Washington D.C. - Part 3 (Final)

Mount Vernon

I have always wanted to go to Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington. We missed it 6 years ago but not this time. Off we went to Mount Vernon on a rainy Saturday morning. Great! The rain came down hard and didn't stop till 2 p.m. or 3 p.m.


In spite of the rain, there were plenty of visitors. We began our tour at the Visitor's Center and watched a 15 minute film about Mount Vernon and George Washington. We learned that he inherited Mount Vernon from his brother in 1761, and the house was not the large mansion that we see today. Additions to the house came slowly with the large dining room being added last around the end of the Revolutionary War.

Another attraction in Mount Vernon is the final resting place of George Washington and his wife, Martha. A tomb was built for him underneath the Rotunda in the Capitol Building, but his will stipulated that he was to be buried at his beloved Mount Vernon. The empty tomb in the Capitol now houses a bier used to support the casket/coffin of those who lain in state in the Rotunda.

First glimpse of Mount Vernon as we walked towards the mansion

Piazza - Mount Vernon

View of the Potomac River from Mount Vernon's piazza

The final resting place of George Washington (right) and Martha Washington (left)

Lunch at Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant


The rain hasn't stopped and we were getting hungry. We took a chance and waited in-line for a table at the Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant. Everyone had the same idea. Fortunately, it was not a long wait.

Virginian classic - peanut soup

Roasted chicken with steamed vegetables and mash

I don't remember the name of this dish that Adrian ate...argh!

After lunch, the rain turned to light drizzle and on our way to Alexandria, it cleared up. Perfect! We stopped in this little quaint town and walked along King Street, upon recommendation from my co-worker.

Old Town, Alexandria

Plenty of restaurants and antique shops

This area reminded me of Philadelphia - cobbled stone sidewalks & shops

On that note, we came to an end of our wonderful weekend in Washington & Virginia. Time to go home!

Washington D.C. - Part 2


White House

North Lawn Day/Night - use of a tripod is not allowed near the White House

For security reasons, we were also not allowed to hang out near the South Lawn :( Maybe, they were hiding eggs for the Annual Easter Egg Roll.

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The National Mall

Washington Monument - Day/Night

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Arlington National Cemetery


Interesting facts:

• over 300,000 people are buried here
• nearly 100 services are conducted per week
• almost 4 million people visit the Cemetery annually
  

Surprisingly, the cherry blossom trees at Arlington Cemetery were still in bloom. Beautiful!

Our first stop was the grave site of President Kennedy

And, the former first lady

Following JFK's internment, there was a surge of request for burials here but not everyone is eligible. A guide was established to determine eligibility.

Lowering of the flag at the end of the day

The Tomb of the Unknowns

Changing of Guards at the Tomb of the Unknowns - Sentinels guard the Tomb 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and under all weather conditions!

I took this for my Dad who's a big fan of Audie Murphy

For the astronauts who gave up their lives in the name of science & space exploration...

Challenger - 1986

Columbia - 2003

Not quite Pentagon but nearby...

View of the Pentagon from Arlington National Cemetery

We were told that Capt. Frank Burlingame III, the pilot of Flight 77 that hit Pentagon on 9/11 is buried in Arlington.

Washington D.C. - Part 1



After a six year hiatus, we decided it was time to visit Washington D.C. again. The Capitol Building was under renovation for many years and reopened last year. We started our journey there on Good Friday. It was a good drive on the I-95 South and made it to Washington by 10.45 a.m. Thanked our lucky stars as we found a 3 hour parking spot right outside the Capitol Building. We had tickets for the tour at 1.00 p.m. but decided to go in earlier. We were admitted to the 12.10 p.m. session. Yes!!! A great start to a great weekend.

Before the tour, we took a stroll around the Capitol Building and visited the U.S. Botanical Garden.

Car with "special" messages on the holiest and most solemn day of the Christian calendar

Reflecting Pool

A breath-taking view of the Mall outside the steps of the Capitol Building

Spring colors inside the Botanical Garden

Beautiful orange tulips outside the Botanical Garden

Rotunda @ Capitol Building

The Apotheosis of Washington - Fresco on the dome painted by Constantino Brumidi

The frieze around the base of the dome contains pictorial history of the U.S.

Visitors admiring the numerous paintings in the Rotunda

After visiting the Rotunda, I came to understand why this special hall is such a befitting place for the public to come and say their final farewell to eminent citizens and government officials. There's an unutterable feeling of awe and grandeur when you step inside the Rotunda.


The Library of Congress

The Library is connected to the Capitol Building by an underground passage, but one can also choose to access it the "normal" way i.e. from above ground :) However, the underground sounds much more fun and conjures up images from National Treasure: Book of Secrets.

Formidable arches and frescoes adorned the Library of Congress. Unfortunately, no photographs in the main research area.


Cherry Blossom Festival

Unfortunately, the Cherry Blossom Festival was a bit of a disappointment. Warm weather has rendered the sakura trees almost bare around the Basin.

Making the most of the blooms near Jefferson's Memorial

View of the Basin and the Mall

Memorials

Jefferson Memorial

Lincoln Memorial

Reflecting Pool & the Mall from the Lincoln Memorial - a Forest Gump meets Jenny moment during the Peace Rally :)

Korean War Memorial

Vietnam War Memorial

It is not uncommon to find tokens, flowers, letters, and books left at this Memorial

Spotlight on the economy...

The Treasury

Federal Reserve Board My boss' second home.

Happy Birthday!


Alex turned 4 on April 1st. We celebrated his special day at the Wiggles and Giggles Funplex at East Hanover, NJ. It was an afternoon of fun for the tiny tots, and for the adults too, who were bemused and amused by their antics :)

Alex and his dad, Allan

Going up & down, through the tunnel, etc.

Super-cute gal, Alexis who just turned 1

Alex going down the slide face first. "Shouldn't it be the other way round?" thought Alexis.

Here comes the cake. Yeah!!!

I have cake on my face and drool on my chin. Boy, this cake is DELICIOUS!