DC: What We Did

So our main goal after tree planting was to see a Smithsonian museum. We succeeded, hitting up the Museum of Natural History. Amanda had wanted to get us to the art museum, but we ran out of time (side note: I'm not sure which museum she had in mind, but it may not even have been open). While in the museum, we decided that we'd finish our trip with a walk down the mall to the Lincoln Memorial, then around to the FDR Memorial and the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, neither of which I'd ever seen.

After leaving the museum, and before reaching the Washington Monument, we felt the need to deal with our hunger. So we walked up 14th Street in search of a pizza place or something of that ilk. To our chagrin, it appears that all eateries in that area are closed before 5 PM on Saturdays. After walking over 8 blocks, we finally found a Subway that was open.

On our way back to the mall, we decided that we had to see the White House while so close. Like Amanda, I'd never been out and about in DC at night, and even more surprisingly had never seen the front of the White House (or maybe the back...either way, the side not on the back of a twenty-dollar bill). Absolutely beautiful.

We continued our trek toward the mall and walked past the construction site for the World War II Memorial. We proceeded along (and sometimes, in) the reflecting pool to the Lincoln Memorial, then did a 180 and went back toward the Thomas Jefferson Memorial and the FDR Memorial. The FDR Memorial may be my new favorite in DC, as there were some truly appropriate quotes on the walls.

"In these days of difficulty, we Americans everywhere must and shall choose the path of Social Justice... The path of faith, the path of hope, and the path of love toward our fellow man."

"We must scrupulously guard the civil rights and civil liberties of all citizens, whatever their background. We must remember that any oppression, any injustice, any hatred, is a wedge designed to attack our civilization."

Thanks to Amanda, Dan, and Michelle for a tremendous Saturday.

Later: Oh yeah. As promised, there are pictures.

November 10, 2002 - 04:18 PM