time.

Air and Space, that was on Dan's must-see list.
Hirshhorn, Modern Art
Freer, Asian Art
American Art and Portrait Galleries
National Archives
National Gallery
Native American Museum
Botanical Garden
National Sculpture Garden

There were things I'd like to have seen but ran out of time. What did I regret not seeing? The American History Museum was closed for renovation. Both Dan and I would have loved that one. We never got over to the Roosevelt Memorial either and they say that one is special. We did not spend time going through the Capital nor the White House. Didn't care must for the current occupants. Would have gone to the see the Supremes but they weren't in session.

Would I go back again? In a heartbeat, there is such an energy in that city, everyone moving with a purpose while the tourists just mosey around them. I liked that.