WASHINGTON, D.C.

Saturday, August 3, 2019. Day one.

Back on the road once again!

For the last few months (well, more than a few, actually) I’d felt tethered to the Southeast region due to some legal problems I’d encountered in Georgia. (You remember, the “Case of the Kinky Klepto”?!). I’d spent the last two months in St. Augustine, FL working and waiting to go to trial. Luckily, we never had to go to trail. Among other favorable evidence for the defense, video surveillance clearly showed it was not me and the arresting officer even admitted he’d arrested the wrong guy. So after that the prosecution didn’t have a leg to stand on. They asked for and received continuances twice, trying to regroup, before the judge finally dismissed the case.

Whew!! That was a close one! I won’t go on another rant, but for a little while there I was convinced I was dealing with a crooked county and was about to be falsely convicted of swiping dildos from a sex shop!! Can you imagine? I think I’d rather be accused of murder! Less embarrassing.

Anyway,

I had driven most of Friday afternoon and through the night to arrive in Fredericksburg, Virginia right at sunrise. Restless and fatigued, I pulled into a Waffle House for a cup of coffee and some breakfast. I was tired from driving all night but excited to be in a new place. As I stepped out of my car I immediately felt the difference in the humidity! It felt great outside!! Almost cool! I was revived in an instant. After breakfast I drove to a rest stop about 15 miles south of D.C. for a nap but couldn’t sleep. I was way too amped up!! I was traveling again!

So rather than nap at the rest stop, I brushed my teeth, and freshened up, and drove straight to Arlington National Cemetery. I knew it was an important place to visit but didn’t expect it to have such an immediate and profound affect on me. The cemetery is huge, over 600 acres, and when you see all of the rows of headstones lined up, side by side, as far as the eye can see you begin to get an idea of the human toll that wars have waged.

The tomb of the Unknown Soldier was a solemn experience. I watched, along with the crowd, in respectful silence, the Changing of the guard.

There are several notable people interred at Arlington National Cemetery, including two presidents, but what got to me the most was Robert Kennedy’s grave. He’s buried all by himself at the bottom of a small mound. No wife. No children. No one else around him. Alone. And for a brief moment I couldn’t help but think of my own mortality and would I be alone like this, almost forgotten, when I’m dead and gone?

No since dwelling on that now. Moving on….

I left my car parked in the garage at Arlington Cemetery and walked across Memorial bridge to the National Mall. First stop, the Lincoln Memorial! Another sight I’ve always wanted to see in person. And it definitely did not disappoint. It was something to behold!

Next I ventured to the Washington Monument. The 555 foot tall granite obelisk that dominates the skyline at the park.

From there I got as close as I could to the White House….

And finally I went to the Vietnam War Memorial. To see all those names on the wall, it’s almost hard fathom that all those Americans died in that war. Roughly 58,000.

By the time I’d finished my walk around the mall it was about 4 pm and I was hungry and tired. I realized I hadn’t slept in almost 24 hours!! I booked a room for the night at an Extended Stay in Sterling, just outside of D.C. I picked up a pizza on the way, made it to my room, showered, then crashed out!

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Sunday, August 4, 2019. Day two.

This would be a lazy, uneventful day. I checked out of my room at 11, washed clothes at a laundromat near Dulles, grocery shopped, walked around a mall, then caught a movie. The new Tarantino flick “Once Upon at Time in Hollywood”. And that’s about it.

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Monday, August 5, 2019. Day three.

Originally I had not planned to stay in D.C. for three days. But I really wanted to hit the Smithsonian museums and knew I wouldn’t have the energy if I had went the day before. So, now, well rested I drove back to Arlington.

This time I parked downtown in the garage at Union Station on the corner on North Capital and H. And walked. And walked. And walked.

I didn’t have a map with me (mistake) but I knew the general direction I needed to go. I must have walked four miles before I finally made it to the museums.

But along the way I got to see the Capital – VERY IMPRESSIVE!

….the Supreme Court….

….the Library of Congress….

….And several other huge government buildings!! I even had my picture taken with Smokey the Bear!

The first museum I came to was the Museum of the American Indian. All museums are important, but certain ones really need to be seen. Native Americans were here well before we were, we should learn something of their culture. I highly recommend this museum!

Next, I walked through the Botanical Garden and Sculpture Museum. Didn’t really get too into those.

Then I visited the Air and Space Museum.

After that, the Museum of Natural History! Absolutely amazing!! Everything you’d imagine a museum should be! I really enjoyed that one!

After spending roughly three hours at the natural history museum my legs were starting to get tired and I was hungry once again (but I wasn’t about to spend $15 on a sandwich!) so I made up my mind to see one last museum.

The National Holocaust Museum was the most moving experience I’ve had on my travels. Everyone should see this exhibition. It’s powerful. It will affect you. Schools can’t teach you about some of the atrocities that were committed during the Nazi rule. It was just too graphic. A horrible, despicable, evil that was unleashed on the world. Unbelievable that could happen.

All in all Washington D.C. was everything I expected it would be. I’ve wanted to visit there my whole life and finally got around to it. I enjoyed it. It was a great primer for the next leg of my journey – American history!

Next stop, Gettysburg, PA!!