In April I visited Washington DC to finish a class at GWU.  I flew down Saturday and enjoyed two free days touring around the city.  Saturday was beautiful and sunny; Sunday well it rained all day.  I love this city.  I first visited Washington as a junior in High School.  I participated in a high school study program called “Close-Up”.  I highly recommend for any high school student!  I’ve had the pleasure of many visits over the years.

Each visit I try to see something different – and I always return to a few of my favorites.  I’ve learned over the years how easy it is to fly in and out of Washington National.  I also recommend staying in Crystal or Pentagon City.  Both are on the Metro so you won’t need to rent a car.  Traffic and parking in Washington are to be avoided if possible.  This visit I stayed at the Embassy Suites, Crystal City.  The suite was very nice, two rooms, clean and very convenient!  The hotel is within walking distance to Pentagon City Metro/Mall and Crystal City Metro/Mall.

Saturday: This visit I did a lot of walking.  I went to the new Indian Museum right on the National Mall.  This building wasn’t here on my last visit.  The building is spectacular!  I will publish a picture in my photo blog.  I also visited the Botanical Gardens – the picture at the top of my blog is from the Botanical Gardens.  The gardens were just replanted.  It will be a few years till they mature.  No visit to the Capital this time – it was blocked off for a protest!  I did walk by the Library of Congress and Supreme Court on my way to Union Station.  I really love the renovation of this station.  I took the Metro back to Arlington National Cemetery.  I walked up to JFK’s burial site.  I was disappointed with the irreverence of some tourists.  Despite the many signs reminding people this is a place of honor, many tourists were running/jumping and yelling!  If I were in Europe I think the term used would be “stupid Americans!”  But this time it was foreign tongs I heard so I say “Stupid Foreigners!”  Ah but what a time for grounding walking among our national heroes who gave their lives for our freedom.

Saturday evening after a short return to my hotel, I ventured out to Crystal City.  What a beautiful area of Arlington, VA.  This was a planned city as you can tell by the grid, but every square inch is filled with beautiful gardens and parks.  Its well maintained.  An underground mall connects the majority of the buildings to the Metro.  I will post one of the parks I love on my photo blog.  I ended up having dinner at Neramitra Thai Cuisine.  This rivals my favorite Thai restaurant, Siam Lotus in Norwood MA.  The restaurant was modern, clean and the staff was friendly and attentive.  They even brought me an extra napkin as I ate my spicy dish and began to perspire!  I finished my evening with a stroll around the mall at Pentagon City (4 floors!).

Sunday:  I awoke to Thunder!  Well I wasn’t about to waste a day in Washington DC sitting in my hotel suite!  I had a complimentary breakfast in the atrium of the hotel.  Next I took the complimentary shuttle to Pentagon City (it was raining).  I hopped onto the Metro.  I got off at McPherson Sq.  Exiting the Metro station I found numerous homeless veterans (VA Office at station).  They were all under cover as it had been raining.  I walked through Lafayette Park over to the White House – had to see the White House.  To my surprise there were even more barricades surrounding the White House, no longer can you walk down E. Executive Ave – rather you have to walk all the way around the Treasury Building.  I did and made my way over to the National Mall.  It was Earth day and there was a free concert.  Well it rained again so aborted that idea, instead I walked to the Old Post Office Pavilion.  I ate lunch at the food court.  I then walked up to the Hard Rock Café and by the house where Lincoln died.  I hopped onto the Metro and back to Pentagon City.  I walked through the mall over to Pentagon Row.  This is a new development of shops, restaurants and condos in a court yard configuration.  I stopped into an ice cream parlor and as I enjoyed a dish of vanilla, I watched people running from store to store to keep out of the rain.

Sunday evening I had dinner at Sin é Irish Pub.  It was fantastic!  Irish music, festive atmosphere, Guinness on Tap!  What else can an Irish lad from Boston want while in DC?  It was so relaxing – I spent a few hours enjoying the pub and Guinness!  I did have a burger as well