Monday morning kicked off with an early 3.00am wake up to ensure we did not miss our 4.50am bus which departed from L’Enfant Plaza on route to Dulles International Airport. With both mobile phones out of action it was difficult to book a taxi via Skype. The upshot of this was about a forty-five minute wait until the taxi company could confirm our pick-up address. Thankfully John and I made it to L’Enfant Plaza with ten minutes to spare. The 5A Dulles bus was on time and things were looking good for a 5.45am arrival at the airport.
As we travelled out of the city limits, we noticed a heavy fog had settled over the landscape. By the time we arrived at the airport the fog had not lifted so we anticipated a delay. To our surprise we moved through check-in and security with such ease. After previous experiences with TSA I’m so glad we did. Then, despite the fog, we couldn’t believe our eyes all flights were on schedule to depart. It was a bit surreal boarding an aircraft blanketed by fog.
Again our flight experience with Jet Blue was enjoyable. Free television, good snacks and friendly flight attendants and best of all, it was a trouble-free flight to NYC. We arrived at JFK Airport around 8.30 am, collected our bags and made our way to the AirTrain to catch an express train from Jamaica Station to Penn Station. The cost is a little more than the ‘A’ train but you arrive in Manhattan within about 30 minutes, so I would highly recommend it.
In grand style with four bags and carry-on in tow, we exited Penn Station and I’ll never forget the look of amazement on John’s face. It was a magical moment stepping out of the subway into the hustle and bustle of Manhattan. We then headed down to West 31 Street to our accommodation.
The Urban Oasis did not disappoint. We received a friendly welcome and the location is excellent. The hostel which is more like an apartment is only two blocks from the Empire State Building. Also, the rooms are spacious and clean, and the facilities are the best I’ve ever seen for the price.
The next eleven days in NYC is going to be a voyage of discovery folks! So set your compass for unchartered waters. The following music video by Alicia Keys ‘Empire State of Mind’ sums up our excitement of being here.
Bye for now,
Mark
With beautiful blue skies and warm temperatures it was a perfect start to our final day in Washington DC. However, it now feels like the days come and go so quickly here and before we know it, we’ll be back on home soil...sigh! Sunday morning started with a stroll to the Second World War Memorial on route to The Arlington National Cemetery .
From the time you cross the Arlington Memorial Bridge you can tell this sacred place has an aura which is difficult to describe. The statues are excellent and the ambience of the entrance to the grounds and the rolling hills is something that reaches into your soul.
Veterans of every American war from the Revolution to the country's most recent conflicts are buried at Arlington. More than 290,000 service men and women are buried here and three unidentified service members at the Tomb of the Unknowns. At the tomb every half an hour there is the changing of the guard for which ever regiment is stationed there.
We then visited the gravesite of John F. Kennedy and family which is marked by an eternal flame, the Shuttle Challenger Memorial and finally, the memorial for Iwo Jima. These shrines are not to be missed. General Lee’s family residence also overlooks the grounds and has spectacular views of Washington DC.
Undoubtedly, the Americans certainly know how to honour their fallen or those that have served in the defence force and The Arlington National Cemetery demonstrates this to the fullest extent. Because John and I were on foot, the visit took a good two and a half hours but it’s well worth the time and reflection.
Georgetown was not on my agenda to visit, but a few locals we met at Maddy’s Sports Bar insisted it was the place to go when seeing Washington DC. After Arlington we continued our stroll through Rosslyn and then across the Francis Scott Key Bridge to Georgetown.
John and I found Georgetown to be quite charming with lots of designer shops, good cafes and restaurants. Therefore, it can be said it’s a trap for tourists, it’s the place to be seen (i.e., the beautiful people), and it’s the place to buy the best cupcakes in Washington DC. Check out the photo below of customers waiting outside the shop. We then had a nice wander around the shops purchasing some clothing and chocolate...yum.
Late Sunday afternoon John and I headed to the southern end of the National Mall and visited the Air and Space Museum. A little bit of trivia...it’s the most visited Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC and as a result, it can be very busy! There were a lot of people in the museum in the late afternoon but it wasn't anything too crazy, we got to see what we wanted and the exhibits were out of this world (pardon the pun).
The museum’s design chronicles the story of the mastery of flight, from The Wright Brothers to Space expeditions and it holds the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft in the world. The only sad note was the museum’s cafe is a huge McDonalds, but I guess you can’t stop commercialism.
Long story short, once again we had dinner at BGR and then went back to the hostel to pack. With only one more sleep to go before John and I depart for New York City, I’ll leave you with a classic favourite which describes our feelings about the “Big Apple”.
Ciao for now,
Mark
PS: Sorry I forgot to mention that I had to stop by The White House and make an announcement and sign a bi-lateral agreement.
The early morning sightseeing started with the traditional breakfast. For John like most young people over here he had an energy drink and for me a vanilla latte at Starbucks. After the caffeine had kicked in...giddy up, we were on our way to the Metro at Dupont Circle to catch the train to Union Station. Normally the Metro is reliable, however, all escalators were shut down for maintenance and the scheduled train had broken down. An hour later we finally reached our destination.
Washington is a historic and beautiful city and is influenced by a mix of European and British architecture and design. However, the degree of homelessness is quite disturbing. On exiting Union Station, John was approached for a cigarette which he kindly obliged. About thirty seconds later the homeless person was arrested by local law enforcement officers and removed from the tourist area. Chalk that one up to experience.
Our sightseeing itinerary started at the southern end of The National Mall visiting the U.S. Capitol and then making our way to the Washington Monument, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Korean War Memorial, Lincoln Memorial and then visited the location where Martin Luther King made his “I have a dream” speech, and finally The White House
Around midday we visited The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. It was an extremely moving and intense experience. Please note, no photography is allowed. After you have passed through security you are given small four page book, which is designed as an Identification Card. Each book has a victim of the Holocaust with their background, capture and outcome. The person is either a survivor or a victim.
When you get to the end of the book their fate is finally revealed; they have been murdered or they have survived the horrifying ordeal. Unfortunately the person presented in the book was imprisoned at the Dachau concentration camp for being a homosexual. He died at Dachau seven years later which reminds you of the stark reality of war.
The set up of The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is undeniably impressive. It starts at the beginning of Hitler's dictatorship which is located on the 4th floor and goes through the 3rd and 2nd floors in a chronological order of events until you reach the aftermath of the Holocaust. Then on the 1st floor there is a chapel and even two holocaust survivors that you can speak too. The design of the museum makes it really easy to follow and you feel completely immersed in the entire experience.
There is an exhibit that explained the gassing process that was used to kill large amounts of people at once, and also an exhibit showing nothing but shoes from thousands of people who disappeared into the death camps. There was also an exhibit about Dr. Josef Mengele's gruesome and inhumane experiments. Because of the brutality shown in these exhibits, it’s only a place for mature adults.
Overall, it was a sobering experience to visit the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and a must do if you ever visit Washington DC. It took us just over three hours to move through the exhibits and by the end we were emotionally exhausted.
So, anyway Saturday night was a repeat on the previous night and it feels like Groundhog Day. Eh, I apologise now to my stomach BGR for dinner and then off to Maddy’s Sports Bar for the final quarter.
Bye for now.
Mark
