August 27, 2016

So, onward and forward! The moss doesn’t grow under our feet – lol! After two days in Philly we ventured south to Washington DC.  Well, not actually Washington, but Alexandria VA. About 8 miles south of DC.  Here we stayed for two nights in a Walmart parking lot. No one bothered us.  In fact no one cared one way or another that we were there.  And we were across the street from a bus stop, and a short ride to the subway.  So we visited DC by night the first day and then went back today to visit some of the iconic monuments.

Last night we walked through what is called the National Mall. It is not a mall at all, rather it is a park about 4 blocks wide and stretching about 16 blocks.  It is the epicenter of the nation’s capital!

 

On 17^th street we saw the Capital Building with the reflecting pool in front.

 

and on 1^st was the Washington Monument, and in between the park was lined with museums  and art galleries, all closed of course because of the hour, an most of them being Smithsonian. 

North of the Washington Monument is where the White House is.  We walked around its perimeter today.  An impressing building!! Didn't see the president though - 

To one side of the White House is the US Treasury

 

and to the other is the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.

Huge buildings!!

On the  walk through Potomac Park to the Lincoln Memorial  is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.  

It honors the men and women who served in the US Armed Forces in Vietnam.

Potomac Park

Potomac Park is a beautiful park that lines both sides of the Reflection Pool.  

Reflection Pool

At one end of the pool is The Washington Monument and at the other end is Lincoln Memorial.

The Lincoln Memorial

The Lincoln Memorial statue is 19 feet tall from head to foot. 













Last but not least, we visited 'The Castle" which is the visitor welcome center for the Smithsonian Institute. This world renowned museum and research complex consists of 19 museums and galleries and a zoo! This castle is home to the tomb of James Smithson, a British Scientist, who donated most of his wealth to the United States of America to found,  in his name in Washington, DC an establishment for the "increase and diffusion of knowledge".