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This past weekend I was in Washington D.C. for a conference. Here, I was presented with an award for a paper I wrote. As a proud parent, my mom was eager to come with me. We found an early morning flight with Delta airlines, connected through Detroit and reached the U.S. capital by noon.

Getting from the main airport, Ronald Regan Airport, into town is really convenient by metro.  If you would prefer not to lug around your suitcases or simply prefer more convenience, you could take a taxi or shuttle buses. Had I not been pressed to get to my event on time, I would have taken the metro. But this time, I opted for the Shuttle, a minivan-taxi which seats about 7 people (the drop-off locations are usually in the same area so that passengers can get to their destinations quickly).

My first impressions of the city? An early Friday afternoon traffic made my journey rather slow. Streets are rather narrow and the construction that was going on in some places made it even harder to get through. I could even say the drive was a bit ‘dangerous’ as two cars were about to hit us on the way. Apparently, drivers are not very polite when it comes to respecting other drivers.

After the conference was over, I finally had the whole weekend ahead of me to discover Washington. Little did I know that I was about to get a big history lesson on America’s past and present. First of all let me give you a brief overview of the town. There are about 600,000 living in D.C. (District of Columbia – named after Christopher Columbus), with approx. 40% being white, about the same black, and another 14% latinos. The whole state covers about 70 squared miles, and you will notice that there are only small buildings (no taller than 13 floors), and there are no power lines! There is a Starbucks at almost every corner and why do people say ‘uh huh’ instead of ‘you’re welcome’ every time I say ‘thank you’ ?!

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Things to do in Washington, DC:

 

1. White House – The White House is the oldest public building in Washington, DC and has been the home of every president except George Washington. George Washington and city planner Pierre L’Enfant held a contest to find a builder and chose James Hoban of Ireland who modeled the White House after an Irish country house. The White House took 8 years to build. The interior has been restored and remodeled over the years. Public tours of the White House are limited to groups of 10 or more and must be requested a couple of months in advance through a member of Congress and representative of the country of origin (i.e. embassies). The nearby Visitor Center, which is open every day, has a movie presentation on the White House, wall-panels explaining its history, and a small gift shop.

2. U.S. Capitol – This building is a symbol of American independence and democracy. It is the meeting place of the Senate and House of Representatives, known collectively as the U.S. Congress. Since its original construction, the building has been built, burnt (when the British invaded in 1814), rebuilt, expanded and restored. With 540 rooms divided among five levels, the U.S. Capitol is a massive building. Tours of the historic U.S. Capitol building are free, but require tickets which are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Prior to touring the building, guests are first invited to watch a video of about 10-15 minutes about America’s history. Prior to establishing the nation’s capital in Washington, D.C., Congress had met in Philadelphia, New York City, and a number of other cities. In 1790, the Residence Act called for a permanent capital. Approval of an architectural design for the Capitol took a long time, but eventually was awarded to William Thorton. Though the building was incomplete, the Capitol held its first session of United States Congress on November 17, 1800. The Capitol Complex includes the Capitol Building itself, the House and Senate Office Buildings, the U.S. Botanic Garden, the Capitol Grounds, the Library of Congress buildings (must see, a real jewel!), the Supreme Court Building, the Capitol Power Plant, and various support facilities.

3. Lincoln Memorial – The Lincoln Memorial commemorates America’s 16th president who was assassinated in 1865. Construction started in 1914 and its design, devised by the New York architect Henry Bacon, was based on a Greek temple with 36 doric columns. Inside the 30m tall marble temple is a large sculpture of Abraham Lincoln seated in a chair. The sculpture, designed by Daniel Chester French, was originally intended to be 3m tall. Henry Bacon realized the statue would be dwarfed inside the large building so the size was almost doubled to 5.8m.

4. World War Two Memorial – The World War II Memorial honors the 16 million who served in the armed forces of the U.S., the more than 400,000 who died, and all who supported the war effort from home. Symbolic of the defining event of the 20th Century, the memorial is a monument to the spirit, sacrifice, and commitment of the American people. The memorial opened to the public on April 29, 2004. Fifty-six pillars represent the states, territories and the District of Columbia at the time of the war. Two sculpted bronze wreaths adorn each pillar. Small fountains sit at the bases of the two arches. Waterfalls surround a wall of 4,000 gold stars, each one represents 100 U.S. deaths in the war. More than two-thirds of the memorial consists of grass, plants and water. A circular garden, called the “Circle of Remembrance,” is enclosed by a two-foot-high stone wall.

5. Washington Monument – Construction of the Washington Monument began in 1848. However, the memorial was not completed until 1884, due to lack of funds during the Civil War. When it first opened to the public, it took almost 25 minutes to reach the top by elevator. The monument honors the memory of President George Washington and is an important historic site and landmark on the National Mall in Washington, DC. It is the tallest structure in Washington, DC. Fifty flags surround the base of the Washington Monument symbolizing the 50 states of America. The monument has been temporarily closed to visitors since it has suffered cracks in its foundations due to an earthquake in the summer of 2011.

6. Arlington Cemetery – Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, serves as a cemetery and a memorial to America’s war heroes. Among the notable Americans buried here are Presidents William Howard Taft and John F. Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and Robert Kennedy. The main entrance, also known as the Memorial Gate, was recently modified to house the Women in Military Service for America Memorial. The Visitors Center is located here and is a resource for maps and guidebooks. The Tomb of the Unknowns, also known as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, stands on a hill overlooking Washington, DC. The tomb was dedicated in 1921 and contains the remains of soldiers from WWI, WWII, Korea and Vietnam. The tomb is guarded 24 hours a day and each hour (each half-hour in summer) there is a changing of the guard ceremony with a special march and salute. The best way to get to the cemetery is to take Metro to the Arlington National Cemetery Station or walk in across the Memorial Bridge (close to the Lincoln Memorial).

7. Pentagon – The Pentagon serves as the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense. As one of the world’s largest office buildings, the Pentagon houses a daily working population of approximately 24,000 employees, both military and civilian (it also covers 5 different zip codes). The Pentagon building is composed of five concentric pentagonal rings connected by ten radial corridors. The building was constructed in the early years of World War II in the space of only 16 months, and was completed on January 15, 1943 at a cost of roughly $83 million.

An airliner crashed into the Pentagon Tuesday 11 September 2001 in an apparent terrorist attack. Even though approx. 24,000 people work at the Pentagon on a daily basis, the side of the building that was hit was under construction at the time, which means that there weren’t as many casualties as there could have been. The building has since been reconstructed and a memorial was built on the same side where the plane hit. To honor the 184 victims, 184 illuminated benches have been arranged according to the victim’s ages, starting with Dana Falkenberg, 3, to John Yamnicky Sr., 71. Each bench is engraved with the name of each victim. If more than one member of a family died during the attack, family names are listed in the reflecting pool under the bench (the constantly running water beneath the bench represents life). There is also a wall along the edge of the Memorial which increases in height, ranging from 3 inches to 71 inches, representing the ages of the youngest and oldest victims of the attack. The benches for those that were inside the Pentagon are arranged so that those reading the names will face the Pentagon’s south facade, where the plane hit; benches dedicated to victims aboard the plane are arranged so that those reading the engraved name will be facing skyward along the path the plane traveled.

8. Georgetown – This is a neighborhood located in the northwest part of the city, along the Potomac River waterfront. Founded in 1751, the port of Georgetown predated the establishment of the federal district and the City of Washington. Georgetown remained a separate municipality until 1871, when the United States Congress created a new consolidated government for the whole District of Columbia. Today, the Georgetown offers high-end shops, bars, and restaurants (I had a tour guide tell me that monthly rent in Georgetown for businesses can reach $40,000!). Georgetown is also home to the main campus of Georgetown University, the oldest Catholic university in the country. Getting to this area from downtown is quickest and cheapest by taking the Circulator bus which only costs $1.

9. Smithsonian Natural History Museum – The National Museum of Natural History opened its doors to the public on March 17, 1910.  It is part of the Smithsonian Institution and houses a national collection of more than 126 million natural science specimens and cultural artifacts. Popular displays include dinosaur skeletons, an enormous collection of natural gems and minerals, artifacts of early man, an insect zoo, a live coral reef and much more. This museum is also a research facility dedicated to inspiring discovery about the natural world through its exhibitions and education programs.

10. Smithsonian Air and Space Museum – This museum maintains the largest collection of historic air and spacecraft in the world. The museum features 22 exhibition galleries, displaying hundreds of artifacts including the original Wright 1903 Flyer, the “Spirit of St. Louis,” and the Apollo 11 command module. It is the most visited museum in the world. Many of the exhibits are interactive and great for kids. You can ride in several 4-minute flight simulator rides for $6.50 per ride.

11. Alexandria – Alexandria is approximately 9.6 kilometers (6 miles) south of downtown Washington, D.C. The historic center of Alexandria is known as the Old Town. Dating back to 1749, Alexandria’s riverfront was an important port during the colonial, revolutionary and Civil War periods. Today, Old Town Alexandria is a revitalized waterfront with cobblestone streets, colonial houses and churches, museums, shops and restaurants. With its concentration of boutiques, restaurants, antique shops and theaters, it is a major draw for tourists. In 1791, Alexandria was included in the area chosen by George Washington to become the District of Columbia. Nonetheless, Alexandria would eventually be retroceded in 1846 to the state of Virginia at a time when D.C. was going to abolish slavery. Since Alexandria was an important port and market in the slave trade, this step was taken in anticipation that the town’s economy would greatly suffer if slavery were outlawed.

12. Willard Hotel – The historic luxury hotel has been a central gathering place for elegant dinners, meetings and gala social events for more than 150 years. The Willard is a Washington institution that has hosted almost every U.S. president since Franklin Pierce in 1853. The average nightly rate is of $5000.

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