DC: The Capitol and going home

It was getting on in time and soon I would be catching a coach back to New York.  I took one last look behind me to remind myself just how far I had travelled that day.

Washington Monument from the Capitol

There was a big event happening at the Capitol that day so I was disappointed at first to not be able to get a photo of the buildings without a big, white marquee in the way!  But I was son lucky enough to get a clear shot.

United States Capitol

I began to walk up Pennsylvania Avenue North West just as the sun began to set.  Washington, DC really is a beautiful city and I would love to visit again one day.

Penn Ave

I walked past the Newseum which is quite a new attraction and somewhere I will definitely visit on my next visit to DC.

Newseum Michael Jackson Newseum

The Newseum is a news museum and I was there at a very historic time as it was the day after Michael Jackson died.

Archives of the USA United States Navy Memorial

I walked past the US National Archives and the United States Navy Memorial.

J Edgar Hoover FBI BuildingJ Edgar Hoover FBI Building 

I was quite excited to stumble upon the The J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building too and you’ll be pleased to know that your intrepid South African / English expat wasn’t arrested for spying as she happily snapped away at the building. 

Old Post OfficeThe Old Post Office Pavilion was as picturesque as I’d always imagined.

Petersen House where Abraham Lincoln died (2)

House where Abraham Lincoln diedPetersen House where Abraham Lincoln died 

I took five minutes to look at Petersen House where Abraham Lincoln was taken after he was shot.  He died there after being shot at the Ford’s Theatre which was located across the street.

My last stop before boarding the coach was the souvenir store where I bought a nice, thick FBI jersey for the ride home.  The air conditioning was so high on the coach that I had frozen on the way in that morning!!

The ride home seemed to go a lot quicker than the one in but my iPod ran out of battery about 90 minutes from New York.  Tragedy!!  I then got speaking to two lovely people from Ohio and that passed the time.  The man amused me as he had once dated an Afrikaans girl in Ohio and he repeated some things that really, really made me blush.  The Afrikaans culture is generally more conservative than English culture in South Africa but what he repeated to me was absolutely outrageous!  Seriously, I could repeat it here in the knowledge that none of you would know what I mean but it is that bad that I won’t!

Baltimore

We passed Baltimore on the way back which was exciting for me because my favourite TV show ever was based there: Homicide: Life on the Street.

Later on once the sun had set, we passed over a massive water way.  It was either the Memorial Bridge at Delaware or maybe even the Susquehanna Bridge.  Probably the former?  I don’t know.  All I remember is that the bridge seemed to go on forever over the water and I had never seen a river that wide in my life before.  It was dark and eerie too and just fascinating.  Reason #264 to go back to DC next time I visit New York!!!  Actually, judging from this video, I think it was the Susquehanna River that I was crossing.  It was amazing.

I got home that night at about midnight I think.  Having left at some ungodly predawn time that morning, I have to say that I have never been that tired before and I don’t think I’ll ever be that tired again.  After dutifully putting my beloved iPod on to charge, I collapsed into bed and slept through my second last night in America.

6 comments on "DC: The Capitol and going home"
  1. Try as one might, it's so hard to see everything, isn't it?

    It sounds like you had a wonderful trip, Emm. And your chat with the fellow from Ohio sounds so interesting! ;-)

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  2. Put the Newseum on your list for next time for sure. I haven't seen it in its new location but when it was in Arlington I spent a very interesting couple of hours there.

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  3. I never seem to do as well when touring new cities. I really ought to spend more time researching so I can see places like the Newseum next time I go to DC!

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  4. Hi Emm! Fast but quite interesting ride!! Wonderful pictures. And the shopping centre inside the Old Post Office building is also nice; as the view from its tower...

    There is a weird bridge waiting for you at Blogtrotter. Enjoy and have a great weekend!!

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  5. Walking in a new city before the sunset, it seems to be a very special experience I have never had. Your American trip is so awesome! And your post with photos are so attractive to me! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

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  6. @ JaPRA: There's never enough time, is there??

    @ Kathy: Aaah, okay then. I'll definitely go back there.

    @ Claire: Ha! It s something I learned to do back in Johannesburg. 2006 was my year of learning to be a tourist in my hometown and I made good use of the first ever Jo'burg edition of TimeOut!

    @ GMG: Oh! I must go inside next time then!

    @ Chen Yin Tzu: Alas! My posts about my American trip are drawing to a close!

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