So, on the second day we attempted to go up in the Washington Monument but of course (after waiting for 30 minutes in the cold wind) once we got inside the building (out of the freezing cold wind) the elevator broke. Then we walked over to the American History Museum where we saw really cool historical pieces like all the dresses of the first ladies at the inaugurations and Dorothy's ruby slippers. We also saw Abraham Lincoln's hat. Then we walked over to the Air and Space Museum where Jordan and I basically followed Evan and Garrett around where they drooled over planes and spaceships. We were feeling super tired and sore after walking for miles the day before and sleeping for only about 4 hours.
I felt kinda sick that day from the lack of sleep so we didn't do much that night besides go out to dinner at this delicious noodle place and then played a really fun pictionary-type-game back at the house. Before that, I went to visit Harmony at Green-peace, where she works, in this really cool old brick building. It was pretty awesome and very open inside, a very nice and spacious office that doesn't have any cubicles (thank god).
The next day we walked wayyyyyyyyy too much. We tried to walk to Arlington Cemetery from the Pentagon and one basically doesn't do that because it is very far as we found out. They also yell at you if you take a picture of a beautiful red and gold hillside that isn't anywhere near the Pentagon. There were microphones everywhere around the Pentagon and a very strange 911 memorial. So then we walked to one side of Arlington, where there was a gate but it was locked. Then we walked all the way around to the front entrance, which was a very long, but gorgeous walk. It was a beautiful sunny day yet again and the cemetery was amazing in all its fall glory. We saw the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which is a very strange almost dance-like ritual.
Then we met up with Harmony at the Natural History Museum and then out to dinner and drinks at this awesome Irish pub called Elephant Castle. The bathrooms are a little strange because one entire wall is a giant window that has been painted over so the first time I went in there I was just hoping that people outside were not watching me pee. Then we went ice skating in the National Mall and I succeeded in looking like a dumbass by falling on my face and hurting my shoulder while trying to skate in front of Jordan and Garrett. Then we went to this little bar called the Big Hunt (which reminded us a lot of Everetts on the Arcata Plaza). It had furry chandeliers and animal heads on the walls lol.
On our last day Jordan and Garrett went to the cool Newseum and Evan and I went to the lame Spy Museum that didnt let you take pictures. The Newseum is basically a museum about journalism and famous news events and looked really cool and I pretty much kicked myself for not going to that one. But then it was made much better when we went to Mt. Vernon!
Mt. Vernon is George Washington's 500 acre estate. Out the back porch are amazing views of the Potomac River and fall colored trees on the other side. You can buy a season pass for $25 and if I lived in Maryland, I would be there every weekend. It is a gorgeous place to just stroll about or have a picnic on the lawns. It was my favorite place that we saw on our DC trip by far. His house was amazing of course, very rich and ornate.
We went to Union Station for dinner and ate at the America Restaurant and took pictures next to the giant red stiletto. Then we stayed up extremely late walking through the Vietnam Memorial and then finally made to the Jefferson Monument, where a fat old mean park ranger told us "no I don't want to take your picture but thanks". Then we tiredly decided to splurge and take a cab home at 11 because the metro ends at 11 so that we didn't have to add 3-4 more miles to the good 8 we walked already that day. Then we got home, packed and slept for about 4 hours until we left at 5am to catch the metro to the airport!
GREAT SUCCESS!!!I CAN'T WAIT TO GO BACK THERE AGAIN SOMEDAY!!!!
