Washington

Today [Sunday, 7th October] we set out form our hotel in West Chester heading for Strasburg, Virginia, stopping off in Washington to visit the Smithsonian--or a least a part of it. The trip started off driving past many very large shopping plazas--at least seven by Jane's count--then out onto the dual lane motorway to Baltimore. Here we bypassed the city and went under the harbour via a tunnel.

Through the tunnel and out into the rain.

From here we went onto Washington, travelling down hill for miles on an older motorway lined with stone wall on each side.

We knew we were in Washington when the Obelisk and the Capital dome appeared. The obelisk is just right of the lamp post.

From here we drove into a car parking building just two blocks from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. At the museum we joined the queue to pass through security and we were soon inside. The place was packed. Lots of children; it was a Sunday after all. After finding a toilet (very small, with queues) I headed down to the Lunar landing module, took a photo and then got the message my battery was flat. I had no spare!

Just past this exhibit is the largest, noisiest McDonalds I have ever seen--the Smithsonian must get a lot of money from the big M otherwise why have such mis-match. The noise inside was deafening and I am sure the extremely loud air conditioning is to try to drown out the customer noise!

Let's get back to the museum. Many displays of space technology, both Russian and US including ICBMs. Space station modules you can walk through. Then the many aircraft displays. Planes hanging from the roof and as you approached the second floor via the escalator you found yourself looking straight into a Ford Tri-Motor.

Also many one of kind planes such as the Spirit of St. Louis, Hughes H1, Ellsworth Antarctic plane, and many more.

This museum is not a aircraft museum like Duxford or the Evergreen in McMinville it is more an education and historical development display.

I am sorry there are no more pictures, but Jane may add some when she checks and corrects my writing. However you may have to wait a bit as she is off doing the washing.

From Washington we drove down to Strasburg, Virginia, crossing the Shenandoah River.


Checking in to our hotel we realised that we were in the South. All the pictures on the walls depict Confederate soldiers, and later on entering the restaurant we were greeted by a large mural again showing Confederate themes.

- Posted Don


P.S. by Jane (the next morning)

Washing is done, photos are added.  And my favourite bit of the museum was the travel posters and the display on the flying boats.