Good morning! I'm taking a few minutes to catch up on yesterday's post before heading to Ocean City. We woke up early and got downtown before anything was opened. We decided to walk around and view the monuments because of the timing and because it was already getting hot. More than once the air has reminded me of Hawai'i, only not quite as clean. It's way sweeter than Sacramento that's for sure! There are sweet flowering plant smells and the smell of the ocean and moisture all through the mall. Above is the Smithsonian Castle - their visitor center.
Here we are approaching the Washington Monument. We didn't go to the top, but we saw how massive and impressive it is.
You can barely see the tiny people lined up under the flags.
As we headed from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial, we could look north towards the White House...
and south towards the Jefferson Memorial. We didn't walk to either of these. There is just so much, and I know we missed a lot. This town deserves a week.
As we walked towards the Lincoln Memorial, we found the WWII Memorial just before the Reflecting Pool. I didn't know this was here, and in fact, it was just completed in 2004. Even though it is new, it's just as massive and moving as the older monuments.
This large plaque welcomes visitors. There is the large fountain and around it are large pillars dedicated to each state, territory and ally that sacrificed in the war effort.
This plaque is dedicated to the women who served. Seems to me it includes those women who served at home while the men were gone to war, as well as the women who served in the military. Everyone sacrificed.
At the north and south of the circle of pillars were large structures dedicated to the war in the Pacific and in the Atlantic. If you visit DC and plan to see the monuments, bring some tissues. I only had one and it wasn't enough. There is something about the weighty solemnity and the remembrance of sacrifice and suffering that is very moving. I think it is very fitting that these monuments are made of stone, as most folklore holds that stone remembers. Even the many school children were less rambunctious than usual at this memorial and the Lincoln Memorial.
This view of the Reflecting Pool and the Washington Monument is from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
We made it up the steps! It was already hot and humid.
This is the highlight of the memorial, but there is more too. The Gettysburg Address and Lincoln's second inauguration speech are engraved in giant letters on the other walls. There are also some lovely murals. Below there are displays about the building of the Memorial, the Civil Rights Movement, and more of Lincoln's own words engraved in marble.
After the Lincoln Memorial, we walked to the National Museum of American History. We didn't see everything inside this museum. We did come upon some surprises...
Carol Burnett's dress from when they did their send-up of Gone With the Wind...
and the original ruby slippers. Some of the indoor photos are a little fuzzy because the museums are kept dim to preserve documents and textiles and I had to use a long exposure and it was hard to keep still enough.
Another surprise was a display about Julia Child and her contribution to American cuisine and popular culture. They had a whole mock-up of her home kitchen. It was fascinating. It looked more like a garage workshop than the kind of kitchens we're used to seeing. Entire walls were covered with peg board and the tools of the trade. She also had three pantries in addition to her kitchen - a food pantry, a baking pantry and the "butler's pantry" which held the serving dishes. Wow! Alas, none of the kitchen photos came out well enough to show you here.
There is a whole section dedicated to first ladies. It was so interesting to see everyday items used by first ladies, like Abigail Adam's evening slippers, and Martha Washington's dressing mirror. Again, the very old items are kept very dim, so no photos. I did get this picture of Michelle Obama's inauguration dress. They had special gowns from many of the first ladies. I wonder if Mrs. Obama is one of the tallest because her dress sure made it seem that way. The dress they showed from Nancy Reagan was from the Reagan's official portrait and it was so tiny. I bet it would fit Grandma Betty!
When you are on the mall and in the museums, the only food is from the museum cafes or carts outside. It was fun eating at the gigantic McDonald's inside the Air and Space Museum, but we had more luck with food in the American History Museum. We shared pulled pork and pulled chicken sandwiches, potato salad and mac and cheese. It was all good, but I have come to the conclusion that I don't really like Carolina BBQ - too vinegary. The chicken had a sauce more like what I'm used to - sweet and tangy with a little spice.
Next - The National Museum of Natural History.
This should give you some idea how big this rotunda is.
I think it was really good for us that we went to see the monuments and history first and then came here. The monuments and History Museum often marked some of the difficult times in our history and often followed the history of wars and conflict. Remembrance is extremely important, but it was also very sad. Maybe I'm more sensitive than the average person. It was a balm to visit the Natural History Museum and see all the beauty and variety of the natural world. Our beautiful world is so generous to us. Look at this rainbow of minerals in their natural state. I loved seeing the gems and minerals. This museum has historic gem stones that must add up to many billions of dollars. It's so cool to see the fabulous jewels in royal portraits and then see them in real life. They even have the Hope Diamond, which is probably their most famous piece, but I don't think it was the most beautiful.
Look at the beautiful organic and sculptural shapes of natural copper.
Here's a collection of California gold nuggets.
I got to go inside their Butterfly Pavilion. Wow! This little room was full of flying jewels.
Dwayne loves elephants!
Next, we walked through the sculpture garden.
This is a take-off on Rodin's Thinker.
The center piece of the sculpture garden.
On our way to the Library of Congress, we came across the National Botanical Garden. Of course, I had to go in!
They had a special display on the history of potatoes and how they traveled around the world and have become an important food source on most continents. I couldn't resist taking a picture of this potato deity.
This guy posed patiently while I messed around with my camera, then took off as soon as the picture was over. I couldn't leave him out after all that.
The beginning of chocolate!
The Capitol Building. We also found out that they don't call it Capitol Hill for nothing.
The muses are on the arches that lead into the Library of Congress.
These are two of the big bronze doors that go into the Library of Congress. I think there are four. We used to sell bronze bookends that were reproductions of these in my store.
Just wow. I think I could spend a few days just here. Almost every inch is covered with decoration and with powerful messages and tributes to the giants of literature.
The main reading room.
After the Library, we were tired and hailed a cab to take us back by our car. We stopped and had a meal at The Green Turtle, which is a sports bar chain. Not too special, but good and it was a relief to sit and relax. We shared sweet potato fries.
I had an apple and walnut salad...
and Dwayne had a turkey sandwich with their house made kettle chip.
After two full days on our feet, the perfect end to this day was a pedicure at the local mall. I tried to talk Dwayne into having one, for the foot massage if nothing else, but he declined.
Today (day14) we will finally reach our goal - the terminus of US 50 at Ocean City. I'm glad we will arrive during the week, as I expect it will be crazy over the holiday weekend. This will be the first time I will lay my eyes on the Atlantic!
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