View from the roof of Donovan House
Pool and bar at Donovan House
Korean War Memorial. Very moving.
The Capitol Building being renovated
Mr Obama's office
Donovan House, a Kimpton Hotel, was a great choice. We were given a beautiful, huge suite with a lounge room, dining room, bedroom, and bathroom with a freestanding bath and spiral shower.
The staff were welcoming and helpful, and the bar on the rooftop was a fabulous way to start our Washington adventure.
We'd been here before, but just for a day of sightseeing a few years ago.
We asked the people at the front desk for a recommendation for dinner and they suggested Lincoln, a tapas style restaurant half a block away. Before the trip I searched Trip Advisor for suggestions as it is Dom's birthday. Lincoln was high on the list. And so it should be - attractively furnished in Lincoln-isms. Paintings of him, a whole wall made of pennies with his face up. The staff were excellent - there when you needed them and happy to help. And the food was delicious!
The next day was probably one of my all time favourites! We borrowed bikes from the hotel - Dom's was 2 days old, mine a little older, and free to use. Lock and helmets too!
Under a cool and cloudy sky we set off into the busy morning streets for leafy Georgetown - the beautiful old town of Washington. Colonial American buildings, beautiful gardens, high end shops and restaurants disguised in the original buildings.
In search of breakfast we came across a beautiful hotel on the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, The Melrose Georgetown, where the doorman invited us in and offered to mind our bikes. We were the only ones in the restaurant, but had a superb breakfast on the verandah, overlooking the ducks and jumping fish in the canal.
From there we cycled along the canal, looking at the old locks, and along The edge of the Potomac River to the Lincoln Memorial. The Reflecting Pool was full of water (empty, under renovation on our last visit), and we wandered through the moving Korean War Memorial again.
We visited the FDR memorial, which was extensive, with a statue or waterfall in an outdoor 'room' for each of his four terms in office. Many of his famous speech excerpts were carved in the stone.
The Thomas Jefferson monument was an enormous statue housed in an open columned pagoda, with views through to the White House and Washington Monument. His famous speeches were also carved into the walls.
We were here when we heard and then saw two Sea Kings and a Blackhawk fly low over us - Marine One inbound to the White House. They split up, taking different routes in, just as they do in the movies.
We cycled to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, on the mall (long grassy area joining the Capitol Building to the Lincoln Memorial) which offered free entry. There were signs on the doors saying guns and knives not allowed and we laughed, wondering who would bring their knives to a museum. Only minutes later to be tossed out, as Dom had a Leatherman tool to fix the bikes if necessary! Ha ha indeed.
Back down the mall to the Whitehouse and the hotel on 14th Street. It rained lightly the whole day, but not enough to reduce our fun. We rode approximately 25 kilometers. I would highly recommend seeing Washington by bike - we couldn't have seen everything we did on foot, and if we'd had to find a carpark at every stop we would have given up. Such a great day!
Dinner was at Woodward Table on H Street - excellent food and good service.
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