Washington, D. C.

After New York, our next destination was the Washington, D. C., area to visit Uncle Dan and family, and Uncle Don. We stayed with Uncle Dan's family outside of D. C. on the Virginia side. We felt very welcome, and we had a great time with them. It was nice to spend all of Sunday with them, and to have the opportunity to go to their church for morning and evening worship. We had blocked out Monday for sightseeing around the National Mall. We got a fairly early start and headed into the city on the Metro. After picking up tickets for the Washington Monument, we walked around the Capitol. We couldn't go in, because you can only go in on tours, and the tours for the day were already filled up. Walking around the outside was fun anyway.

There's a directory with phone numbers for all kinds of people at the Capitol just standing next to the sidewalk.

From senators...

...to the Capitol plumber.

They were doing work on the windows of the Capitol. Looks like an interesting job.

Here's Christina in front of the House of Representatives side of the building.

The Supreme Court Building

Union Station, where we had lunch. All the nice restaurants are in the pretty part; then there's all the fast food places in the basement part. We ate in the basement.

We visited the Museum of Natural History (no pics of that), and then split up to see two more museums. Mom and Dad went to the Air and Space Museum, and Christina and I went to the National Art Gallery.

The Art Gallery has covered courtyards surrounded by the actual rooms where all the artwork is. This is one of them.

This is the main hall at the center of the building.

After that we walked from the Washington Monument down the side of the reflecting pool to the Lincoln Memorial. On our way we passed the new World War II Memorial.

The Lincoln Memorial

Looking back from Lincoln Memorial towards the Washington Monument.

We ended by going up inside the Washington Monument.

This statue was next to the elevator to go up to the top. While we were waiting for the elevator, we also noticed that the floor was covered in beautiful mosaics.

At the top you can look out in all directions at the D. C. area.

Looking towards the White House.

Down the Mall towards the Capitol.

Towards the Jefferson Memorial.

Christina and I agreed that in order not to look like tourists, one must show no excitement about being on the Mall. So here's me trying to look the part.

We left the Mall and met my Uncle Don not far away for dinner at a nice place called Old Ebbits Grill for dinner. It was a good end to a long day in downtown D. C.

We left D. C. on Tuesday for another good but brief visit, this time with Uncle Dale and family in Pennsylvania. Then Wednesday we drove back to Newark and flew back home.