Full on “Turista” mode…Monuments Edition!

We took two formal tours, a daylight 9 hour marathon and another 7 hour evening tour. Fortunately, the RV Park we were staying had a really nice program for people with dogs. So we signed Koko up and off we went…into the Metro… Our experience with the “M” as its called here was very good. efficient, reliable and frequent. The tours all started at Union Station and they delivered us back to the campground.

First was the Capital. Currently everything seems to be under construction…

On the interior as well, everyone we spoke with made reference to the upcoming presidential inauguration as the reason…

The library of Congress delivered…

On to the White House…

Then to lunch at one of the “Local” pubs..Old Ebbitt Grill……just steps from the White House…

it’s the only other place I’ve ever seen a Rhino Foot…

After which we wandered to the South side of the White House to get a few photos…no luck, couldn’t even see the residence…”Zay vere int keep us away mode“….

This security guy vaulted over the chain and told the crowd to move back…even further back, someone in the crowd said it was because the President was coming…So Barb asks the guy “When is he arriving” to which the guy said something to the effect “Don’t know”…not being satisfied with the answer, she asks in a different way “We’ve got to catch our tour bus at 1:30PM, is it worth it for us to stick around?” He responded “No”…More on this later…

Memorials next…

And the Vietnam Memorial…

Our Last stop was the  MLK memorial…

As we viewed the exhibit, we noticed…first one helicopter flying back and forth in a somewhat aggressive manner from near the White House I guessed, towards the Washington’s Monument. It was then  joined by this military helicopter with torpedo-like bomb-ish things fastened to the skids. The two started a grid like search pattern over the area…straight out of a movie…

…Once we were back at the campground we heard the news that some dolt had been shot near the White House…after we had left…sure glad we didn’t stick around…