Day #31: Monday, May 8, 1995
137,828 Miles

I woke up at 5:00 AM and saw on the news that today was the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. Bill Clinton was going to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery at 7:30 AM. I was just a few miles North of the downtown Washington DC area, and Arlington Cemetery is on the other bank of the Potomac River South of Washington. It seemed possible for me to get to Arlington before 7:30 AM. I quickly got ready, then took a long time to check the map for directions. I knew that if I wanted to get there on time, I would have to ride the METRO (driving through downtown during rush hour was out of the question!). I checked out of the motel at 7:00 AM - already late.

The METRO station was very close to the motel. But getting there involved a long detour. (The most direct road, since it was the shortest distance from the motel to the METRO, was obviously closed![17]) I got lost trying to follow the "DETOUR" signs, and filled gas somewhere in Washington NE. At the gas station, I asked the driver behind me "How do I get to the Subway station?". I had not yet realized that the "Subway" is not called "Subway" in Washington! He gave me the standard reply ("The WHAT station??? Oh, the METRO!"); then he gave me the directions. I got to the nearest METRO station ("Fort Totten") at 7:30 AM. I had already missed the ceremony!

At the station, I had to get what are called "Farecards". Sachin had told me about them when I had gone to Wilmington. The Washington METRO does not use "normal" tokens, as all other subway systems in the country. You have buy a magnetic farecard, and you set the value on the card. I inserted $10 in the machine, and received a card worth $10.50 (5% additional incentive to make people pay more -- $20 gets you a $22 card -- 10% more). Then I got on the METRO for the first time.

The Washington METRO system is an excellent and very organized system. First of all, there are no tokens. Everyone carries one card in their wallets. When you enter the platform, you slide the card through a magnetic scanner, like a credit card. The time and station are recorded. When you have reached your destination, you slide the card again through the scanner at that station. Again, the time and station are recorded, and the appropriate amount is deducted from your card. That amount depends on the distance you traveled and the time of day (rush hour costs more). You can keep using the same card again and again, provided you have enough money on it. You can add more money by going to an "AddFare" machine, inserting your card, and inserting more money. There are unlimited free transfers, but you never need to transfer more than once, regardless of your arrival and destination stations. Compared to Atlanta's "MARTA" system (token-based), this was far better! Later, when I went to Boston, New York City and Chicago, I liked Washington's METRO even more!

I had to change trains at "Metro Center" station. This is the largest station in the METRO system, and a "change trains" point for many passengers. It is always crowded, and it is always hectic, because there are always people running from one platform to another to catch their train. I was in no hurry (I had already missed the 7:30 deadline), and I could not understand why people were running so fast, since the trains run every two minutes anyway! Couldn't they just wait for two minutes for the next train?

No, they could not; and neither could I, a few days later...

8:30 AM Arrived at Arlington Cemetery one hour late. I went to their visitor center (this was the first time I had heard of a cemetery with a "Visitor Center"!). I was very surprised to see brochures there containing self-guided walking "tours" of the cemetery! Anyway, I picked up a brochure, and started my tour! (Guided tours were also offered, but I did not take any of those!)


The first stop on their brochure's tour map was JFK's, RFK's, and Jackie Kennedy's tombs. Saw the "eternal flame". Then went to the "Tomb of the Unknown Soldier". I saw the Changing-of-the-Guard there. The wreath was on the tomb. There were a lot of "miscellaneous attractions" on the brochure, but I was only interested in three. I had seen two. The third one was the Iwo Jima Memorial.

I did not know something.

The brochure tour map showed that the Iwo Jima Memorial was at the other end of the cemetery. I do not know exactly how much I walked, but it took 1/2 hour, so it must have been about two miles.

After walking that much, I found out something.

The Iwo Jima Memorial is OUTSIDE the cemetery. The gate to go outside was locked. There were other tourists there, and they had also walked all the way. They were standing next to a wall that was about four feet tall. "Out of respect for the deceased", we were not supposed to climb the walls.

We did (shame on us!).

I had seen the Iwo Jima Memorial in movies and photographs, and they always made it look more dramatic than it really is. It was nice, but I had expected it to be EXCELLENT, based on all the pictures I had seen. I could not see the Washington skyline from where I was. In all the movies and photographs, the Washington skyline is clearly visible. I left the memorial (and Arlington Cemetery) at 11:30 AM. Rating for Arlington Cemetery, including the Iwo Jima Memorial = .

I took the METRO to Farragut West station[18]. Then went to lunch at a "Roy Rogers" restaurant[19]. This was very close to the White House, Department of Commerce, and the Department of Treasury. I was the only customer in that restaurant who was wearing a T-shirt and jeans! All other customers were wearing either a 3-piece suit or a military uniform! I was getting a lot attention there!

After lunch, I took the METRO to the Archives station and went to the National Archives. Since this was the 50th anniversary of V-E Day in World War II, the National Archives had a temporary exhibit on the American role in that war. The highlight, however, were three documents -- all original, all more than two hundred years old, and all containing the signatures of this country's founding fathers.

The United States Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Bill of Rights were all in a special display case that was guarded by armed security. The lighting inside the hall was dim to protect the parchment. We were allowed to take pictures, provided we turned our cameras' flashes "OFF". That was no use, so I did not take any pictures there! Instead, I just took a picture of the building itself from the outside. Rating for National Archives = .

Across the street from the National Archives is the National Gallery of Art (West Building). I went there next (2:20 PM).

I saw the famous portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte I had seen so many times in history books (he is standing in his office, one hand in his pocket and one foot in front of the other). There are a lot of exhibits there, and I did not finish seeing all of them. I left the museum at 4:45 PM [Rating withheld].


I wanted to go to the Washington Monument next. I got in the long line at 5:15 PM, then got to the top at 6:00 PM. I was at the top until 8:15, photographing the monument's shadow over the Smithsonian museums to the East against a setting sun to the West. When the sun went down, the lights all across the city turned on, and the view was fantastic! But I could not take any pictures at night because the flash would have reflected off the windows.

Rating = .

After coming down, I walked along the reflecting pools to the Vietnam Memorial. All of Washington's monuments are lighted by floodlights at night -- except this one. The Vietnam Memorial was dark. The Washington Monument (hereafter referred to as "George's Obelisk") reflected off of the Vietnam Wall. .


The Lincoln Memorial is next to the Vietnam Memorial, so I went there next (even though I had already been there before). The last time I came here, it was daytime. I could not see Lincoln's statue very clearly, because the hall inside was dark. At night, the hall's lights were turned on, and I finally saw Abe! He looked a lot like me, since neither one of us had shaved or got a haircut for a long time! I got some good pictures of him then. Later, I bought an ice cream cone and sat down on the steps leading up to the statue. From there, I could see all of Washington's attractions except the White House. The lights made everything look even more beautiful. I left the Lincoln Memorial at 10:30 PM. Rating for Lincoln Memorial at night = .

There is a METRO station only a few blocks North of the Memorial, but I decided to walk all the way to beyond George's Obelisk to the Smithsonian station. This way, I could see the obelisk and its reflection in the reflecting pools below for my entire walk (approximately 1/2 mile), then the Capitol building and IT'S reflection in the pool for the rest of the walk (another 1/2 mile). I got to the Smithsonian station and found out it closes at 10:00 PM every night! From there, I walked even farther to the Federal Triangle station, hoping that one would be open. It was open, so I took the train from there to Fort Totten and got back to my car at 11:05 PM.

12:10 PM Went to sleep at a rest area near Manassas, VA on I-66 in Virginia. Today was my first FULL day in Washington, and I enjoyed every second of it!

License Plates:
CANUDIG VA Honda Civic (seen at Arlington Cemetery!)
PROGRAM DC Buick -- first Washington, DC license plate

Expenses:
$34.21 Chase Walter Reeds Masters Host Inn Washington, DC
$11 CB Gas (near Fort Totten station) Washington, DC
$10 Cash METRO farecard -- Fort Totten station Washington, DC
$5 Cash METRO 1-day pass -- Metro Center station Washington, DC
$5 Cash Lunch -- Roy Rogers Washington, DC

Go to start of this date

Day #32: Tuesday, May 9, 1995
137,869 Miles

8:00 AM Woke up, then left rest area at 8:45. Starving because I had not had dinner the previous night.

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM Breakfast at McDonalds in Manassas.

Arrived at Vienna station (Westernmost METRO station in DC metropolitan area -- in Virginia). I took the train to L'Enfant Plaza station and went to the National Air and Space Museum, with confidence in myself this time!

This was my second visit to the National Air and Space Museum. I would not get dizzy, like the first time. I would not get overwhelmed by what I saw. I knew what I was going to see. I knew what I wanted to see. I knew everything.

Ate an expensive lunch topped with ice cream, cake, and pudding at the "Flight Line" restaurant inside the museum, with a fantastic view of the Capitol dome. The food was good, too!


After lunch, I started seeing the planes. The rockets. The spacecraft. Just about everything. This visit was intended as a "quick overview" of everything in the museum. I would later come back here several times and spend a lot more time in each gallery. For now, a "quick overview" was enough. I left the museum at 2:45 PM. Rating withheld -- not enough information yet to give a rating.


2:50 PM - 3:50 PM National Gallery of Art. Finished seeing all of it this time. Everything was very nice, as expected. .

For the next hour, I went on a walking tour of the Eastern downtown area. I went to the Capitol building and circled it, getting great views of several of Washington's famous buildings, memorials and monuments. Then I walked to the Supreme Court behind the Capitol and had my picture taken on its steps. Walked to the Library of Congress, but did not go inside -- yet.

The next stop was my car in Virginia. I got back on the METRO. Had to change trains at Metro Center (as usual). While I was at Metro Center, I stopped by at their sales office and bought four 1-day METRO Passes. As I was walking from the sales office back to the platform, I saw a lot of people running to the platform. I also started running! I got to the platform about two seconds before the next train came to a full stop. The doors opened, and I pushed my way inside with everyone else! Then took the train to Vienna. I was getting used to the hustle-and-bustle of rush hour METRO riding. I was now a seasoned METRO traveler!!! I was also rather enjoying watching the first-timers riding the METRO. It was very easy to spot them!

6:00 PM Back to car, then drove to Annapolis, MD.

7:00 PM Checked in at the same Days Inn at Annapolis, then drove to the Annapolis mall. Gave my photos for developing, bought dinner-to-go at Roy Rogers nearby, then arrived back to my motel room at 8:00 PM, just in time to see the movie "Speed" on HBO. Ate dinner while watching movie.

License Plates:
WARE AM I VA Chevrolet Blazer ("more importantly, where am I?")
ILUVFUN VA Toyota Corolla ("So Do I!")
ACTNT 2B VA Mazda Protege
PLAINS VA Honda
RAT VA Mercedes
JAZZ SAX VA Acura Integra -- Could this car belong to Bill Clinton?
4TEELUV VA Chrysler LeBaron
TMERIT VA Ford Contour
REDTEES VA ??? (went by too fast) -- License Plate #100
USTREES VA Ford Taurus
ISNG TNR VA Ford Probe
NO GOOD1 VA Ford -- Maybe this is Bill Clinton's car!
CARMEBK VA Volkswagen Fox
STM4JEN VA Geo Storm
OK BUBYE VA Saturn Twin-cam ("OK BUBYE 2U2")
IMPZZLA VA Chevrolet Impala
FERRET VA Subaru
GRNDLE VA Lincoln Towncar
FL PANTH VA Acura Integra
ACESRX7 MD Mazda RX7 ("Hi, Ace. I'm Ish.")
CAP JR VA Jeep Cherokee
FOXVALE MD Lincoln Towncar
BEEZLE VA Ford Explorer

Expenses:
$2 Cash Breakfast -- McDonalds Manassas, VA
$3 Cash Parking -- Vienna METRO station Vienna, VA
$10 Cash Lunch -- Flight Line restaurant, National Air and Space Museum Washington, DC
$80 Discover Cash withdrawal -- National Air and Space Museum Washington, DC
$20 CB Four 1-day METRO Passes -- Metro Center Station Washington, DC
$4 Cash Dinner -- Roy Rogers Annapolis, MD

Go to start of this date
Go to start of this section
Continue on to May 10

[17] Actually, that was not the real reason the road was closed! The road was under construction.
[18] One of the three closest stations to the White House.
[19] This is a fast-food place, very much like McDonalds or Burger King.