July 31 – Washington, DC

Day 135 - Welcome to Washington, DC

Gangplank Marina

We left early this morning and had a very nice day on the water. The landscape along the Potomac River is beautiful...mostly rolling hills, with some larger cliffs and trees, trees everywhere. We passed some large estates, a military base, and historic places like Mount Vernon and Fort Washington on our way into Washington, DC. It was very exciting to look up and see the Washington Monument and the Capital on the horizon. I can't believe we are actually staying here on our boat. Our marina is less than a mile to The Smithsonian museums, the Capital and most of the monuments and memorials.

Late in the afternoon we rode to the National Mall and had our first look at part of DC. We looked at the World War II Memorial, the Washington Monument and the Korean War Memorial. We went by the Lincoln Memorial, but it was packed with people...we'll try to get there one morning before the tour buses arrive. We spent the evening on the boat enjoying our view of the Washington skyline.

Mt. Vernon

Washington skyline as we came into the marina

Washington Monument - The Washington Monument is the most prominent structure in Washington, DC and one of the city's early attractions. It was built in honor of George Washington, who led the country to independence and then became its first President. The Monument is shaped like an Egyptian obelisk, stands 555’ 5 1/8” tall, and offers views in excess of thirty miles. It was finished on December 6, 1884.

World War ll Memorial - The U.S. National World War II Memorial is a National Memorial dedicated to Americans who served in the armed forces and as civilians during World War II. Consisting of 56 pillars and a pair of arches surrounding a plaza and fountain, it is located on the National Mall in Washington, DC, on the former site of the Rainbow Pool at the eastern end of the Reflecting Pool, between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. It was dedicated by President George W. Bush on May 29, 2004.

Looking across the World War II Memorial to the Washington Monument

Korean Memorial - “Freedom is not free.” Here, one finds the expression of American gratitude to those who restored freedom to South Korea. Nineteen stainless steel sculptures stand silently under the watchful eye of a sea of faces upon a granite wall—reminders of the human cost of defending freedom. These elements all bear witness to the patriotism, devotion to duty, and courage of Korean War veterans. The memorial was dedicated on July 27, 1995, the 42nd anniversary of the armistice that ended the war.

View from our boat