Summer in Washington, DC is sweltering. We managed to survive the humidity (Ted and I do not do well in extreme temperatures) and took in some iconic American sights over a period of just under 48 hours.
While walking is a good way to see the city, the metro isn't a bad option, either. I've noticed in various cities I've traveled to that have subway systems, is that one can often find interesting stations that are tailored to the neighbourhood/stop.
We started our Washington weekend at the National Museum of American History -- home of Dorothy's ruby slippers and various historical and pop culture American items. Best overheard exchange:
Woman (pointing at exhibit): "I had this exact dollhouse as a child!"
Son: "And now it's in a museum...."
We strolled along the National Mall (with many breaks in the shade) and admired the Washington Monument and Reflecting pool (Anyone else think of Jenny from Forrest Gump splashing through it?).
We took a quiet moment to take in the World War II Memorial...
...And the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial before continuing to...
... the grand (and very crowded) Lincoln Memorial.
The exploration of the city continued and we came across the Albert Einstein Memorial! Ted, as a scientist, was particularly pleased.
Later in the early evening, we wandered over to see The White House. While we obviously couldn't get anywhere near the actual structure, it was still neat to see, if a bit underwhelming. I'm not sure what I was expecting, actually.
And, of course, we had to pop by the J. Edgar Hoover building to say hello to Mulder and Scully
The next day, we stopped by the Canadian Embassy just because we couldn't help ourselves!
Our weekend in Washington was capped off with a visit to the
City bonus: these amazing sights in Washington, including the various Smithsonian museums, are free! There's some talk that this may change soon -- so, have a visit sooner rather than later if there's ever an opportunity!
