Last full day - tour of Washington DC

Since this is my last day, this post is a little lengthy so bear with me. 

I slept in this morning (no check out time because I'm staying two days!  Hoo hoooo!)   I got an all day pass so I could get on and off the metro at will.,  My first stop was the Pentagon Station.  When I emerged from the underground station,  I asked the first guy in uniform where the Pentagon was,  Well, evidently, I was standing right in front of it.  (goofy tourist!!).  You need a background check which takes three weeks to go on the tour and I probably wouldn't pass so I was relegated to walk about a half a mile to the back of the building where the 911 memorial was.  You were only allowed to take photographs at the Pentagon Memorial.  A Pentagon Police Officer explained the memorial.  Each of these features represent someone who died,  If it faces the building, they died in the airplane that crashed.  If it faces the other way, they were in the Pentagon,   The direction of the feature exactly represents the flight pattern of the plane.  They start in chronological order representing their date of birth. The water feature below it never freezes due to an underground treatment.  It was really quite amazing.   

I then walked to Arlington Cemetery (another mile and a half)  I ended up on the back side of the cemetery.  I could have walked another 2 miles to get to the front entrance but wanted to get to the mall to see the white house.  I did take some pictures from the backside.  I also whipped out my audio recorder for good measure.  There was actually a sign that said "No Audio Devices".  I guess they've been reading my blog and knew I was coming.  I didn't really believe that the sign pertained to me...and I was not officially in the cemetery...so I could do what I wanted....right?  Here are my pictures from behind the wrought iron fence

Doesn't really look like "Arlington Cemetery" from the back, does it



This probably looks more like it,  I walked up the hill a bit more to get this shot

 Then I took the Metro to the Washington DC Mall.  Now I assumed I would get off the metro and see JC Penny's,  Kohls and Ross...you know....well known, comfort mall stores. But nooooo.  All these mythological looking buildings.  Zeus could totally live there.  Here are a couple of examples.  There were dozens of these buildings:

For the rest of the afternoon, I literally walked about 6 miles in order to see absolutely everything.  It was addicting,  I couldn't seem to see enough.  My feet were killing me but I didn't care.  Here are my favorite pictures of my afternoon,  My absolutely best day yet. 

I had a "Metro" schedule that flew thru the fence onto the White House Lawn.  I tried to grab it through the wrought iron fence but a laser beam zapped me and Obama yelled through a megaphone..."GET OFF MY LAWN YOU SILLY TOURIST...FROM CALIFORNIA....WITH GLASSES...REPUBLICAN BUMPER STICKER ON YOUR SHIRT......LEAVING TOMORROW".   then I woke up.



 

Angry protesters.  So what's all the fuss about?  See next photo




Obama should be scared.,.,...very scared



Blair House.  This is the President's guest houses for visiting dignitaries.  It has free cable and hair dryers

Journalist hangout just in case the Prez does something "newsworthy"

I forget the name of this building.  One block from the White House.    It's being remodeled to add granite counter tops and stainless steel and a cost of one billion dollars

Library inside the Daughter's of the American Revolution (DAR) Building.  I went in there to announce that I was, indeed, an honored member of their club but alas, they could not find my ancestor's name in their computer system.  Well, what do they expect....the war ended in, like, 1776. Duh...no computers,   Oh wait,.,,maybe it wasn't the DAR, maybe it was the BAR!

Intere

World War II Memorial.  This is so insensitive but check out my perfect timing on the fountain. What are the chances? 





They were "remodeling" the pool so it was drained and ugly not like it looked like in Forest Gump

Korean War Memorial

Vietnam Wall

Big pointy memorial

First day of Cherry Blossoms

there

I then hopped over to the Smithsonian Museum of American History and spent the rest of my afternoon.  Here are some of my favorite exhibits

Barbie, GI Joe and some other '50's stuff

First commercial computer

First Personal Computer

Believe it or not, this is Mary Lincoln's inaugural dress.  Look at that tiny waist.  It did, howver, make her butt look big

Ruby Slippers from Wizard of Oz

Well, that's it I'm afraid.  My plane leaves tomorrow.  I put about 3000 miles on my rental car.  Thank you so much for going with me on this trip.  If I think of anything I forgot to tell you, I'll do another post.   Love you all