TR: USA Summer 2017 New York DC Boston Niagara D23 Expo!

Day 11 Part 3

That afternoon we went to the White House Visitors Centre. This is right across the road from the hotel. It has lots of history about the White House, scale models, artifacts and pieces used in various administrations and certainly worth a look oh yes and of course they have a gift shop!. We actually ran out of time as they close early at 4:30 and we got kicked out so we went back a few days later to finish off seeing everything.

Before that we saw the Republican Leadership motorcade going into the White House for talks with the President on the Healthcare repeal.

Republican Leadership going into the White House
GX7QjAY.jpg


eoxSQb9.jpg


RhHdo20.jpg


Segway tours. Haven't seen anyone stack it yet, but a few come close
sGBXMpI.jpg


P6jYon1.jpg


Cmt4pML.jpg


k1Zni1o.jpg


42Y0N4D.jpg


tqycgR5.jpg


veSU3Qc.jpg


WGo4uhQ.jpg


l5DlNLy.jpg


iSGuDOv.jpg


LgF9fa8.jpg


iHnrdqx.jpg
 
Day 12 – Capitol Building Tour

Started with a sleep in and room service breakfast. We had tickets for a Capitol Hill tour at 1:50pm so were taking it a bit easy in the morning. We were getting ready around 12ish and I pulled out the tickets and they were for 10:50am not 1:50pm. Ooops. I didn’t check that to well! Concierge tried to get us new tickets but nothing available. They recommend we go and see, we just might have to wait a while before we get on a tour. We took their advice. We caught and Uber up which was $8. We took a few photos outside the Capitol and then went straight to the Visitors Centre. We lined up for about 3 mins and then the line moved forward and they were giving tickets to the 12:20 tour. We lucked out.

Soon we were watching an informative orientation video and then 15misn later meeting our tour guide and being given earphones to hear him. He was really great and really knowledgeable. I got so much out of the (free) tour. We visited 3 main sites. The Crypt, The Rotunda and National Statuary Hall.

The Crypt was originally intended to be the resting place for President Washington after his death. However in his will he stated he wanted to be interred at his Estate at Mount Vernon.

The Rotunda is the space underneath the Dome of the Capitol Building and the National Statuary Hall a space where Congress place on show National & State statues for the public to see.

The Rotunda was my favourite space. I didn’t know we were going to see this and I was quite awestruck to be honest. The history in the building that the guide shared with us and the space itself is just magnificent.

We also were able to get into the House ( of representatives) while there was a new Bill being debated. While it wasn’t a full sitting of the House it was a great experience.

A great room service breakfast, Eggs, Pancakes & oatmeal(rolled oats).
mYges08.jpg


uliCu4n.jpg


xBetPvK.jpg


7ew7IBj.jpg


kalj8zh.jpg


hFFOpIr.jpg


YgkDK2d.jpg


xZiw3qf.jpg


TYEFr0l.jpg


vYkaJvN.jpg


XSY5xiE.jpg


Inside the Visitors Centre
rzh1JkQ.jpg


0HbSWZy.jpg


coaBq2m.jpg


Abraham Lincoln, sans beard
Bzay5aV.jpg


This is the stairwell the President Elect walks down to then go out onto the West Front of the Capitol Building to take the Oath of office on Inauguration day.
d5apmvK.jpg


Inside the Rotunda
sSRwrev.jpg


The Dome
kPrWf0t.jpg


LQJTYp2.jpg


K0SEPJR.jpg


Bx4Tp9V.jpg


zxkDeFe.jpg


r5Z1Jt2.jpg


Ck1GMnS.jpg


The frieze around the top depicts American history. This section shows the Wright Brothers taking flight, though the tour guide told us that lots of people think it looks like one of the brothers about to kick the eagle!
biKgbL4.jpg


NERyOcn.jpg


w1qJ4kD.jpg


QkKre4R.jpg


tn3JVoG.jpg


JcYXlWW.jpg


lfaPjbe.jpg


SYenbDI.jpg


T1YukAF.jpg


7yDsxlU.jpg


i76AbzX.jpg
 
Last edited:
Day 12 Capitol Building Part 2


Here are a few more photos that didn’t fit in the previous post. I can’t recommend the Capitol Hill tour enough. Our tour guide was such a wealth of information and it was such a great history lesson.

I've also posted a couple of videos from inside the Rotunda and also the National Statuary Hall


p1IMZZh.jpg


kPBNhGf.jpg


dvgVkWt.jpg


CzfjovL.jpg


hhs4X8D.jpg


jxfMGqa.jpg


These passes got us into the US House of Representives
Gjws5Ya.jpg




Inside the Rotunda


National Statuary Hall
 
Day 12 Part 3 Library of Congress

Next was the Library of Congress, though it was more like a museum in a French styled opulent palace type building.

vCD6xKX.jpg


73oOyhK.jpg


jBL9vjg.jpg


1dZiwgZ.jpg


FmhKKPJ.jpg


ekrLBgJ.jpg


mcyuTwB.jpg


6Uk4NMJ.jpg


xKpEQY9.jpg


dU9gGwX.jpg


F9dXG3P.jpg


PYowbsY.jpg


aGASj8Y.jpg


Thomas Jefferson's Library
DiJfW7M.jpg


cyULVYo.jpg


uyWS0by.jpg


2SzrSrt.jpg


ZOKJX3H.jpg


NPBHFcs.jpg


b64w8ce.jpg


KCL08IS.jpg


FWa2qK2.jpg


DvuhNdA.jpg


gPvKXaa.jpg


ypbZWrU.jpg


C0zfsrY.jpg


dOQEdz1.jpg


6RdKduv.jpg


VdzyCOw.jpg


2mNFud5.jpg


Guttenberg Bible
PUhymrm.jpg


rAXPYWR.jpg


JzO4WtF.jpg
 


Day 12 Part 4

Can you tell I really like this building's architecture?

yqmhFdH.jpg


7LBy5PP.jpg


NVUvZKy.jpg


NEKap5x.jpg


FVx2peX.jpg


bMACcNF.jpg


oBJmQ9i.jpg


NIYaDms.jpg


4ah9pkg.jpg


Kjr46Na.jpg


Sst1y1E.jpg


KUKx9Ki.jpg


37Ubu3C.jpg


PwfQIiF.jpg


This is the West Front where the Inauguration takes place
WXqTkqG.jpg


wlhgr7e.jpg


dONPa1g.jpg
 
Day 13 Old Town Alexandria

Today started with a quick trip to Old Town Alexandria. We went to visit the Front Office Manager from the Willard who had moved to a new hotel here. He had looked after us so well last time and we had stayed in touch and he also arranged our booking this time and again looked after us so well even though he left the hotel. After seeing him we strolled around Old Town. Lots of restaurants, but we had just had breakfast and we weren't staying till lunch as we had other plans, but next time I think we definitely would and maybe even stay here for a few days.

1CAjej5.jpg


0qigfjT.jpg


5J8yZmV.jpg


ZLEyEx0.jpg


jYYi4E3.jpg


QSXyi1F.jpg


4nU8KOm.jpg


EzLEYRA.jpg


YsbPo81.jpg


SpUUW1v.jpg


q5im8nn.jpg


OBbDwEn.jpg


OHpe5qA.jpg
 
Day 13 Part 2 - Arlington National Cemetery.

After Alexandria we caught an Uber to Arlington National Cemetery. What a moving place this is. My words couldn’t do it justice other than saying if you get an opportunity, don’t miss it.

Arlington National Cemetery is a United States military cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. It is 624 acres (253 ha) where the deceased from the nation's conflicts have been buried, beginning with the Civil War.

The sheer size of the place and the number of graves/memorials is hard to fathom. The guide told us that the space is projected to be full late 2027.

We saw JFK’s memorial which was up high on the hill with a magnificent view back onto DC. We took a hop on hop off trolley tour around the cemetery which provided us with lots of expert history of the site, 100% recommend it. I’ll let the photos speak now.

Next post will be the Changing of the Guard ceremony.

[
XsPDkkp.jpg


0zd1WK6.jpg


VrkPyk0.jpg


Ph1v5fU.jpg


qFPnrpR.jpg


ImgHWHD.jpg


8c44sGQ.jpg


JFK Memorial. Jackie Kennedy Onassis is also buried alongside JFK and their two infant children.
H9MGVr6.jpg


rNyaK52.jpg


John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Sqlo7Z1.jpg


AXQuK2Z.jpg


5RNNWGj.jpg


uvVRmEA.jpg


cYCNYNK.jpg


s9Eu9KR.jpg


View from JFK grave site of the Lincoln Memorial
QEXsOsl.jpg


4ZWi0Of.jpg


Famous words from JFK - Inaugural Address, 20 January 1961
aXYD9IU.jpg


EiDtBnq.jpg


PqIRh0a.jpg


Mm3HOMr.jpg


Looking up to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
U4P8RRq.jpg


WuACkSO.jpg


Monument to the Airforce
lEZehxH.jpg


VTydRJT.jpg


P5QpYXL.jpg


KxciHKT.jpg


tSFShJE.jpg


O3nmgNN.jpg


7oCZzaR.jpg


d8z9mOM.jpg


rTBCPCB.jpg
 
Last edited:


Day 13 Part 3 - Arlington National Cemetery.

Photos from the Tomb of the Unknown Solider. I didn't actually take pictures of the Changing of the Guard as they requested people be silent and my shutter on the camera is a little noisy and obvious so instead DS videoed it which is well worth watching.

utW3Esu.jpg


gAYE8kq.jpg


ec683Vt.jpg


GMSQmwn.jpg


FF2Pb5B.jpg


wKnjRIy.jpg


p6Url7u.jpg


rCTOVH3.jpg


fYwlcNd.jpg


xFANvlu.jpg


CQ67tMJ.jpg


rKtNlZT.jpg


KCWxEEU.jpg


4byROss.jpg


kftHA0Y.jpg


vAmkoNp.jpg


jmIb8ue.jpg


wEWT07r.jpg


uU0Rm1h.jpg


w0ibHsz.jpg


0TgqWy6.jpg


PmRVX4u.jpg


6Febwc7.jpg


k3YJ5Xi.jpg


bUZ85Ge.jpg


lXNsJl5.jpg



Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier


Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
 
Last edited:
Awesome TR! ...as always!
Just catching up with all your trip now as we have been travelling and I haven't had a chance to sit with a cup of tea and enjoy.
Would you go in the Summer again to the East coast?
 
Awesome TR! ...as always!
Just catching up with all your trip now as we have been travelling and I haven't had a chance to sit with a cup of tea and enjoy.
Would you go in the Summer again to the East coast?

Thanks, glad you like it.

I would definitely go back to East Coast in summer again. Weather was fantastic, just like Brisbane. Dayslight hours are long so we got to do so much and walking around late wasn't a problem as it was still light.
 
Awesome TR! ...as always!
Just catching up with all your trip now as we have been travelling and I haven't had a chance to sit with a cup of tea and enjoy.
Would you go in the Summer again to the East coast?

While much of what I am posting was included in my FB updates I'm adding some more detail where I can so not to bore you (new) FB friends who experienced my FB posts also as it was happening !!
 
Day 13 Part 4 - Air and Space Museum.

This day was a big day, after Arlington we decided to call into the Air and Space Smithsonian. It was more an Air museum than it was Space really. Still worth a look though.

ld5MBz1.jpg


M0tKfm8.jpg


jsyLd9u.jpg


EuCZgDF.jpg


OEZnEuj.jpg


iJ3tCbl.jpg


rM2CLyz.jpg


P9ufSLD.jpg


eifuBhy.jpg


IqOiVGd.jpg


NZiuuUV.jpg


A4QHGRl.jpg


Dk3SiOc.jpg


TwJYNBj.jpg


qvzeO3P.jpg


lWhgsqF.jpg


Bv5uZvz.jpg


dTPnz3T.jpg


TPIhN3X.jpg


T1dDexp.jpg


8at2HzW.jpg


qZuhO63.jpg


Gv8DwHA.jpg


wjWA6OP.jpg


BBobE2P.jpg


ZH5sex7.jpg


VCs3qxE.jpg


VCs3qxE.jpg


oOdfDW5.jpg
 
Day 13 - Part 5 Still going!

We did some night time Monuments sightseeing. Well worth it, even though it was busy, but these monuments look spectacular all lit up. The very reason why I packed the tripod so I could get these photos. So glad I did.

ef9DKY7.jpg


hKtsBeT.jpg


Profile of Thomas Jefferson
6z6aLUp.jpg


A7BtfHA.jpg


Jefferson Memorial
RJLWiuC.jpg


4wUTfO2.jpg


Washington Monument, from Jefferson Memorial
5EwI9yJ.jpg


MhllqQM.jpg


6UQ2A7A.jpg


MGUHSfW.jpg


8PQY8ZC.jpg


iXa7kv8.jpg


Dnlm4ND.jpg


QXvx5nl.jpg


gsio4TE.jpg


dkxgAs0.jpg


Dw3r1yV.jpg


2ePWn5B.jpg


Lincoln Memorial
X80HrDF.jpg


YlIxIHe.jpg


2ciOAMK.jpg


ebNFmzu.jpg


8COobyW.jpg


jIZFQuU.jpg


Qo9iFDJ.jpg


lpuq5IB.jpg


59NvLoc.jpg


6RfQXgM.jpg


62x9Y0Y.jpg


CVDv8si.jpg


I7OYm1o.jpg


United States Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima Memorial)
7Kli735.jpg


j0VVFWo.jpg


Wo6MipD.jpg
 
Day 14

Our night time sightseeing didnt finish till 11pm so today was a sleep in day and then just a light afternoon. We went and saw the rest of the White House Visitors Center and then we went to the National Archives and got to see originals of the three documents which set the USA on their journey of an independent nation. The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution and the Bill of Rights (the first 10 Amendments). No photos in the Archives so nothing to pics of them to share sorry, just a few from the rest of the day and Marine One flying into the White House and landing on the South Lawn.

J9PwNdg.jpg


Apc7FzI.jpg


5L5uirN.jpg


kSXSOpf.jpg


tJOz3N4.jpg


9KvMt0p.jpg


l3gASML.jpg


9AxF5rC.jpg


Our Hotel dressed up for 4th July
tc0rbN4.jpg


Benjamin Franklin, with creepy eyes
yXeKg6w.jpg


Dont know why I snapped it but I did
lC4nzg5.jpg


National Archives
ro7Dm5o.jpg


xzQ85nA.jpg


The Newseum . DS wanted to go to the gift shop, Dad had to pay..
zgM1M81.jpg


Marine One with escort flying into the White House, taken from our hotel window
ST6mXbh.jpg


R1m7IXN.jpg


rMJHWXG.jpg


Landing on the South Lawn of the White House
EF44Qfj.jpg


Leaving
0VwD2fO.jpg


Lasagna for DS
9auae7A.jpg


This was mine, Quesadilla, compared to the other two meals , I got jipped.
2kMoJba.jpg


Tiramsu
nLHrgtw.jpg


Dinner was room service. (and yes DS has Spock ears on!)
EnGk39c.jpg


JPizgvj.jpg


Marine One Landing on The White House Lawn

 
Last edited:
Day 15

Our last full day in DC. I woke up early (6am) with the intention to get some early morning shots of the monuments. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't as nice as it had been the past few days, it was overcast, but I still went out and glad I did as most of them had very few people.

Started with a failed Uber. Driver called me and said would be there in 2 mins then drove passed and cancelled the job. It seems when they don't want a job they do something like that then I think they can cover their tracks to say something like . "I called them couldn't find them so cancelled"

Another picked it up soon after and I was on my way to the Lincoln Memorial.
Only a few people there so a great time to visit. If it had been a sunny day the light coming through would have been something, but it was still a good shoot. I walked around the back and down the side which gave some different perspectives and views, in particular getting the Washington Monument and Capitol Building in the same shot.

The I walked towards the Jefferson Memorial and on the way stopped off at Martin Luther King, FDR and Korean War Memorials.

Walking along the Potomac to get the Jefferson, you can shoot both the Jefferson and Washington Memorial in the same shot.

There were more people at the Jefferson and one guy who just wouldn't get out of the way when I was down the bottom trying to get a shot of it looking up. I waited and waited and waited and gave up in the end.

DS & DW were just getting up when I arrived back at the hotel . After I got back we went and had breakfast where we saw Nick Kyrgios's brother. Then we made our way to Ford's Theatre and then a bit of souvenir shopping. Afternoon was spent packing and getting ready to say farewell to DC.

wcY8LsE.jpg


Ila9Ou7.jpg


PiRuEjt.jpg


NGZGzre.jpg


kuwpRef.jpg


IzYRTze.jpg


Eh4hgiR.jpg


fyw3lgX.jpg


LBZC0WG.jpg


TVC1Rzu.jpg


Bc98Uj0.jpg


NdzdFFp.jpg


GwZfZzc.jpg


some random walked into my shot but I thought the silhouette looks quite good
69sln4z.jpg


yw6ByUu.jpg


7kEWmn9.jpg


lU7Yfq1.jpg


lGxi9cG.jpg


JPD1TSQ.jpg


This is on the steps at the Lincoln Memorial where Martin Luther King made his famous speech

Ev9q8oY.jpg
 
Last edited:
Day 15 part 2

After the Lincoln Memorial, I walked along the Potomac passing the Korean War Memorial and the Martin Luther King Memorial on my way to the Jefferson Memorial.

66rmH18.jpg


Th6FUb7.jpg


1ehRyao.jpg


E2M6XCP.jpg


ONNRAwD.jpg


AbcvMW6.jpg


3k4PJBQ.jpg


IxyhTCd.jpg


ckptZ8K.jpg


uWEbbTW.jpg


IhBbeou.jpg


CRqmfcV.jpg


egf6Ykr.jpg


JQ2LBCd.jpg


GX6vynH.jpg


9K8TNn2.jpg


HxlB4TD.jpg


oSVkK0u.jpg


Our last night in DC. We went for a walk after dinner for a last look and obligatory group selfie in front and back of the White House. We are off to Boston tomorrow, where we will spend 4th of July, Independence Day which should be a great experience.

DC Out!


Gr5EWL6.jpg


1I2mcZH.jpg
 
Day 16 DC to Boston

We had our final DC breakfast and then got our transfer from the hotel to the Ronald Reagan National Airport for our midday short flight on American Airlines to Boston. Was only a 10 mins ride from hotel to airport.

American Airline had kerbside check-in both regular and priority but we went inside to check-in.

Something different here was after we had our bags issued with bag tags we had to take them to the TSA drop off area which was just over the partition, but ironically was not really very secure. They told us to just leave the bags which were not in a secured area and tight near and entry to the airport. We hung around until they actually took our bags through, which was maybe a bit or paranoia but it just seemed a little odd.

The Airport was really nice, security straight forward and quite quick. For some reason DS is TSA Pre-check when we travel on AA but DW & I are not. I'm not sure how he can be but he was in 2015 when we were on AA also. They were going to send DS down the Pre-Check Line on his own but I asked that he stayed with us which they did.

The plane was nice a new fit out we were in row 1 so had some nice room. it was a short flight and after a change in the baggage pickup we were soon on our way to the hotel.

v944Rq1.jpg

FuKJFAf.jpg


Our room was ready when we arrived and DS decided to test out the bed in his own way by taking a run up and launching himself airborne onto it!

Walking into the Lobby of Hotel


Junior Suite


TklqeLL.jpg


Zv0w8nB.jpg


eD2SZ6A.jpg

IvnOj9o.jpg


Tyc34Dk.jpg




QtoIsVi.jpg


xrX5tWD.jpg


Fx1Ap8d.jpg

xJ9QYdS.jpg


bxf9QrH.jpg


apgGY2i.jpg


IffwMES.jpg


MpGvbLu.jpg


5oN58Mo.jpg
 
Last edited:
Day 16 Part 2

We took a bit of a wander around the area around the hotel which was right on the river, then had a late lunch which really filled us up and dinner was some canapes in the Hotel Concierge Club which was included in our room. We stayed in the Seaport area. I am sure in a couple of years this area will be quite different, there was a lot of construction happening around the area.

D4msWfX.jpg


8kSaf9d.jpg


eq2Kz2y.jpg


sROa8jR.jpg


23muOag.jpg


Y5RWZSO.jpg


Throwing the tea overboard
U01unv6.jpg


AaoyKAY.jpg


JQm54PX.jpg


View of our Hotel
ahvsR7Y.jpg
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!





Top