2014-04 Day 2 in Washington DC - Memorials, west end of the mall

Our second day in DC was Saturday, the day before Easter - and wow, it was busy! This was our day to explore the east end of the mall including the Washington Monument (not yet open since from the earthquake repairs), White House (which we could not even get close too, due to Easter festivities preparation), WWII, Vietnam, Korean War Memorials, and the Lincoln Memorial where we sat down to eat lunch overlooking the reflecting pool.

Gary "boycotted" the Martin Luther King Memorial because it was made in China (I think just because he was tired and didn't want to walk all the way over there and around the tidal basin!)...so he headed back up the mall towards the Capitol Building where we would meet up at the botanical gardens. I walked thru the Martin Luther King, Franklin D Roosevelt and Jefferson Memorials around the beautiful tidal basin where the cherry blossoms had just faded away except for one lone tree. It was a beautiful day and there were lots of people peddling around the basin in paddle boats, and a high school concert band playing on the steps of the Jefferson Memorial. So glad I walked over to the Jefferson Memorial (which I had missed on each of my previous visits) - it is impressive.

On the way back up the mall, I walked by the Holocaust Museum (which I have toured on a previous visit), Bureau of Engraving and Printing, and the African American Art museum which was not crowded at all and well worth the visit! Then I met up with Gary at the National Botanical Gardens.

Again, we took lots of pictures, a few are posted below and more at this link.