Washington 2013...I

Let me confess...I LOVE WASHINGTON D.C.! I love Washington, D.C. for the fact that every law in the land MUST pass through this town. Washington, D.C. is a very "hustle and bustle" town...rich in history and rich in facts. Just about everywhere you turn in Washington, you will see something historical and interesting. Just driving up Georgia Avenue from Silver Spring, Maryland, I came across the Battleground National Cemetery. It wasn't lit up or anything fancy. Just sitting off the street nestled in the background. But it was very moving walking on the grounds. Day one in Washington was very fun-filled as I spotted my first Cherry Blossom tree crossing Maryland into Washington, D.C. I also came across the old Walter Reed Army Medical Center, which deserves it's own "moment of silence" if you can imagine the bodies of the wounded and dead that crossed through their doors. In passing by the Metropolitan Police Department, I got the chance to see the old Washington D.C....the old brick houses and brick buildings from decades ago, looking well preserved. I saw the new NPR(National Public Radio) Building, and got my first of many long shots of the Capitol Building. Union Station was busy as ever with people coming and going. The Grand Hall is under construction, so I didn't get photos of the inside. A replica of the Liberty Bell in Columbus Circle was a crowd favorite. While visiting the Postal Museum, I got the chance to tour the Senate photo Lab which I owe thanks to Pat Robinson from Milwaukee, and Lynn Dunigan who heads the lab. That was a very educational tour. Touring Capitol Hill and the surrounding Senate and House Buildings was fun. Plus, I learned something new...I had no idea that the House and Senate members have separate entrances to the Capitol Building. The grande' architecture of the Library of Congress and "The Court of Neptune Fountain" out front is awesome! Other highlights of the day were the Supreme Court Building(which was under construction) and the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial and surrounding statues. The National Museum of the American Indian is definitely a sight to see as well.