A "Capitol" Fourth (Part 1)

We just finished up five days in Washington D.C. and I must say that even after all that time there, there were still some things we didn't get to see! The city is so full of history and I was amazed at how many memorials, monuments, and museums, were packed into the area! We covered a lot of ground and because of that, I will be splitting this blog into two parts (days 1-3 in this blog and 4-6 on the next one). I've got a ton to write about so here we go!

Day 1:

On our way to D.C., we visited the extension of the Air and Space Museum at Dulles Airport in Virginia. Dad said this is where they housed all the "big stuff" and he wasn't lying! Just take a look for yourself...





Yeah, a whole space shuttle and the plane that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima! Crazy stuff! There were also helicopters, gliders, and smaller aircraft scattered throughout the hangar (yes, all this stuff was housed in a huge hangar!)- probably hundreds of flying contraptions all together! It was pretty remarkable!

Later, we checked into our hotel in Alexandria (which is just on the outskirts of D.C.) and took a ghost tour of the town that night. Our guide was fantastic and told us some creepy tales (like the one about "the female stranger"- look it up, it's quite spooky!) We immensely enjoyed ourselves!

Day 2:

In the morning, we took a tour of the United States Capitol.


My parents in front of the Capitol.


The building was incredible and the rotunda was especially stunning! The painting on the ceiling is called "The Apotheosis of Washington" and depicts our first president ascending into heaven.


The new underground visitor center held a replica of the statue of Freedom, which adorns the top of the Capitol.

We also got to view the House gallery but unfortunately, no pictures were allowed inside (there are quite a few locations in D.C. that have the same policy).


Afterwards, we heard a lecture inside the beautiful Supreme Court building. We also found this amazing staircase which is held in place by only one pin (the rest of the steps are secured by pressure)!


Later, we explored the Library of Congress. I must say that this was one of my favorite aspects of D.C. The inside was spectacular and was filled with statues, tile mosaics, and tons of marble! Awesome!


Here's my siblings and I on one of the library's beautiful balconies!

We then walked to the National Archives to view the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution. One again, no pictures were allowed but it was neat to see what are probably the most important documents in our nation's history!

Day 3:

We started our day by taking a tour of George Washington's home, Mount Vernon.


The house was very nice inside and it was neat to see how our first president lived!


We also saw where Washington and his wife were buried. During his time, there were plans to bury him underneath the Capitol building but I'm glad they decided to bury him at his home!


Later that day, we saw a drama production at Ford's Theater, where Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. The play was really well done and gave a great overview of the events leading up to Lincoln's death. I must say, it was pretty strange to be in the same room where one of our country's great leaders was killed!

Well, that's an overview of our first three days in D.C.! I hope you enjoyed it and I'll post the overview of the next three days soon! :)


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Alexandria, VA; Washington D.C.