Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Washington, DC - Wednesday July 7

Our last full day before leaving!

Today we had planned on visiting the National American History Museum. This is where the giant Star-Spangled Banner Flag from 1812 is on display. This was the flag that inspired the song The Star-Spangled Banner, the US National Anthem. The flag is kept in a controlled environment and no photography is allowed. I had no idea it was so huge, it measures 30 feet by 42 feet (9.1 m × 12.8 m).

At this museum there was TONS of stuff, so many rooms with so many different things! You have popular culture like the original Kermit the Frog doll, the original ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz, to anything and everything you can possible imagine. We got a wheel chair at this place too, since we knew we would spend many hours there. My leg was not exactly cooperating, so you just gotta do what you gotta do, right?

One of the exhibits was about the different Presidents this country has had. I had no idea President Lincoln was actually a really handsome man in his younger years! I found a different exhibit about the First Ladies very interesting. Most of the inaugural gowns they had all worn was on display, as well as many other clothing and other items. Lots of fun!

Here is Michelle Obama's gown from the most recent Presidential inauguration

After the National American History Museum we walked over to the nearby National Aquarium. This is one of the few places that actually charge you to get ion, but it was hot and an aquarium actually sounded like a great idea.

Skip this place. It is houses in a basement, it is tiny and all you feel is sorry for the poor creatures crammed in there... It made us all kind of depressed!

After a long day at the museum Ken still wanted to see the Jefferson Memorial, which was the only major memorial we had not seen so far. There was no way I could walk all the way over to it, so I parked myself with an ice cold drink and some chilly watermelon chunks at the Old Post Office Pavilion and enjoyed some people watching while Sarah and Ken walked over there. It took them almost 1½ to get there and come back, in 103F/41C heat! They were kind of baked when they got back, to say the least...

Sarah in front of the Jefferson Memorial

They met a friendly Park Ranger at the Memorial that gave them a little tour

We were hot and very tired and all we had energy for that evening was to enjoy a nice dinner with some yummy take out from one of the local restaurants.

The next day we left DC with a feeling of satisfaction. We all got to see what we wanted, we had plenty of time to really get to know the city and what it has to offer. We only visited a handful of the many museums and other cool places, we tried to pick out the once we most likely would enjoy. But there is so much more! All in all, we had a great vacation (and my leg got back to normal as soon as we got home, of course. It just didn't like all that walking...).

Friday, July 2
Saturday, July 3
Sunday, July 4
Monday, July 5
Tuesday, July 6
Wednesday, July 7

4 comments:

Desiree said...

Vad kul att få läsa om eran Washington vistelse. Nu har jag kollat igenom och läst alla dina inlägg från de olika dagarna. Fantastisk vistelse och ni hann verkligen med massor! Det verkade ju super att hyra en lägenhet så som ni gjorde istället för att bo på vanligt hotel. Men shit vilken hetta ni fick uppleva och ändå så promenerade ni massvis. Aj jag tycker synd om dig som fick så ont i ditt ben men ändå var tvungen att gå hem efter fyrvekerierna. Stackare det måste varit jätte kämpigt. Däremot så var ju fyrverkerierna och dina bilder från just fyrverkerierna helt fantastiska! Wow, jag har inte sett sådana coola bilder. Vad maffigt och häftigt att få se detta och stå där och fira independece day just där. Hur coolt som helst.
National American History Museum lägger jag till min lista för Washington som jag vill besöka. The Star Spangled Banner måste man ju bara se.
En underbar reseberättelse i både text och bilder. Tack!
Kram!

Anne said...

Du milde vilken hetta, jag är helt otroligt OTROLIGT imponerad över att ni orkade och mäktade med allting ni gjorde trots hettan och fukten. Ni hann ju med supermycket under era dagar. Massor av det ni gjort är saker jag själv skulle vilja göra den dagen det bär av till DC. Tack för att du tog dig tid och ork att lägga upp så många bilder och text från er resa.
Kram!

S w e F l o said...

Det finns verkligen en del att se där! Jag filmade fyrvekerierna, men i mörkret märkte jag inte att kameran var helt upp och ner, så det blev inte så lyckat, ha ha! Det är verkligen supersvårt att fota fyrverkerier!

Lotte Jensen said...

Vilken fin reseberättelse. Det är alltid kul att resa "vanliga människors" semesterupplevelser och resetips!
Blev lite avundsjuk att ni varit på så intressanta ställen.