Friday, September 23, 2011

US Holiday - Day 13 - Washington DC - Day 3

Day 13 - Wednesday 21st September

The plan for today is to get on one of the many different tour buses that travel around DC and to see the sights. I chose the same group that we used up in Boston. They do a number of different loops around DC to cover off the vast area and I was happy with experience and flexibility.

I made the 10 block walk up to the starting point of the tours, purchased a ticket and was lucky to get on a bus straight away. From there we headed away from the main part of DC in a north western direction. This took us up into a hilly and leafy area where there are a lot of nice houses and where most of the consulates and embassies are located. We passed the Australian Embassy heading up to the National Cathedral. Unfortunately it was closed due to earthquake damage so the trolley did a loop around it before heading down into Georgetown.

Georgetown is a nice area of DC with lots of old brick houses in their original condition. I got off the bus and spent the next hour walking around the local streets taking photos before reboarding the bus and making our way back into DC before getting off. The bus stop is right across from the Ford Theatre where Abraham Lincoln was shot.

I then joined another bus which went on a different loop that takes in the main sights of DC including the Mall, Capital Building, Smithsonians etc. I stayed on the bus until the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. This is a beautiful building with views back towards the Whitehouse across the Tidal Basin of the Potomac River. After being there for a while I then walked all the way back past the Smithsonian museums back up to the Supreme Court building which is behind the Capital Building. I had only wished the sun was out as the exterior of the building is marble. From there I walked onto the Union Station building and took some photos before reboarding the bus and continuing the loop.

It was after 4pm by the time we got down to the Lincoln Memorial. I thought of getting off to make the connection for the Arlington National Cemetry but wasn't sure if there was enough time to head over there and see what I wanted to see. Maybe leave that for tomorrow. So continued back into DC and got off before walking back to the hotel.

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