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DAY 19: WALKING WASHINGTON
We woke to clear blue skies today, so we slipped on the thermals and walking boots and hit the sights of DC.
Thermals were a pre-requisite cause it was freezing! However when rugged up (and after your face went numb), it proved pleasant enough for a big walk around the city.
We started off the trek by passing Ford's Theatre, the sight of Lincoln's assignation, just a couple of blocks from our hotel.
A few blocks further on we found ourselves in front of the White House. Not surprisingly, there are a few more barricades around the joint now from when I was last here twenty years ago. Times have changed I guess.
From there we headed down to the (frozen) Reflecting Pool that leads up to what Josh referred to as Megatron's Chair - or for those more familiar with American history than Transformer movies, the Lincoln Memorial.
The massive seated statue of Lincoln that gazes directly out through the pillars and over DC's other famous landmarks provides countless photo ops (as you will have probably guessed if you've already checked the photos!).
We then made the trek behind the Memorial and over the river to Arlington National Cemetery, the final resting place of JFK.
From JFK's grave near the top of the hill, the outlook of identical white tomb stones, in line, row after row, for as far as the eye can see, of servicemen and their families is quite a bit to take in. Without doubt a moving experience.
After the cemetery, we headed back to arguably the centre point of DC attractions, the Washington Monument, a spike on a hill from where all the city's landmarks can be seen.
It was a busy morning, but we weren't done yet. We spent the arvo at the National History Museum. Josh loved this place! His feet were showing more endurance than mine, so by about 3pm, I pulled up a seat in the foyer by the elephant while Nic took him back in for seconds.
Need to rest up tonight, got more museums tomorrow!
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