Day 18: They Wanna Ban Us on Capitol Hill

Final Day in DC! I took the opportunity to finally see Capitol Hill and walk the track around the Tidal Basin. Good opportunity to work off those kilos I'm sure I've put on from all the (not-so-good-for-you) food I've been eating.

Capitol Hill was very busy. There was a protest going on outside the front against the Chinese Government - mostly to do with suppression of free speech and forced disappearance. Combined with it being summer, there were a lot of school kids about on summer camp being taken around DC. The building itself is impressive to see - it would look better if the dome was on display instead of being renovated. There were a few statues and fountains around - particularly the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial right in front of Capitol Building - that were also being renovate. It's kind of odd, to be doing this work during tourist high season, but I suspect in winter they may struggle with the weather instead.

I walked from the Smithsonian Metro up to Capitol Hill - takes about 30 minutes

The space of American Government - pretty impressive

My next stop was half way around the Basin at the Jefferson Memorial. It's a very impressive space - big, open, marble (maybe actually granite - not sure) space with a massive statue. Surrounding are quotations and famous speeches (a running theme I soon saw). From just about anywhere on the Basin you can see the Washington Monument, but the view out across the water from here was especially spectacular. The best part was actually the lower floor, which was a small museum that explained Jefferson's contributions to the United States Really well done and something not everyone came and saw.

The walk up the many stairs to the Jefferson Memorial

The man - Thomas Jefferson

Some context to the space

This is the view from the Memorial. 

On my way around the Basin I saw many other memorials - including the Franklin Roosevelt and the Martin Luther King Jnr. The Roosevelt memorial I found incredibly inspiring - it was quite expansive, full of pathways to explore with inspirational quotations about politics, the role of government and the responsibility of people. I thought it was quite ironic the number of quotes about the responsibility of a nation to assist the poorest rather than build up the wealth of the richest in the land of the 1% based government. But that's politics for you. The MLK memorial was, by comparison, quite unimpressive - although the carving of MLK from the stone was incredible. I think I just expected from the memorial than what was there.

The view from the bridge across the basin outlet - Jefferson Memorial on the right, Washington Monument in the centre

The Franklin Roosevelt Memorial (one section of it)

A memorial for Eleanor Roosevelt and her work with the UN

Martin Luther King Jnr. Memorial

MLK carved in stone

It was pretty hot today, so by this stage I was quite dehydrated. It took my a long time to find water though - the signs would claim they pointed to a refreshments stand, but they never did. It wasn't until I reached the final stop on my journey - the Lincoln Memorial - that I found a place to buy water. It was pricey, but worth it. Along the way to the Lincoln Memorial I also saw the Korean Veterans Memorial and later saw the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, but they were both very busy so I didn't stop to look.

The Lincoln Memorial is imposing. It is also PACKED. This place is a big deal. Lincoln's statue stares out over the reflecting pool straight at the Washington Monument and the walls read his famous Gettysburg Address. The steps are full of people, seated and resting, whilst children slide down the smooth granite at the edges of the steps. The actual souvenir shop, whilst underwhelming, is packed so tight you can't really move around to look at things. It's an amazing space - similar to the Jefferson Memorial - and if it were quiet, like the sign asks you to be, it would be truly a great space to reflect on the achievements of the first assassinated President of the United States.

This was just the outside of the Memorial - the interior was even busier

Abraham Lincoln himself

Part of the Gettysburg Address

The final stop of my day was the Supreme Court, but as I was leaving I saw one of the sights I thought I wouldn't have the opportunity to go see. Outside the Department of Science is a fantastic statue of Albert Einstein and I was actually about to get a #photowithAlbert thanks to a lovely American couple that were taking pictures of their children. I was so happy!

Quotations of Albert around the statue

My #photowithalbert - the hashtag is used so the Department can see your photos for use at their annual general meeting

Last stop on the DC tour was the Supreme Court. I got the view of the other side of the Capitol Building and the absolutely gorgeous Library of Congress. The Supreme Court itself was incredibly glarey - the light coloured stone reflected the late afternoon sun right into my eyes. It was still impressive to look at, and exciting to think that only a few weeks ago the journalist interns had sprinted across those stones to inform the public that marriage in the United States was a fundamental right to members of the LGBTI+ community.

The Library of Congress - looks like it was ripped straight from Florence

The other side of the Capitol Building

The famous Supreme Court of the United States

So ends my tourism. Tomorrow I will be up at 5am to catch a bus to Pittsburgh for the start of the Hesselbein Global Leadership Summit. I'm excited. Unfortunately, that also means the end of my song titles (mostly because I don't know many about Pittsburgh). But I cannot wait to dive headfirst into this new experience. Only a few days left in the USA before Thailand too!