Admiring the Sights at Washington DC

Our little side trip to Washington DC while we were in the US was something we never really saw coming--in fact, we had actually planned on going to Washington DC just two days before we actually went there, when we met up with some of our East Coast-based relatives for lunch at Tony's DiNapoli in Manhattan (which I blogged about here). One of my uncles volunteered to drive us to Washington DC for a day trip, and we didn't want to say no--I mean, why would we? We wanted to make the most out of our stay in the US, and we wanted to explore as many places as possible. Two days after that, we found ourselves squeezing into my uncle's blue SUV at 5 in the morning, and off we went for the five-hour long road trip to the US capital.

While spending an entire day at Washington DC meant having one less day to spend in New York City (which, as I mentioned in a previous blog post, was my ultimate dream city), I did not regret giving up that one day at all. Washington DC is a very beautiful city--the whole city actually seemed like a park! Unlike New York City which has become a concrete jungle (with the exception of Central Park), Washington DC's highrises are limited to the downtown area while the rest of the city is composed of low-rise government buildings and museums, with lots of tree-lined streets to provide shade. There are just so many sights to see that one day is simply not enough to enjoy what the city has to offer. I wish I could go back soon.

We left our Manhattan hotel at 5 o'clock in the morning, despite getting very little sleep because of jetlag. From there, it was a 5-hour long journey to Washington DC via the Interstate (freeway/expressway).

Along the way, we stopped for breakfast at Dunkin Donuts at Chesapeake House, a highway service area  along Interstate 95 in Maryland. Apparently, it is one of the five busiest rest stops in the US, though it actually seemed pretty quiet and empty to me. I guess I'm just used to the busier rest stops along SLEX and NLEX here in the Philippines.

When we got to Washington DC, my uncle parked his car at the Union Station,a train station which is also a tourist attraction itself. 

We bought our tickets for the hop-on, hop-off bus tour at the Union Station.

This is what the Union Station looks like from the outside.

The friendly bus drivers also served as the tour guides. I actually found the tour guides here better than the ones we had in San Francisco.

Our first stop: The United States Capitol Building. 

The US Capitol serves as the meeting place of the US Congress.

We went all the way around to see the other side of the building.

Our second stop: The National Air and Space Museum. This was actually the only museum we got to visit since museums take so much of our time. Washington DC has LOTS of museums, all of which you can visit for free.

These are actual planes hanging from the ceiling.

The cockpit of an actual Boeing 747-100 plane on display.

This plane was owned by Amelia Earhart, who mysteriously vanished along with the plane she was flying. To this day, the plane hasn't been found, despite massive search efforts.

Coat and goggles owned by Amelia Earhart,

The Wright Brothers successfully flew this plane in 1903.

Actual pieces of rock retrieved from the moon during the Apollo 16 mission in 1972.

A lunar rover on display.

US and Soviet rockets displayed side-by-side.

The Holcaust Museum

At the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial

A small waterfall at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial

A quote by the former US President.

The Washington Monument, which offers a great view of the city from the top. Unfortunately, the monument is closed to the public after sustaining structural damage after an earthquake in 2011.

The Lincoln Memorial stands to honor former President Abraham Lincoln.

These are all the highrises you'll find in Washington DC. This city is definitely a lot more laid-back compared to New York City.

A sign pointing visitors to John F. Kennedy's grave.

The late former president JFK's famous "Ask not what your country can do for you" quote.

Former President John F. Kennedy is probably the most famous person to be buried at the Arlington National Cemetery. His wife is buried right next to him.

The John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame. This is actually just a temporary one--the real one was undergoing repairs at the time.

JFK's brother Robert is buried nearby. He was assassinated in Los Angeles in 1968.

Edward "Ted" Kennedy, the youngest of the famous Kennedy brothers, passed away in 2009.

US war veterans are buried at this cemetery. In some cases, their spouses and even some of their children are buried next to them.

Outside the Arlington Memorial Amphitheater.

A memorial for the victims of the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003.

A memorial for the crew of the Space Shuttle Challenger, which exploded shortly after lift-off in 1986.

A look at the amphitheater. 

A guard watches the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which offers a great view of Washington DC.

A memorial honoring the American soldiers who fought in Bataan and Corregidor during World War II.

For a fee, you can board one of these trolleys to take you around the cemetery. In our case, we just chose to walk.

The World War II Memorial.

The Second Division Memorial at President' Park. This commemorates those who died serving in the 2nd Infantry Division of the US Army.

The National Archives

The International Spy Museum. I wish we had time to go to this one.

The US Treasury Department building.

Eager tourists hoping to get a glimpse of President Obama and his family at the White House, the official residence of the President of the United States.

Security is tight around the White House area.

The Dwight D. Eisenhower Executive Office Building near The White House.

The Corcoran College of Art and Design.

Beautifully landscaped gardens such as this one can be found throughout Washington DC.

Another view of The White House (we went all the way around).

Before the long journey back to Manhattan, we had dinner at Phillips, a famous seafood restaurant in Washington DC.

Paella, Enchiladas, and their famous Crab Cakes.

Dessert: Cherry Cobbler and a slice of Cheesecake.

My uncle bought some blue crabs for his family back in New York at a nearby seafood market. The crabs are already pressure-cooked for you after you purchase them.

Washington DC is famous for its seafood, apparently. The numerous seafood restaurants in the city (such as Phillips) can attest to that. This is due to its proximity to Chesapeake Bay.