Iwo Jima & Mount Vernon

Sadly today was our last day.  But there was still time for more sightseeing so we started early at 8:00am.
Our first stop was the Marine Corps Memorial, often referred to as the 'Iwo Jima' memorial because of the image it depicts, though it is dedicated to marines who died in all marine actions not just at Iwo Jima.

From the Marine Corps Memorial we drove south along the picturesque George Washington Parkway to the first president's home at Mount Vernon.
We spent the entire morning here, seeing movies about Washington, seeing his false teeth, & visiting the inside of his home.

Lunch was at Mount Vernon, then it was time to depart for the airport. 

It has been a great week & a very successful tour.  We've been lucky to have bright sunshine every day, even perhaps a little too warm some days.  Things have gone very smoothly since the first day & our late arrival after traffic & construction delays.
The students seem to have had a great, if somewhat tiring time!  I certainly hope that they have not only enjoyed themselves but also learned plenty about the Capital, Virginia, & American government & history.

Finally a BIG thank you to the chaperones who helped make the tour run so smoothly, & of course to Ms. MacGillis - the prime inspiration for this tour & without whom it would not have happened.

Safe travels & I hope to see you again on a future tour.

Declan

DC in Depth

We spent the entire day today in Washington D.C.
Instead of a tour bus we traveled like the locals here do - on foot & by metro rail, the D.C-area subway system.
Our first visit of the day was to the National Crime Museum.  Displays include exhibits on notorious criminals, methods of detection, a CSI lab, & lots more.
Next we walked to nearby 10th Street to see Ford's Theatre, where President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.  Unfortunately we could not go inside the theatre due to a fundraising event, but we were able to see the Peterson House across the street.  This is the small hotel where Lincoln was carried to after being shot & where he passed away later.  We also spent time in the museum inside.

There was time for souvenir shopping & lunch next, then we walked to the White House for a group photo.  The day had heated-up a lot by now & it was 90 degrees & hot to walk, so we found some shade & took a break before continuing to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.

A short detour through the beautiful National Sculpture Garden took us to the National Archives where we saw the Charters of Freedom:  the Magna Carta, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, & the Bill of Rights!

It was almost time for dinner, but we squeezed in tow very quick stops on our way to dinner:  the United States Navy Memorial...

...& the Smithsonian American Art Gallery, where we saw a modern art piece that features the preamble to the Constitution in state license plates!

Finally we arrived in Chinatown, marked by a large & impressive gateway.

After dinner we returned to the hotel by metrorail, an earlier evening & plenty of time to repack before our departure tomorrow.