Day #2 or our Mini-Vaca. in DC

So, on Day 2 we decided to go around the Capitol building and take pictures we hadn't taken yet. We started on the southwest side where the James Garfield Monument stands. James Garfield was elected as President in 1880 and was assassinated in 1881 after serving only 4 months of his term. This bronze statue was unveiled in 1887.

We then walked up to the Capitol steps and had our picture taken in the front portico.

In 1880 a summerhouse was built in the northwest corner of the Capitol grounds. It was designed specifically as a place of rest for visitors who were touring the Capitol area on foot.

The Capitol looked beautiful with the cherry blossoms in bloom!

Also on the northwest side of the Capitol is the Peace Monument. Made of white marble, it was erected in 1877-78 to commemorate the naval deaths at sea during the Civil War.

Directly in front of the Capitol building on the west side is the infamous Ulyssess S. Grant Memorial & reflection pool. The statue is the 2nd largest equestrian statue in the U.S. and the 3rd largest in the world! It was dedicated in 1922 on the 100th anniversary of Grant's birth. Grant's statue is flanked on the south with an Artillery group and on the north by a Calvary group.

                

                                            Calvary                                              Artillery

 Other buildings on Capitol Hill (surrounding the Capitol) are the Senate Russell Building...

The US Supreme Court Building...

The Library of Congress...

The House of Representatives Cannon Building...

and Rayburn Building.

The East side of the Capitol Building is also very impressive, and you can see more clearly the House of Representatives on the south side and the Senate on the north side with the Dome in the middle with the Statue of Freedom on the top. 

 We ended up the day going into the National Gallery of Arts East Building.

At the time of our visit the gallery had an exhibit with the works of Paul Gauguin, a French painter, who lived from 1848-1903. He did self-portraits, pastels, prints, drawings, & sculptures with a lot his subjects being from Brittany & other South sea French Polynesian islands. Unfortunately, they didn't allow any photos in the exhibit.

There is a really cool walkway that runs underground between the National Galleries East & West buildings with a moving walkway & lots of moving lights!

We had gone to the West building previously, but decided to go back and see some of the paintings we didn't get a chance to see the first time. Paintings of some of the great masters that we had heard of, but had never seen their works in person!

Renoir...



 Picasso...

Van Gogh...

 Monet...

 Raphael...

and Da Vinci.

Wow! What a day!! We headed back to National Harbor for another delicious dinner at a restaurant overlooking the Potomac River. A great ending to a great day! Day 3 coming up!!

Our DC Mini-Vaca. in March

After Kacie left, we decided to take a few days, go stay close to DC,  and take in some of the sights we hadn't been able to get to yet. It coincided with the Cherry Blossom Festival which was great!

We stayed at a new resort area east of DC called National Harbor. It is a 300 acre area with hotels,restaurants, shops, residents, offices, & 3 Marinas on the Potomac River. They host lots of concerts & events there also. We have a Wyndham time-share and there is a Wyndham property at National Harbor, so we stayed there.

This is a view from the waterfront looking towards the shops & restaurants.

On the beach by the marina is a sculpture called "The Awakening". It was originally part of a city-wide public art exhibition in DC in 1980. It was part of Hains Point at the tip of the East Potomac Park. In 2008 the sculpture was moved to National Harbor. It is a 5 piece cast iron sculpture depicting the arousing of a bearded giant breaking free from the earth. Dan is standing next to the hand, so as you can see, it's pretty big!!

The Gaylord National hotel covers 41 acres of National Harbor and is 1 of 4 Gaylord hotels in the U.S. It is HUGE!!!

 Inside is an 18 story atrium area so big that there are buildings which look like houses for the shops and also a fountain that changes colors.

We ate at one of the restaurants at the Gaylord, called Moon Bay. For dessert they bring everyone a cone of cotton candy! So we had that WITH our Key Lime Pie!

Once it gets dark out the fountain colors are even more dramatic!

 We didn't take these photos, but I put them in so you could see what the area looks like from the Potomac River.

 Day 2; into DC!!