Day 10

Even without alarms we woke up at 5:30 this morning. We took our time getting ready this morning and after hitting Safeway for breakfast we headed once again for the Metro. Our first stop of the day was Arlington National Cemetery. This was one of our most favorite places of the entire trip. We were able to see John F. Kennedy’s grave and the eternal flame, the grave of Robert Kennedy, the changing of the guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers and a caisson from the distance. What a reverent visit.

It was back to the Metro and to the office of Rep. Darlene Hooley for our tour of the Capitol. There were 11 of us total in our tour. The Capitol was another amazing building. So much to see and learn. The most fun room of the tour was the “Whispering Room” where our guide walked across the room and whispered to us across the floor and we could hear him perfectly. There is a story that goes with this, but the Capitol was so noisy with all the tours that were going on I hardly heard a word the guide said!

After our tour of the Capitol and a stroll around the grounds for a few more pictures, we decided it was time to head to Union Station for an early dinner – and yes, I got away without having to eat another hot dog! Union Station really is a grand place when you aren’t in the depths of the sewer pits! We didn’t realize just how magnificent that building is until we walked the upper floors this afternoon. After sharing a Turkey Wrap and our tummies were full we headed back to our hotel room for a quick rest before heading back to the Capitol Mall with our cameras and the tripod. Oh, my goodness, the views of everything at night! Some spots were so very quiet and reverent, but the Lincoln Memorial was absolutely buzzing with activity!

We’ve seen so much this week our heads are swimming with images of all the places we’ve visited. We’ve walked so many miles our feet are tired. It has been a great week and we’ve enjoyed sharing our trip with you each day. There is so much more we could have shared with you about our trip. All of the interesting people: The man on the bus on the way to Mt. Vernon who had relatives in Salem at one time and who spit whenever he talked. The father and daughter who were in our tour group at the Washington Monument; she was giving him a few carefree days at the Capitol before heading to Virginia for cancer treatments. The “Dinner group” at the table next to ours Tuesday night in the hotel dining room, old retirees out on the town. The amazingly nice people on the Metro and Buses and the ebb and flow of the Metro travelers. It’s a different life and language here. All in all, we couldn’t have asked for a better time. But it is time to go home and I have to admit I am ready. I’m ready to sleep in my own bed, eat my own food, get back to my own simple life, have that kitty of ours wake us up too early in the morning and get busy living the next 30 years with Neal!