2 July 2019
As we continue our journey through DC we are starting to go past and revisit places we’ve already been. We have noticed that fencing for crowd control, barriers, Porta potty’s, bleachers, and stages are being erected around the Lincoln Memorial, the National Mall, and the Capital Building. The landscape has really changed since last week when we first visited and were able to take our pictures without all of obstructed views. So we’re glad we did the way we did it.
We started our journey by going to the library of Congress. The first thing we did was registered for our readers card. Much different than a library card and that you don’t check any books out of the library Congress, you are going to read them. So after we got the card we each went into the huge round reading room and looked at many books that were on display in amazement.
One interesting fact, after Afghanistan was torn apart by the Taliban, and the Americans liberated it, the president of Afghanistan had to send his advisers to the library of Congress to copy all of the written laws that were archived here. All Thier originals were burned and destroyed in Afghanistan during the war. If it wasn’t for the library of Congress they would’ve had to start from scratch. Some of that stuff you just don’t think about.
Then we moseyed up to the Supreme Court. They are now out of session but open to visitors. We were able to attend the 30 minute lecture in the court room by a young intern who described the Supreme Court process and it’s history.
It was very interesting and like most of places we have visited we were amazed as to what we were seeing. After a few hours of strolling through the halls we left the Supreme Court hopped on the blue train and headed to the Smithsonian (but which one?).
Our last stop of the day is the Smithsonian Natural Museum of History, a huge building with many artifacts, and fossils, gems, and the Hope Diamond. Awesome exhibits of dinosaurs that once roamed the earth to insects. Egyptian mummies, mammals, and human origins. Wow, so much to see and take in… what great museum, and yes, I know you are wondering, Ann Marie and her Kindle were fast friends today !