First Day In Washington DC

10 September 2014
Weather: 28C and sunny.

Today was our first real day in Washington DC, we had breakfast at Au Bon Pain Cafe Bakery.  I had a blueberry yoghurt with muesli and water whereas Justin had a raspberry and cheese Danish with a vanilla coffee.  We walked down L Street, 23 Street and E Street where we found the office of City Segway Tours - Washington, DC.  We booked this tour using Viator.com, they get you to sign a waiver and another form with your details.  We chose our helmets put sunscreen on and watched the safety video before being divided into two groups.  Our guide was Jill, she told us everything we needed to know about riding a Segway.  We were all asked to get on the Segway one by one under Jill's guidance, we were matched to our Segway’s but height; Justin's was named Dutch and mine was Topango.  We had a short ride around the courtyard then in an alleyway, then we were off and cruising down the streets of Washington DC.  We passed George Washington University on our way to the Whitehouse.  The president was in the Oval Office at the time as there was a marine guarding the East Wing.  We continued down Pennsylvania Avenue pass the Old Post Office, Department of Justice, National Archives, and Newseum to the Canadian Embassy.  Three of the seven people on the tour were Canadian's, a family from Saskatchewan.  Off again passing the National Gallery of Art to the US Capitol.  Next we rolled down the National Mall passing many of the Smithsonian Museums including the Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Castle and the Natural History Museum. We headed towards the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, along Independence Avenue to the World War I Memorial, then the Lincoln Memorial for photos looking over the Reflection Pool to the Washington Monument.  It was at this point we headed back to the Segway company's office passing the US Institute of Peace and Department of State.  Three hours had passed and it was now time to rely on leg power.  Segway’s are great fun and I really do recommend you give it a go.  You don't need to have great balance as I can't ride a bike yet I could get around on the Segway.

Us on the Segways in front of the White House

Us in front of the Reflection Pool and Washington Monument

Our group in The Mall with the Capitol behind us

It was a long walk to the Arlington Memorial Bridge and back to the Lincoln Memorial to climb to the top.  We then strolled, okay it was a speed walk, along the edge of the Reflection Pool passing the Washington Monument to the Natural History Museum.  By this time we wished he had our own personal Segway’s.  

Justin at the Lincoln Memorial

Reflection Pool and Washington Monument from the Lincoln Memorial

On entering the museum we took photos of the elephant in the rotunda, visiting the mammals and ocean exhibitions before heading upstairs in search of the Tucson Ring, Hope Diamond and Carmen Lucia Ruby.  To our surprise every gem was spectacular and worth seeing.  The minerals display was interesting along with the meteor display.  We then headed for the dino lab and backyard dinos.  On the ground floor we saw the T-rex skull and the urban bird habitat displays.  That day we only stopped for water and chips (cold ones in the packet) before seeing the elephant exhibition and finishing off the mammal exhibit.  

Tuscon Ring

Now it was 5:00pm and we both could hardly walk so we struggled out to the National Mall where we sat and watched squirrels before heading back along Pennsylvania Avenue to the Whitehouse for more photos.  Once we had walked away from the Whitehouse we heard a lot of sirens sounding as we saw eight motorcycle cops followed by a police van and then a number of black vans followed by another police van, we guess it was the president in one of the black vans.

White House

Back at the hotel we rested by watching the news but there was nothing about the president on it.  We headed out again to find something for tea that night stumbling upon Noodle and Company which was cheap and healthy.  Justin ordered the Bombay Curry with Garlic Parmesan Chicken and I ordered Backyard BBQ Chicken Salad, sharing a Margareta Flatbread as entree.  The food was fresh, quick and tasted good.