ok. so we got to dulles and got our bags. paid $9 for a coach transfer to washington dc city center, got onto their subway to hostelling international. after check in and all, night fell and we got out and walked to chinatown to look for dinner. sometimes it helps to have a direction sense and ability to read maps. =) thanks dad.
so this is chinatown. looks the same as the vancouver one ain't it.
day 2, actually day 1 lah since we only explored DC last night. so this was the proper 1st day. we walked everywhere because most sights in DC were clustered around the same area and were quite near to our hostel. so it was a beautiful day and it was warm and sunny! love love love the weather. probably around 15-17 degrees this day.
just look at the buildings. it's so different from other cities i've been to. i was feeling quite disoriented just because it was so strange to know that you're in the middle of a city's center but yet it looks totally different. it feels very different too. there weren't many people on the streets. all busy saving america and the world. coming up with ridiculous policies.
i have this obsession with flowers. you'll see many many more.
more sights around DC. the buildings all have very unique architecture. and they all weren't tall.
our first stop was the international spy museum. which was really quite cool, since i loved watching alias and the recruit, the movie starring colin farrell. so we were like introduced to all the tactics, psychology, technology, emotions, history of spying and espionage. very very interesting. it had the usual, like weapons, surveillence, disguise etc. the history bit was kinda informative. from the first female spies, to the double agents that got compromised and had all kinds of consequences, to the japanese ninja, to ancient chinese spies. loved it. $$ well-spent, 'cos this was the only museum we paid to enter. i miss watching alias. contemplating buying the dvd boxset. oh yes. jiejie if you want any dvd boxsets let me know! i saw west wing season 3?4? on sale and i was afraid that you bought it already so i didn't. tell me k.
speaking of spies, this is the CIA building. looks so unglam right. yeah exactly my sentiments.
more sights around DC. most adults around were dressed in corporate wear.
this is pennsylvania ave. the white house address is 1300 pennsylvania ave. only the first family can put that as their address. darn.
ok. i admit i forgot what this is. the stone says franklin D roosevelt. one of america's former presidents.
2nd stop in our adventure in american history and politics. the national archives of the US of A. very very nice building to begin with. this is the back.
and this is the front! you can see how huge it is. anyways this museum houses all the artifacts of america's history. like their constitution, which i assume they signed in 1776, the year of their independence. and several congressional acts and treaties.
this is the seal of the US.
and a neat little computer program allows you to design your own seal! here's mine. i haven't decided what each thing on it stands for. heh. but its quite nice right.
this was thomas edison's patent for the light bulb! you know where you invent something and you copyright it.
as you can read, this was louis armstrong's registration slip for the army. louis armstrong, the great jazz legend.
beautiful paintings and intricate details in architecture and lighting. here the hall is dimly lit so that light will not damage the articles and artifacts.
you feel so small in that great big hall. here we saw the original constitution, preserved till this day.
this big patch of grass is called the national mall. one end of it is the capitol building (aka parliament house). at the center is the washington monument, the big tall tower you see at the left side of the photo. at another end is the abraham lincoln memorial. at another end is the white house. at the last north-south-east-west bearing is a lake lined with cherry blossom trees, a gift to the US from japan. and from capitol to lincoln memorial, is 2.2 miles. we walked that distance and more.
me with my drink because it was SO hot, with the washington monument. my neck looks weirdly long here.
the capitol from afar. closeups will be shown soon.
the smithsonian museum of natural history. the smithsonian is a cluster of museums, all free, comprising this one with many others. we only had time for this one. and it was good.
trees along the national mall. isn't it such a beautiful day?
here is the entrance. before all the security checks. i'm so used to them now.
inside the museum. the lobby had this giant elephant. it was huge.
the orchids exhibit was nothing fantastic. maybe because i've seen many pretty orchids before.
the dinosaurs exhibit. no such exhibit is complete without a life size skeleton of the T rex, among other dinosaurs.
at the precious stones and gems exhibit. the highlight is the hope diamond here. 43.82 carats!!! ohmygoodness.ok. day one isn't even finished yet. i've decided to not crash your web browser 'cos there're too many photos here. akan datang is day 1's jazz concert at the kennedy center for performing arts and day 2 stuff.
i played squash today at IMA! it was goooddd and fun. and tiring too. and i prespired a lot which is good. work off some of the snacks i'm eating way too often hehhh.
ok. gotta watch grey's anatomy. out.
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