Easy driving down to w-dc. Our hotel was a little way out of town in Maryland, 9our 12th or 13th state or province) on a hill overlooking the Potomac River. We took a little drive downtown to check out the sights in the afternoon - easier said than done. Washington is a bit like canberra - a basic grid with lots of circles, overlaid by criss-crossing streets at different angles, superimposed with a complicated system of freeways. Major construction and numerous detours even confused our trusty gps.
So next day we went to the subway station and parked and took the train. Everything is clean and new and shining in dc including the subway. Went to the national gallery - fantastic. Roomfuls of renoirs, degas, manets, monets, cezannes, van gogh, rembrandts, and the only leonardo in the usa, plus maqtisse and picassos - all originals - all donated.
Walked past the whitehouse (surrounded by security). Then the Simsonian, which is an amazing collection of about 15 museums including the air & space museum which contains actual jet planes and space rockets and modules etc. in a word - amazing. Also a bit of Americana including Edison's first light bulb and the original M*A*S*H signpost (see photo).
On the way home we decided to do a test run to the airport so as not to get lost and miss our flight in the morning. You guessed it - we got lost. Actually we found out later we weren't really lost at all - just street signs turned the wrong way. Anyway we made it ok and dropped off the car and caught our flight - after even more security. Miami here we come.
