Day 8: Rest Day in Washington DC
I took the metro from Silver Spring to Union Station in Washington DC soon after writing my last post. Brandi had let me borrow her metro card so I was good to go. After getting to DC, I had a pulled pork sandwich at Cafe Phillips, then I went to the US Capitol.
I had always thought the front of the capitol is the one facing the big lawn and the Washington Monument, but it’s actually the other side that’s the front. I went inside the visitor center and got a ticket for the guided tour.
The tour started out with a brief movie about American history and the US Capitol. Then the tour guide took us underneath the dome and explained this and that. My favorite part of the tour is one of the paintings on the wall. It’s significant because it depicts George Washington handing over the Congressional army back to Congress. This showed that he wasn’t seeking power like some dictator or tyrant.
At the end of the tour I had lost my tour guide, but I wanted to see the Senate chamber and the House of Representatives chamber. After asking another tour guide, I learned I had to get a gallery ticket from a senator. So I looked up Bob Casey, one of senators from Pennsylvania and got his address.
His building was across the street from the Capitol called the Russell building. I thought I might get a chance to see the senator but he will be in meetings all day, as his aide told me after giving me both tickets to the different chambers.
Then I went back to the Capitol building and decided to go to the House of Representatives chamber first. After long waiting lines and a security check point, I was frustrated. I also couldn’t take any pictures because they won’t allow cell phones there. After seeing the empty chamber, which looks like a room with a bunch of chairs, I decided that I might not go to the Senate if it looks the same as this one, except with different chairs. My decision was made certain when I asked one of the guards what the Senate chamber looks like, all she said was to look at the pictures on the wall.
After I got out of the US Capitol I still had some time to kill. I ended up resting inside the United States Botanical Garden for about an hour before taking the metro home at 5 PM.
At Brandi’s apartment, I started laundry and took Brandi and Judy to The Big Greek Cafe that’s not far away. Now back at the apartment, I finished laundry and Brandi is baking some banana and strawberry bread. Yummy! I hope to rest up for tomorrow’s ride to Lorton, VA, where I will be staying at Adrian’s, another Warmshowers host.
I had always thought the front of the capitol is the one facing the big lawn and the Washington Monument, but it’s actually the other side that’s the front. I went inside the visitor center and got a ticket for the guided tour.
 |
| Front of the US Capitol |
The tour started out with a brief movie about American history and the US Capitol. Then the tour guide took us underneath the dome and explained this and that. My favorite part of the tour is one of the paintings on the wall. It’s significant because it depicts George Washington handing over the Congressional army back to Congress. This showed that he wasn’t seeking power like some dictator or tyrant.
 |
| Inside the capitol dome |
 |
| Washington handing over the Congressional army |
At the end of the tour I had lost my tour guide, but I wanted to see the Senate chamber and the House of Representatives chamber. After asking another tour guide, I learned I had to get a gallery ticket from a senator. So I looked up Bob Casey, one of senators from Pennsylvania and got his address.
His building was across the street from the Capitol called the Russell building. I thought I might get a chance to see the senator but he will be in meetings all day, as his aide told me after giving me both tickets to the different chambers.
Then I went back to the Capitol building and decided to go to the House of Representatives chamber first. After long waiting lines and a security check point, I was frustrated. I also couldn’t take any pictures because they won’t allow cell phones there. After seeing the empty chamber, which looks like a room with a bunch of chairs, I decided that I might not go to the Senate if it looks the same as this one, except with different chairs. My decision was made certain when I asked one of the guards what the Senate chamber looks like, all she said was to look at the pictures on the wall.
After I got out of the US Capitol I still had some time to kill. I ended up resting inside the United States Botanical Garden for about an hour before taking the metro home at 5 PM.
At Brandi’s apartment, I started laundry and took Brandi and Judy to The Big Greek Cafe that’s not far away. Now back at the apartment, I finished laundry and Brandi is baking some banana and strawberry bread. Yummy! I hope to rest up for tomorrow’s ride to Lorton, VA, where I will be staying at Adrian’s, another Warmshowers host.
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