Washington DC

I went down to DC on Monday to have a little look around. It was only a 4 hr bus journey, so I was there in time to go out in the afternoon. There are obviously all the sights that you always see on TV and films, such as the White House and the Capitol building. There are also hundreds (well that might be a slight exaggeration), of world class museums. The Smithonian museums are all free, bonus! It was v. hot, so to wander around inside all day was just perfect. I started with the Natural History museum. Really surprisingly good. An incredible jewellery collection, including the Hope diamond amongst other things! Then a walk up to the Capitol. Unfortunately there had been a concert for Memorial Day, so it was all shut off. Then down Pennsylvania Avenue and other names I've only ever read about!

The following day I headed out to the National Gallery, which is enormous, and took several hours. It did house all the prints of the Impressionist pictures I had on my wall when I was younger, strange to see them in the flesh. Then the Freer gallery, the Sculpture gallery and the Hirshorn museum.

I must have walked miles that day. Over to the Washington Monument, FDR monument, Supreme Court, Library of Congress, Jefferson Memorial, the Lincoln, Vietnam, Korean and Marine Corps (Iwo Jima) Memorials. The reflecting pool is just as it looks in Forrest Gump. The White House is as white as the rest of the buildings around. Washington is a nice place, but just doesn't have the atmosphere of New York. Which is where my last few days are ot be spent. Next week I'll be back.....