Well today was our first full day in Washington. We began by posting a few little something somethings home! Whilst at the post office though, it reaffirmed our opinion that America has the worst customer service going - and to think they then want a tip most of the time???
Anyway, we headed into town, bypassing the mall, monuments and museums. The older part of town and Dupont Circle is actually really really pretty. Beautiful buildings and happening streets. We did get a little dose of the museum vibe however when we visted the Spy Museum - very cool!
For dinner we ended up at an Italian restuarant/bar called Carmines. As it was busy we sat at the bar...and the bartender slash waiter was really chatty and entertainiing...finally some decent service (i actually gave him a proper tip at the end). The food was actually really good - too much again - but good. And to think between four of us we shared some garlic bread, lasagne and veal scallipone, and we were all full - thats how big the servings are. But again, the food was well above average - so far Washington is representing on the taste front!!!
After dinner we finally hit the monuments for a DC Lights tour. To be honest it was only ok - the highlight being the Abraham Lincoln Memorial, The Korean, and Vietnam War Memorials. The monuments are filled with such history, standing at the spot where Martin Luther King Jnr stated his "I have a Dream" speech, standing before the large seated Lincoln statue like so many others, or standing at the top of the reflection pool where Forrest Gump yelled into the microphone - "jen-ney"
The history fills the streets too - walking Pennsylvania avenue - you cant help but think back to all the Presidents that have made the walk or drive up this road on Inaugaration Day. Really is quite interesting!
The sense of history and rememberence is very strong here - Patriotism and Pride seem to fill the air. Our tour guide actually stated that the Capital Building is probably the most recognised building in the world - (SLIGHT EXAGGERATION ME THINKS) Apparently not though - as when we were driving in the night before, Laura thought that was the White House.
Still, I guess the American sense of achievement and power is what makes America "America". That being said Washington is quite a cool place!
ps - the highlight of the day was seeing an Obama look a like maniquin in the shopfront window - uncanny resemblance!
Sounds great / so you travelled that far to find Italian food as good ad ours. Love Dad
ReplyDelete