I received a phone call from Debbie, my little sis, asking me if I would join her on a little trip.
She was going to go with Ray, her husband, on one of his business trips and asked if I wanted to come along so she would have a buddy to see the sites with.
My answer. . .. . "YES, ARE YOU KIDDING?" I have always wanted to go there and with her I knew we would have a BLAST!!
I could not believe it. . there was the WASHINGTON MONUMENT . .
The first night we took a drive and saw the White House. .. SO EXCITING!!!
We got a bite at the famoust Resturant - The Occidental Grill and Seafood Restaurant, a Washington, DC historic dining landmark, re-opened in 2006 to celebrate its 100th anniversary. The restaurant is renowned for its fine food, service and a comprehensive photography collection of Washington’s famous 20th Century personalities and portraits of U.S. Presidents.
Then we checked into our hotel - Since 1930 Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. has played host to presidents, world leaders and inaugural balls, making it a true Washington landmark.
The Omni Shoreham Hotel in 1964 was to be at the epicenter of excitement. The Beatles were already a household name, but had not yet performed across the pond in the U.S. However, on February 11, 1964, the band was to have their first performance on American soil and they were going to be resting their heads at the hotel. They had rented out the full 7th floor during their stay.
Many Celebrities have performed and stayed at this hotel, there is a lot of history here.
The first day we took a stroll through the Plaza. A lot was happening this day because it was Veteran's Day and they had a spectacular event planned, which would be on television.
Here we are in the TUBE (subway). . .
The next day we decided to check out some of the Memorials.
This one was "Martin Luther King" Memorial . . A M A Z I N G . . . .
The Korean War Memorial was so humbling . .
You could feel a special spirit there.
This was the Korean War Memorial . . you could feel spirit there.
It was very awe-inspiring.
The walls had faces of thousands of soldiers that served during that time.
I have seen the Lincoln Memorial before in pictures, but there is no way to describe the feeling you get standing there by it . . . it was spectacular . . .
cannot even to begin to describe.
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The Washington Memorial was fabulous . . . so inspiring.
This picture was taken from the Lincoln Memorial.
The Vietnam Memorial was incredible . .
to see all of the names of the soldiers that gave their lives.
The Thomas Jefferson Memorial was something I will never forget.
One of my favorite Memorials was the "President Franklin Roosevelt" Memorial.
The bronze statues were very moving. . . and the quotes on the walls were truly inspiring.
Then while riding on the bus we saw the Navy Memorial. This is very dear to my heart because my husband was in the Navy and I have heard some wonderful stories from him. He served from 1968 - 1972.
Then we spent a couple of days looking and tour through the Smithsonian Museums.
There were so many we could not see them all.
This is Ford's theatre where President Lincoln was shot.
This is the home across the street where they took his body after he was shot.
After Lincoln was shot at the Ford's Theatre, doctors carried the President to the Petersen House, a three-story brick rowhouse across the street. He died there the following morning. The National Park Service acquired the Petersen House in 1933, and has maintained it as a historic house museum, recreating the scene at the time of Lincoln's death. The Petersen house is part of the Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site.
The Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum
maintains the world's largest and most significant collection of aviation and space artifacts, encompassing all aspects of human flight, as well as related works of art and archival materials. It operates two landmark facilities that, together, welcome more than eight million visitors a year, making it the most visited museum in the country. It also is home to the Center for Earth and Planetary Studies.
A living memorial to the Holocaust
the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum inspires citizens and leaders worldwide to confront hatred, prevent genocide, and promote human dignity. Located among our national monuments to freedom on the National Mall, the Museum provides a powerful lesson in the fragility of freedom, the myth of progress, and the need for vigilance in preserving democratic values.
The Smithsonian Castle
officially named the Smithsonian Institution Building, houses the administrative offices and the Information Center for the world class museums in Washington DC. This Victorian style, red sandstone building was built in 1855 and was originally the home of the first Secretary of the Smithsonian, Joseph Henry, and his family. The building is the oldest on the National Mall and served as the museum's first exhibit hall from 1858 until the 1960s.
We took a bus tour and it was very informative.
The bus drove through Embassy Row.
Considered Washington's premier residential address in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Massachusetts Avenue became known for its numerous mansions housing the city's social and political elites. The segment between Scott Circle and Sheridan Circle gained the nickname "Millionaires' Row".
The Great Depression caused many to sell their homes. The expansive old estates proved well-suited for use as embassies, and also as lodges of social clubs, giving Embassy Row its present name and identity.
Many of its notable buildings are listed in the DC Inventory of Historic Sites.
Union Station is a major train station, transportation hub, and leisure destination in Washington, D.C.. Opened in 1907, Union Station is one of the busiest rail facilities and shopping destinations in the country being visited by over 40 million people a year. It is both Amtrak's headquarters and its second busiest station with annual ridership of over 5 million. At the height of its traffic during World War II as many as 200,000 people passed through in a single day.
The State Capitol
We didn't have a chance to take the tour, we were running out of time. Too many things to see and do in Washington DC. We could have been able to fill up a second week easily, but not this time unfortunately.
Construction of the U.S. Capitol began in 1793. In November 1800, the U.S. Congress met in the first completed portion, the north wing. In the 1850s, major extensions to the North and South ends of the Capitol were authorized because of the great westward expansion of our nation and the resultant growth of Congress. Since that time, the U.S. Capitol and its stately dome have become international symbols of our representative democracy.
