Saturday, July 14: This was definitely the major sightseeing (and walking!) day of the trip.  After a bagel breakfast, we were back on the Metro (subway)  and then walked to our first destination: the National Zoo. The Zoo is part of the Smithsonian system and the great thing about all these attractions is admission is free (your tax dollars at work). The zoo has three giant pandas and we got a good look and a couple good pictures of one of them. Dave had seen the pandas up in Winnipeg but I had not so this was my first glimpse at a panda! We saw birds, elephants, lions, tigers, fish, reptiles, seals, sea lions…and lots and lots of people everywhere. The zoo even has a little “farm” with the two cleanest cows I have ever seen! 🙂

Our next stop was a photo op in front of the White House and then it was on to the Washington Mall to see the war memorials and the Lincoln Memorial. The National World War II Memorial is very grand. There is a huge fountain in the center, pillars for each state all around, and an “Atlantic” side and a “Pacific” side. At the back is a field of gold stars in honor of the fallen. The Korean War Veterans Memorial is a bit more thought-provoking, though. There are several statues of soldiers (a bit larger than life-size) posed as if they are sneaking up on the enemy. And the Vietnam Veterans Memorial … all of those names just speak for themselves. The Lincoln Memorial is huge. On the inside, the Gettysburg Address and Lincoln’s second inaugural address are engraved onto the walls. Again, LOTS of people!

We left the mall and strolled around the George Washington University neighborhood, took the Metro back to Steve’s neighborhood and relaxed for a bit. In the evening, Anne picked us up and took us to see the house that she and Steve are buying in Arlington. Very nice. Then we headed downtown for a very lovely dinner at the Melting Pot where each table has a fondue pot and you eat your food that way. Fun and delicious.

Next up: Day 4 – indoor sightseeing